实验动物的环境与福利

实验动物在生物科学研究领域中的应用不断发展,其饲养环境和福利保障的问题已越来越被国际所关注。实验动物的环境与福利不仅是对动物本身的保护,更重要的是对动物试验结果的保证。本文详细论述了大环境（温度、湿度、气流等方面）及小环境（笼具、饲养密度、垫料）对实验动物福利的影响,通过总结国内外的研究概况,旨为我国改善和提高实验动物的福利提出一些思路。     

草原畜牧业温室气体排放现状、问题及展望

草原畜牧业生产系统是一个涉及环境、经济、社会多层面、且系统内部气候-土壤-草地-家畜-管理之间相互作用的复杂的社会生态系统。草原不仅为人类提供所需要的肉奶,也提供了多种生态系统服务。然而,草原畜牧业也是主要的温室气体排放源之一。减缓畜牧业温室气体排放的研究已成为当前气候变化科学研究关注的焦点。综述了国内外草原畜牧业温室气体排放研究现状,指出现有研究的不足主要集中在以下3个方面：（1）虽然生命周期评价方法广泛应用于草原畜牧业温室气体排放研究,但是存在诸多问题,导致目前的研究框架体系尚不完善,特别体现在以下几方面：是否考虑外部输入、是否考虑土壤有机碳、畜牧业温室气体排放强度指标的选择等;（2）缺乏单一环节减缓措施对草原畜牧业整体温室气体减排效果的研究;（3）目前对影响草原畜牧业温室气体排放强度的因素主要集中在生态系统层面的分析,忽略了社会系统的作用,无法反映社会系统与生态系统的相互反馈机制,导致机制阐释不完善。综上所述,未来仍需从以下三方面开展研究：（1）完善草原畜牧业研究框架体系及提升研究方法;（2）加强对单一环节减缓措施对草原畜牧业温室气体整体减排效果的综合评价;（3）基于社会生态系统的角度深入研究影响草原畜牧业温室气体排放强度差异的机制。一方面,这有助于深入理解草原畜牧业温室气体排放强度情况,也为低碳型草原畜牧业发展政策的制定提供思路借鉴;另一方面对于科学合理的可持续利用草场和恢复草地生态环境均具有重要意义。     

Grasshoppers in research and education: methods for maintenance and production

Insects used in research have traditionally been housed and cared for in the investigator's laboratory. Centralized colony maintenance may be advantageous, but presents unique challenges to animal care staff members, who are more familiar with vertebrate research animals. To fill this potential knowledge gap, the authors share the procedures they have developed at Arizona State University for the housing, husbandry, and breeding of grasshoppers used in research and teaching.     

当前我国畜牧业抗菌药应用与耐药性应对趋势

抗菌药在现代农业和医学中发挥了举足轻重的作用,然而,随着民众对食品安全和生态环保意识的逐渐增强,抗菌药物的使用愈发受关注。如何科学合理使用抗菌药,确保动物安全健康,防止药物残留超标,进而实现畜牧业绿色发展是当前研究的重要课题。本文结合当前畜牧业抗菌药使用现状,从四个方面分析了滥用抗菌药的危害,并归纳总结了耐药机制研究进展,最后提出抗菌药替代策略,旨在为畜牧业抗菌药安全使用和抗菌药替代技术研发提供参考。     

A guide to defining and implementing protocols for the welfare assessment of laboratory animals: eleventh report of the BVAAWF/FRAME/RSPCA/UFAW Joint Working Group on Refinement

The refinement of husbandry and procedures to reduce animal suffering and improve welfare is an essential component of humane science. Successful refinement depends upon the ability to assess animal welfare effectively, and detect any signs of pain or distress as rapidly as possible, so that any suffering can be alleviated. This document provides practical guidance on setting up and operating effective protocols for the welfare assessment of animals used in research and testing. It sets out general principles for more objective observation of animals, recognizing and assessing indicators of pain or distress and tailoring these to individual projects. Systems for recording indicators, including score sheets, are reviewed and guidance is set out on determining practical monitoring regimes that are more likely to detect any signs of suffering. This guidance is intended for all staff required to assess or monitor animal welfare, including animal technologists and care staff, veterinarians and scientists. It will also be of use to members of ethics or animal care and use committees. A longer version of this document, with further background information and extra topics including training and information sharing, is available on the Laboratory Animals website.     

Mate guarding in the Linnet Carduelis cannabina

Capsule?House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) populations in south Swedish farmland are not affected by supplemental winter feeding, irrespective of agricultural landscape type or presence of animal husbandry, although winter populations declined more in mixed farmland and when farms contained animal husbandry.

Aims?To investigate whether food limitation of House Sparrow population size during the winter varied spatially in relation to agricultural landscape intensification and farm management.

