DART Study Enrichment- what are we doing? Results of a cross-industry survey.
-
Upload
pearl-edwards -
Category
Documents
-
view
217 -
download
2
Transcript of DART Study Enrichment- what are we doing? Results of a cross-industry survey.
DART Study Enrichment-what are we doing?
Results of a cross-industry survey
What is EE?Environmental enrichment (EE) is any
modification in the environment of the captive animals that seeks to enhance its physical and psychological well-being by providing stimuli meeting the animals’ species-specific needs
Types of EE Social enrichment, which can involve either direct or indirect (visual,
olfactory, auditory) contact with conspecifics (other individuals of the same species) or humans.
Occupational enrichment, which encompasses both psychological enrichment (e.g., devices that provide animals with control or challenges) and enrichment that encourages exercise.
Physical enrichment, which can involve altering the size or complexity of the animal’s enclosure or adding accessories to the enclosure such as objects, substrate, or permanent structures (e.g., nestboxes).
Sensory enrichment, or stimuli that are visual (e.g., television), auditory (music, vocalizations), or in other modalities (e.g., olfactory, tactile, taste).
Nutritional enrichment, which can involve either presenting varied or novel food types or changing the method of food delivery.
Why use EE?Reduce the incidence or severity of
undesirable or abnormal behaviors◦Barbering and related alopecia◦Self-mutilation◦Repetitive/stereotypic behaviors◦Depressed behaviors◦“Crazy” bunnies
Help with tooth over-growthRegulatory body directives
◦AAALAC, etc.
Where are we now?Survey sent to 13 companies
with in- house DART programs in the US and Europe addressing:◦EE practices for rats & rabbits◦Uses of edible vs. non-edible
enrichment
11 respondents, with responses from CROs, pharmaceutical, and chemical companies with in-house animal facilities.
RABBITS
Rabbits: Non-edible
Yes No
Do you use non-edible EE for rabbits? 11 0
Do you play music? 8a 3
Do you give manipulatives? 11 0
a – One respondent only plays music for Dutch-Belted rabbits
Rabbit Music
During light cycle
Work Hours (~7am - 3pm) 24 hours/day
3 / 8 3 / 8 2 / 8
When?
Why?
Rabbit MusicWhat? (≥1 response/respondee)
◦ Pop 1◦ Rock 2◦ New Age 1◦ Radio 3◦ Country 1◦ Classical 3◦ Easy Listening 1◦ Anything with no loud bass or startling
sounds 1CRP (rabbit vendor) uses both music and talk (spoken word) radio.
Rabbit Manipulatives Hanging stainless-steel items:
◦ Washer rings
◦ Chains
◦ Bells
◦ Mirrors
◦ Rattles
◦ Bowls
◦ Triangles
Rolling toys: Jingle ball (contains SS washer noise makers), SS ball, Taz balls, PVC pipe
Chew toys: Aspen wood block, Flexi keys, Nylabones, Cyclone chew, Dumbbell, Cardboard trays/tunnels
BMS rabbit caging
AZ rabbit caging
Rabbit Exercise Methodology rabbits group-housed in floor pens Study animals rotated into a exercise pens (AZ
example below)
Rabbits: Edible Enrichment
Do you use edible enrichment for rabbits?
Yes – 11a / 11
Routine only? 4 / 11
Inappetence only? 2 / 11
Routine + additional for inappetence?
5 / 11
a – One respondent gives food enrichment to pre-study or non-study rabbits only; all others give enrichment to study animals (routine and/or inappentence)
Routine edible enrichment
What? (≥1 response/respondee)
◦ Kale 1◦ Timothy hay cubes (1× daily-weekly)
4◦ Rabbit stixa (Bio-Serv®) 2◦ Alfalfa cubes 1◦ Fruit 1◦ Veggies 1◦ Loose hay 1◦ Bunny blocks (Bio-Serv®) 1◦ Cereal 1
a – Certified, high-fiber pineapple-flavored, maintenance diet, supplement, or enrichment treat
Edible enrichment for inappetence
What? (≥1 response/respondee)
◦ Loose hay ◦ Fresh produce (carrots, apples)◦ Yogurt◦ Wheat cereal◦ Timothy hay cubes (1× daily-weekly)◦ Gel diet◦ Bunny blocks (Bio-Serv®) ◦ Dry diet moistened 50:50 (w/w) with warm
water◦ Fruity gems (Bio-Serv®) ◦ Organic granola
Criteria for inappetenceVeterinary recommendation Food consumption
◦< 30 g/day◦< 50 g/day◦< 100 g/day
Fecal outputConsiderations: age, sex, arrival
date, behaviorBased on individual animal condition,
not group mean patterns
Edible enrichment considerationsDrug-food interactions
◦Grapefruit - Cyp 3A4 inhibitor◦Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage,
kale – Cyp 1A2 enzyme inducers
Anti-coagulants & dietary Vitamin K◦Kale/spinach
RATS
Rats: Non-edible
Yes No
Do you use non-edible EE for rats? 11 0
Do you play music? 1a
Do you give manipulatives? 11 0
a – Was not specifically queried, but one respondent uses music for all animals, including rats.
Rat Manipulatives
Hanging stainless-steel items: ◦ Nuts and bolts
◦ Jingle Tags
◦ “Mouse relaxer”
Hiding Devices: huts, tunnels, houses Chew toys: Nylapucks, gummy bones, nylabones,
wood blocks, cyclone chews, chewsticks Nesting/bedding materials: Aspen wood shavings,
Crink’lNest, nestlets, alpha twist, sizzlenest Other: Non-woven gauze
BMS: Custom-made with SS nuts instead of nylon spacers. They love them!!
BMS: Tunnels are always a rat favorite…we have seen entire litters cram themselves inside one.
Rats: Edible Enrichment
Do you use edible enrichment for rats? Yes – 6 / 11
Routine? 1 / 11
Inappetence? 2 / 11
Ever? 3a / 11
a 2 respondents routine for non-study rats (methodology or training rats); 1 used for behaviorial reward in specific instances
Types of edible enrichment (rat)
Routine (≥1 response/respondee)
◦ Cereal 1◦ Yogurt drops 1◦ Bacon yummies 1◦ Supreme Mini-treats 1◦ BLT 1
Inappetencea (≥1 response/respondee)
◦ Fruity gems◦ Gel diet◦ Portion of bunny block
aCriteria: marked decrease in food consumption, body-weight loss, few or no feces, certain behavioral changes
SummaryUse of enrichment is pervasive in
DART studies.◦Rabbits: Music, manipulatives, and
edible forms are all routinely used◦Rats: Manipulatives and nesting
materials are common, with only minimal uses of edible enrichment
Consumption of edible enrichment is not routinely measured in nearly all instances
Thank you to all survey respondents!
Any Questions?