Effects of a complex semi-natural cage system on Sprague Dawley rat welfare using behaviour, faecal glucocorticoid metabolites and selected organ weights as indicators

dc.contributor.advisorNaidoo, Vinny
dc.contributor.emailrmavunganidze0@gmail.comen_US
dc.contributor.postgraduateMavunganidze, Richard
dc.date.accessioned2023-11-14T10:23:56Z
dc.date.available2023-11-14T10:23:56Z
dc.date.created2023-09-06
dc.date.issued2023
dc.descriptionMini Dissertation (MMedVet (Laboratory Animal Science))--University of Pretoria, 2023.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe primary objective of using animals for research is to collect reliable data that is reproducible and translatable to the intended species. Sometimes, it is difficult to obtain reliable data because the animals are exposed to stress from experimental manipulation, or from housing environments that may not meet their species-specific requirements. This issue is especially important in rodents, which are housed in cages that are structurally different from their natural environments as most rodent housing systems are designed on economic and ergonomic factors with little consideration to the environmental needs of animals. One approach towards improving rodent housing environments is to include environmental enrichment. One idea of enriching laboratory rat cages is adding physical structures to their enclosures to create complex environments that mimic their natural habitats. For this study, we designed a complex caging system (semi-natural cages) furnished with different types of enrichment items together with increased cage space to determine if this could promote species-specific behaviour as a means of reducing stress and improving laboratory animal welfare. The study utilised previously described methods for welfare monitoring in animals namely change in home cage behaviour, monitoring of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites and monitoring changes in body weights and selected organ weights. Twenty-four female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to either semi-natural or standard cages (each cage housing four rats), and evaluated weekly for six weeks. Behaviour data was collected via date-stamped video footage that was randomly scored using scanning and focal methods. A competitive enzyme immunoassay was used to determine the faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations. The results show that animals in the semi-natural cage expressed normal rat behaviour, showed increased natural locomotory activity and were leaner than those in standard cages; characteristics that define healthier animals with improved welfare. An unexpected finding in the study was elevated faecal steroid concentration in the animals in the semi-natural cages, which will require further investigation. Basing on the outcomes of this study, we recommend semi-natural cage housing when room space and the study design allow for their use.en_US
dc.description.availabilityUnrestricteden_US
dc.description.degreeMMedVet (Laboratory Animal Science)en_US
dc.description.departmentParaclinical Sciencesen_US
dc.description.facultyFaculty of Veterinary Scienceen_US
dc.identifier.citation*en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.25403/UPresearchdata.24558946en_US
dc.identifier.otherS2023en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/93304
dc.identifier.uriDOI: https://doi.org/10.25403/UPresearchdata.24558946.v1
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Pretoria
dc.rights© 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
dc.subjectUCTDen_US
dc.subjectFaecal glucocorticoid metabolitesen_US
dc.subjectSprague dawelyen_US
dc.subjectSemi natural cagesen_US
dc.subjectAnimal welfareen_US
dc.subjectEnrichmenten_US
dc.subject.otherVeterinary sciences theses SDG-03
dc.subject.otherSDG-03: Good health and well-being
dc.titleEffects of a complex semi-natural cage system on Sprague Dawley rat welfare using behaviour, faecal glucocorticoid metabolites and selected organ weights as indicatorsen_US
dc.typeMini Dissertationen_US

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