Housing and cages

There are strict international rules on what type of cage you can put the animals in, and how many animals you can have in one cage.

Housing alone

Both pigs and rodents are animals that live in groups, and should not be housed alone without a very good reason for it. Such animals housed alone, get so lonely that they can literally get sick. That is poor animal welfare and will affect the research results. It is also regulated in Appendix A, see section 4.5.2. Alone housing can only be possible if the animal is in immediate danger of being harmed by others, or will harm others. Such cases must be foreseen, and documented as necessary in the application to do the animal experiment (the FOTS application). For example, it might be necessary for some post-op animals to be housed in a cage alone for a convalescent period.
Contact the lab animal veterinarian for advice.

These are the cage types available at our different lab animal units:

Vivarium:
Vivarium has both open cages (Macrolon) and closed, internally ventilated cages (IVC). The P3 rooms have also Isocage, totally enclosed cage with separate ventilation.

Macrolon II cages, maximum 4-5 mice, not possible for rats.

Macrolon III cages, max 10 mice, 1-2 rats.

Macrolon IV cages, max 20-30 mice (breeding), and 5 rats.

2-storey cage for breeding are also currently being tested.

IVC II cage, maximum 5-6 mice, 1 rat.

IVC III cages, max 20 mice (breeding), or 3 rats.

Isocage II, max 5-6 mice, or 1 rat.

The lab animal unit at BBB:

Here are only IVC-cages.

IVC II cage, maximum 5-6 mice.

IVC III cages, used for breeding of mice, rats or single housing if necessary.

IVC IV cages, 4-5 rats.

The lab animal unit at Gade (breeding facility only):
Here are only macrolon cages used, and only breeding. New projects will not be starting at Gade, as the activity is to be moved to a new, closed, breeding unit at Vivarium.