Methods?We experimentally increased the winter food supply for populations on farmsteads in replicated landscapes that differed in agricultural intensification (open plains versus mixed farming) and/or farm management (crop farming versus animal husbandry), and estimated possible differences in effects on winter population change.

Results?We found no effect of supplementary winter feeding on changes in House Sparrow population sizes over the winter, irrespective of agricultural landscape type or presence of animal husbandry at the farm. However, we found a significantly larger winter population decline in mixed farmland and when farms contained animal husbandry.

Conclusions?The results suggest that House Sparrow populations in south Swedish farmland are not primarily limited by winter food availability. Alternatively, supplemental winter feeding may augment interspecific competition or attracts predators, offsetting any positive effect on population change. However, the stronger population decline in landscapes in which more breeding resources may be available (animal husbandry farms, mixed farmland), suggests stronger intraspecific competition during the winter in line with the resource separation hypothesis.     

The Development of a Novel Form of Mouse Cage Enrichment

This article describes the design and testing of a novel form of mouse cage enrichment. A cage insert was designed and developed to fulfill a number of enrichment goals pertaining to its effectiveness and practicality (i.e., to improve the environment of mice in laboratories while causing the minimum of interference to the husbandry and care procedures carried out by animal care staff). Behavioral and physical parameters were used over an 8-week period to assess effectiveness, with subjective opinions of cage cleaning staff and physical examinations of the inserts after cleaning being used to assess practicality. Results show that the insert was both a practical and effective form of mouse enrichment which produced a number of enriching effects without adversely affecting the animals, their environment, or the husbandry and care procedures.     

Handling the cotton rat for research

First used as an animal model of poliomyelitis in the late 1940s, the cotton rat is currently used in biomedical research for studies of human respiratory syncytial virus and filariasis. The author provides useful information relevant to the care of these research animals, including husbandry considerations, proper handling, and common laboratory procedures.     

农牧交错带县域农牧系统对气候波动的响应机制

农牧系统过程对气候波动的响应机制既是建立农牧耦合系统的主要科学问题又是农牧交错带可持续发展的关键问题之一。以盐池县1954—2013年气候和农牧系统过程为例,运用变异系数、逐步回归方法和经验模态分解法,分析了气候、农业、牧业系统12个指标的波动周期、振幅和方差贡献率,据此研究了它们之间的波动关系。结果表明:1)农牧系统受气候影响具有较大波动性。波动由强到弱依次为气候、农业、牧业,呈逐级传递的特性。三者的高频波动分量的方差贡献率依次减小,而中低频波动分量的方差依次增大。2)近60年农牧系统过程主要受经济系统驱动发生趋势性变化,同时受气候的驱动发生波动。农业在突变前受气候影响较大而突变后明显减小;同样牧业在突变前受农业影响大,突变后也明显减小。经济对农牧系统过程的影响逐渐增强。它在提高和稳定粮食总产量同时导致家畜数量特别是羊只总数的剧增,使得牧业波动加剧。3)农牧系统的波动差异、相互关联以及对气候的响应的分析表明,农牧耦合系统具有减少内部要素波动性的功能。因此,依据生态和经济规律设计具有健全正负反馈机制的农牧耦合系统是实现农牧交错带农牧业可持续发展的重要途径。     

The Development of a Novel Form of Mouse Cage Enrichment

This article describes the design and testing of a novel form of mouse cage enrichment. A cage insert was designed and developed to fulfill a number of enrichment goals pertaining to its effectiveness and practicality (i.e., to improve the environment of mice in laboratories while causing the minimum of interference to the husbandry and care procedures carried out by animal care staff). Behavioral and physical parameters were used over an 8-week period to assess effectiveness, with subjective opinions of cage cleaning staff and physical examinations of the inserts after cleaning being used to assess practicality. Results show that the insert was both a practical and effective form of mouse enrichment which produced a number of enriching effects without adversely affecting the animals, their environment, or the husbandry and care procedures.     

Mating system, feeding type and ex situ conservation effort determine life expectancy in captive ruminants

Zoo animal husbandry aims at constantly improving husbandry, reproductive success and ultimately animal welfare. Nevertheless, analyses to determine factors influencing husbandry of different species are rare. The relative life expectancy (rLE; life expectancy (LE) as proportion of longevity) describes husbandry success of captive populations. Correlating rLE with biological characteristics of different species, reasons for variation in rLE can be detected. We analysed data of 166 901 animals representing 78 ruminant species kept in 850 facilities. The rLE of females correlated with the percentage of grass in a species' natural diet, suggesting that needs of species adapted to grass can be more easily accommodated than the needs of those adapted to browse. Males of monogamous species demonstrate higher rLE than polygamous males, which matches observed differences of sexual bias in LE in free-living populations and thus supports the ecological theory that the mating system influences LE. The third interesting finding was that rLE was higher in species managed by international studbooks when compared with species not managed in this way. Our method facilitates the identification of biological characteristics of species that are relevant for their husbandry success, and they also support ecological theory. Translating these findings into feeding recommendations, our approach can help to improve animal husbandry.     

