Baboon Research Resource Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) Group Caging

University Of Oklahoma Hlth Sciences Ctr, Oklahoma City OK

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The mission of the OUHSC Baboon Research Resource (BRR) is to provide high-quality, healthy and behaviorally normal baboons to support biomedical and behavioral research. The baboon has long been used in biomedical research, and for certain applications has considerable advantage over other primate species. However, baboons harbor analogs of many of the herpesviruses and retroviruses known to infect humans and other primates. These viruses, constituting the normal flora of research animals, can have a considerable effect on the validity of research results. As a consequence of this fact, and because our resource can offer a "clean" alternative, we are receiving increased numbers of requests from investigators expressly wanting to use baboons produced in our Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) colony. In spite of this indicator for success, a concern of ours comes from the realization that we lack sufficient caging to provide environmentally-enhanced housing to keep pace with the steadily growing SPF baboon population. Currently, the SPF colony of baboons is being housed in the Animal Resources Annex (ARA). Conventional and SPF baboons are housed in the ARA in single and small group cages that were originally designed to house baboons enrolled in research studies. In order to separate SPF baboons from conventional baboons and to accommodate the growing SPF breeding groups additional caging is required. The relocation of the SPF colony into the CMRR building will enhance the expansion of the SPF program which has been accelerated due to demand from researchers. Funds are requested to build and install eight gang cages in the CMRR building in order to meet the housing requirements for our expanding SPF colony. While affording optimal space utilization, the desired gang cage arrangement will permit the baboons to self-sort into areas reflecting their established social heirarchies, thereby dramatically reducing animal stress and trauma. Ease of animal capture is a significant design element which speaks to both practical matters and our solid commitment to baboon enrichment and well- being. The proposed caging system offers a secure yet minimally disruptive housing configuration proven essential for safe sorting of animals for treatment, examination, technicial procedures, or removal for research projects.