1. Purpose
This SOP outlines the procedures for systematic breeding, maintenance, and transfer of laboratory rats to ensure optimal reproductive performance, animal welfare, and consistent availability of experimental animals.
2. Scope
This SOP applies to all staff working in the animal breeding facility and
covers mating, pregnancy confirmation, care during gestation and lactation,
weaning, separation, and transfer of rats to laboratory use.
3. Responsibilities
·
Animal House In-Charge: Oversee
breeding program and ensure compliance with ethical standards.
·
Animal Caretakers/Technicians:
Carry out breeding, feeding, cleaning, and record-keeping.
·
Veterinarian: Confirm
pregnancies, monitor animal health, and approve transfers.
4. Materials and Equipment
·
Polycarbonate breeding cages with bedding
(autoclaved corn cob/wood shavings).
·
Water bottles with stainless-steel sipper tubes.
·
Standard laboratory rodent pellet diet.
·
Nesting material (cotton, paper shreds).
·
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
·
Disinfectants for cage cleaning.
·
Weighing scale and records register.
5. Procedure
5.1 Animal Housing and Grouping
1. Maintain
rats in controlled conditions: Temperature 20–24 °C, Humidity 40–70%,
Light cycle 12:12 h (light:dark).
2. Grouping
for mating:
o
Monogamous mating (1 Male : 1 Female)
– recommended for genetic record keeping.
o
Polygamous mating (1 Male : 2 Females)
– increases breeding efficiency.
o
Harem mating (1 Male : 3 Females)
– used for mass breeding, but requires closer monitoring.
3. After
mating, males should be separated within 5–7 days to avoid
stress and injury.
5.2 Male Rat Separation
·
After the mating period, carefully remove the
male rat and transfer to a separate male-only housing room.
·
Label cage with Male ID, date of
separation, and last mating date.
·
Ensure males are not housed with pregnant
females or lactating dams.
5.3 Pregnancy Confirmation
·
Visual confirmation: Look for
vaginal plug within 24 hours after mating (indicates copulation).
·
Body weight monitoring: A
consistent weight gain after day 10 is suggestive of pregnancy.
·
Palpation: Between day 14–16,
gentle abdominal palpation may confirm pregnancy.
·
Gestation Period: Approximately
21–23 days.
5.4 Nutritional and External Supplements
·
Provide standard laboratory diet ad
libitum.
·
Supply fresh, clean water daily.
·
During pregnancy and lactation:
o
Add high-protein supplements
(e.g., soaked gram, boiled egg, soya products).
o
Provide nesting material for
pregnant females.
5.5 Parturition and Pup Care
·
Rats deliver 6–12 pups per litter
on average.
·
Do not disturb the dam during parturition.
·
Minimize cage changes in the first 5 days after
delivery.
5.6 Weaning and Separation of Pups
·
Weaning Period: At 19–21
days post-birth.
·
Procedure:
o
Remove pups gently and place them in new cages
by sex (male and female separately).
o
Provide standard diet and water.
o
Keep pups under observation for 2–3 days
post-weaning for stress and adaptation.
5.7 Transfer of Rats to Laboratory
·
Weaned rats can be transferred to the laboratory
once they reach required age and health status.
·
Label cages with animal ID, date of
birth, sex, and date of transfer.
·
Ensure proper documentation and veterinarian
approval before transfer.
5.8 Rat Maturity for Experiments
·
Puberty/Maturity:
o
Females: 6–8 weeks of age.
o
Males: 8–10 weeks of age.
·
Only healthy, mature rats are
to be used for experimental studies.
6. Record Keeping
Maintain records for:
·
Date of mating, IDs of male and female.
·
Pregnancy confirmation date.
·
Delivery date and litter size.
·
Weaning date and number of pups.
·
Transfer log to laboratory.
7. Health and Hygiene
·
Maintain strict hygiene in breeding and housing
areas.
·
Clean cages twice a week (avoid cleaning
immediately before or after delivery).
·
Observe animals daily for signs of illness,
stress, or abnormal behavior.
8. Safety and Ethics
·
Follow CCSEA/IAEC guidelines
(or relevant regulatory authority) for laboratory animal care and use.
·
Handle rats gently to minimize stress.
·
Any abnormalities in reproduction or health must
be reported to the veterinarian immediately.
This SOP ensures efficient breeding,
healthy litters, and reliable laboratory rat supply.
Would you like me to also create a flowchart (stepwise breeding
cycle timeline) to visually represent the process (mating → pregnancy
→ parturition → weaning → lab transfer)?
END OF THE DOCUMENT
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