Genetic engineering and other factors that might affect human-animal interactions in the research setting

Evidence exists, particularly in the welfare literature of nonhuman animals on the farm, that the interaction between nonhuman animals and the personnel who care for them can have a strong effect on the animals' behavior, productivity, and welfare. Among species commonly used for biomedical research, mice appear to be the least-preferred species in animal care facilities. A review of the literature and observations of animal care staff interacting with mice indicated that the following factors may influence this: their small size, their particular behavioral characteristics, and husbandry constraints (such as housing in ventilated racks). In addition, this study questioned whether animal care personnel have a different perception of genetically engineered animals and whether this, in turn, has an effect on their interactions with these animals. The ability to carefully observe an animal's behavior is key in carrying out an animal-wellness assessment and in minimizing pain and distress. Attention to human-animal interactions in the research setting represents an opportunity for refinement for large numbers of animals and potentially for reduction of animal use.     

Genetic Engineering and Other Factors That Might Affect Human-Animal Interactions in the Research Setting

Evidence exists, particularly in the welfare literature of nonhuman animals on the farm, that the interaction between nonhuman animals and the personnel who care for them can have a strong effect on the animals' behavior, productivity, and welfare. Among species commonly used for biomedical research, mice appear to be the least-preferred species in animal care facilities. A review of the literature and observations of animal care staff interacting with mice indicated that the following factors may influence this: their small size, their particular behavioral characteristics, and husbandry constraints (such as housing in ventilated racks). In addition, this study questioned whether animal care personnel have a different perception of genetically engineered animals and whether this, in turn, has an effect on their interactions with these animals. The ability to carefully observe an animal's behavior is key in carrying out an animal-wellness assessment and in minimizing pain and distress. Attention to human-animal interactions in the research setting represents an opportunity for refinement for large numbers of animals and potentially for reduction of animal use.     

农牧交错区面临的问题及其解决的途径——以内蒙古多伦县为例

对农牧交错区典型地段内蒙古多伦县存在的问题及解决途径进行了研究．结果表明,产业结构不合理。要求多伦必须走压缩一产(主要指规模)提高二产和鼓励发展三产的经济发展道路,并着重提高生产效益．土地利用结构不合理,要求必须减少耕地面积,扩大林地、草地面积．在资源利用上,应着重抓好水资源的合理利用,发挥农牧区资源互补的优势,发展高效益、集约型的农牧业．     

雪灾对草地畜牧业影响的评价模型及方法研究--以新疆阿勒泰地区为例

根据草地畜牧业的特点,建立了以草地、家畜、饲料储备和牧区人文经济为主体的四类三级雪灾评价指标体系。通过格栅获取法和模糊Borda数分析法,确定了指标体系各因素的权重,建立了雪灾对草地畜牧业影响的定量评价和雪灾损失计算模型。提出了以载畜量、受灾面积、积雪与牧草高度之比和气候为变量因子的不同等级雪灾损失指数模型。用模糊评价和德尔菲法相结合的方法,综合评价了雪灾对草地畜牧业的影响。结果表明：雪灾对草地畜牧业的有利影响度为0．481,不利影响度为6．8。以新疆阿勒泰地区为例,估算了该区2000年雪灾对草地畜牧业影响的综合评价值和损失率,取得了较好的效果。     

中国西北干旱地区农牧业生态系统碳排放的空间分布与演变趋势

研究西北干旱地区农牧业生态系统碳排放的空间分布特点与演变趋势对于我国制定更具针对性的农牧业减排政策具有重要的指导意义。对2000—2013年中国西北干旱地区农牧业生态系统碳排放量进行测算的基础上,运用非参数核密度方法对中国西北干旱地区农牧业生态系统碳排放的演变趋势进行分析,研究发现:中国西北地区农牧业生态系统碳排放总量增势强劲,但空间非均衡性特征明显,以新疆最高,甘肃次之,陕西和青海居中,宁夏最低,农牧业碳排放源从以畜牧业为主向以种植业为主转变;西北地区农牧业碳排放强度呈下降趋势,省域差距明显,碳排放强度由大到小排序依次是:青海宁夏甘肃新疆陕西。从考察期内西北干旱地区农牧业碳排放的地区差距来看,整体上呈扩大趋势,但相对微弱的变化态势则反映了其变化幅度相对有限,其原因在于四种碳排放的变化趋势不一致,具体表现为:农田土壤碳排放的地区差距明显扩大;农用物资碳排放的地区差距在大幅扩大的同时,还表现出峰值从陡峭变为平缓,变化区间大幅扩大的现象;牲畜肠道发酵碳排放地区差距大幅缩小;牲畜粪便碳排放的地区差距也明显缩小。     

