Getting along with your IACUC and helping them understand agricultural species research

Abstract Text: The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for ensuring the humane use and care of farm animals in research and teaching at Universities.  Despite, the challenges IACUCs face in oversight of farm animals used in research in terms of the diverse animal facilities or farm/production settings, this does not change the acceptable guidelines for ensuring animal farm well-being. Farm animal care and use in research and teaching requires the same science-based practices that are outlined and supported by the Guide for Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching (Ag Guide, 2010).  It is necessary for IACUCs to have expertise on their committees that understand how to best apply these standards specifically to species in question in a particular setting.  An IACUC that is adequately informed to consider species-specific issues within the context of the specific research being conducted can better ensure proper animal care while maximizing farm animal welfare.  But, this can only be achieved if an IACUC has explicit knowledge of each species for which it has oversight which can be accomplish only if there is knowledgeable representation on the committee. The past few years, IACUCs have been faced with challenges from the public and other committee members that lack knowledge and understanding of the importance of the Ag Guide and animal unit specific standard operating procedures (SOPs) for farm animals. The objective is to give an overview of the importance of a good working relationship between IACUCs and animal scientists to ensure successful research programs that use agricultural species in research and teaching by emphasizing importance of Ag Guide, development of species-specific SOPs derived from science-based data and approved by IACUC, and when issues need to be addressed that a subcommittee of experts are part of the decision making process. Animal scientists and IACUCs must work together to ensure the best care for farm animals used in research and teaching at their respective Universities.   

Keywords: Animal Care, Research, Welfare