IACUC Guideline XVI
The Care and Use of Agricultural Animals Housed within Intensive Laboratory Environments (ILE)

For the purposes of this guideline ILEs are located at the following locations: room 151 of the Main Sheep Barn (#165-05); rooms 108 and 109 in the Intensive Research Building (#168-04) at the Dairy Barns; room 126 (kennels) at Centralized Biological Laboratory (#404-00); and room 30 in the Agricultural Science and Industry Building (#116-00).

1. Livestock cannot be housed in intensive laboratory environments without an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)-approved protocol. The name of the principal investigator, IACUC number and the date of approval must be posted on the door entering to the animal room.
2. Animals placed into these environments should have calm dispositions and have been previously adapted to frequent contact with animal care personnel.
3. Once housed within the facility, animals should be placed so as to have visual contact with others.
4. Unless specified within the protocol, photoperiods within the animal rooms should be similar to that being experienced outside. The daily light period should range between 8 and 18 hours. Illumination should be uniform with a minimum of 70 Lux (7 foot candles). Temperature and ventilation should be adjusted to meet the needs of the particular species, age and stage of production. (See reference)
5. Excreta must be removed from the laboratory daily.
6. Pens/stalls should be washed and sanitized thoroughly at onset of trial and as needed thereafter.
7. If appropriate for a given species, animals should be washed/curried regularly to maintain cleanliness and to avoid fly infestation.
8. The length of time an animal remains in stanchions and metabolism stalls before removal to a pen or outside lot for exercise is based on professional judgment and experience. Opportunities for regular exercise should be considered if they do not disrupt the experimental protocol.
9. If animals are housed in stanchions or metabolism stalls for more than three (3) weeks, daily records must be maintained for the following:
   1. alertness of the animal(s)
   2. condition of feet, legs & hock joints
   3. fecal and urinary output
   4. appetite
10. Regardless of the length of time animals are housed in metabolism stalls, daily records of animal inventory, feeding and room temperature must be maintained and available on site for review. The name and signature of the individual responsible for daily care and feeding should be included. Emergency contact numbers must be posted in a readily visible location.

References:

"Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Agricultural Research and Teaching," (1999) First revised edition. Federation of Animal Science Societies, Savoy, IL.

Last Revised by the IACUC on 12/13/2001
Last Approved by the IACUC on 12/08/2008