The development of an operant conditioning training program for new world primates at the Bronx Zoo

This article describes the development of an operant conditioning training program for 17 species of New World primates at the Bronx Zoo. To apply less invasive techniques to husbandry protocols, the study introduced behaviors-hand feeding, syringe feeding, targeting, scale and crate training, and transponder reading-for formal training to 86 callitrichids and small-bodied cebids housed in 26 social groups. Individual responses to training varied greatly, but general patterns were noted among species. With the exception of lion tamarins, tamarins responded more rapidly than marmosets, Bolivian gray titi monkeys, and pale-headed saki monkeys in approaching trainers and learning behaviors. Marmosets, in comparison to most tamarins, had longer attention spans. This meant that fewer, lengthier sessions were productive whereas shorter, more frequent sessions were most successful for tamarins. Among the cebids, pale-headed saki monkeys needed relatively few sessions to perform basic and advanced behaviors whereas Bolivian gray titi monkeys were less responsive and progressed at a deliberate pace. Marked changes in the animals' behavior during daily husbandry procedures, their voluntary participation in training activities, and the disappearance of aggressive threats toward care staff indicated that training reduced stress and improved the welfare of the animals. During daily training displays, zoo visitors experienced interactive animals while learning the importance of low-stress animal husbandry.     

Environmental enrichment for laboratory rodents

Modernization of housing and husbandry techniques for rodents has minimized confounding variables. The result has been vastly improved health maintenance and reproducibility of research findings, advances that have decreased the numbers of animals needed to attain statistically significant results. Even though not all aspects of rodent manipulation have been strictly defined, as housing and handling procedures have become increasingly standardized, many animal care personnel have recognized the lack of complexity of the rodents' environment. Concern for this aspect of animal well-being has led many research facilities to provide "environmental enrichment" for rodents. Additionally, regulatory agencies in the United States and Europe have also been increasingly concerned about this issue relative to laboratory animal husbandry. However, little is known about the influence such husbandry modifications may have on biological parameters. In this article, laws and guidelines relating to rodent enrichment are reviewed, the natural behaviors of select rodent species are discussed, and an overview of widely used types of enrichment in laboratory rodent management is provided. The literature evaluating effects of rodent enrichment is reviewed both in terms of neurological development and as an experimental variable, and results of a study evaluating the effect of enrichment on immune and physiological parameters are reported. Survey data on current enrichment practices in a large multi-institutional organization are presented, and practical aspects requiring consideration when devising a rodent enrichment program are discussed.     

细菌的应激反应和生理代谢与耐药性及其控制策略

抗菌药在医疗和畜牧生产中的滥用导致了细菌抗药性的产生,这个公共卫生问题引起了人们越来越多的关注。除了基因突变和获得形成的抗药性 (Resistance) 外,细菌在自然环境中遇到的各种压力会引发其产生应激反应,这不仅可以保护细菌免受这些压力的影响,还会改变细菌对抗菌药的耐药性 (Tolerance)。耐药性的产生必然会影响细菌的生理代谢,但是细菌可以通过调节自身代谢恢复对药物的敏感性。文中综述了近年来细菌应激反应和生理代谢与细菌耐药性之间的相关研究,以期采取更加有效的措施来控制细菌抗药性的发生和蔓延。     

Does Accreditation by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) Ensure Greater Compliance With Animal Welfare Laws?

Accreditation of nonhuman animal research facilities by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC) is widely considered the “gold standard” of commitment to the well being of nonhuman animals used in research. AAALAC-accredited facilities receive preferential treatment from funding agencies and are viewed favorably by the general public. Thus, it bears investigating how well these facilities comply with U.S. animal research regulations. In this study, the incidences of noncompliance with the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) at AAALAC-accredited facilities were evaluated and compared to those at nonaccredited institutions during a period of 2 years. The analysis revealed that AAALAC-accredited facilities were frequently cited for AWA noncompliance items (NCIs). Controlling for the number of animals at each facility, AAALAC-accredited sites had significantly more AWA NCIs on average compared with nonaccredited sites. AAALAC-accredited sites also had more NCIs related to improper veterinary care, personnel qualifications, and animal husbandry. These results demonstrate that AAALAC accreditation does not improve compliance with regulations governing the treatment of animals in laboratories.