Dataset Information

Proper micro-environment alleviates mortality in laboratory mouse breeding induced by litter overlap and older dams.

ABSTRACT: The ongoing worldwide effort to reduce animal numbers in research often omits the issue of pre-weaning mortality in mouse breeding. A conservative estimate of 20% mortality would mean approximately 1.1 M mice die annually in the EU before scientific use. We hypothesize that pre-weaning mortality in laboratory mouse breeding is associated with cage social and macro/micro-environment conditions. Here we count pups from 509 C57BL/6J litters daily for accurate detection of mortality, and monitor cage micro-environment for 172 C57BL/6J litters. Probability of pups to die increases with the increase in dam age, number and age of older pups in the cage (of overlapped/cohabitating litters), and in small (<6 pups) and large (>11 pups) focal litters. Higher temperatures (>23.6 °C) and nest scores (>3.75) compensate for some of the socially-associated risks for pup death. These findings can be implemented in strategies for reducing pre-weaning mouse mortality, a more welfare-friendly and sustainable approach for science.

SUBMITTER: Morello GM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11330512 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Proper micro-environment alleviates mortality in laboratory mouse breeding induced by litter overlap and older dams.

Morello Gabriela M GM Capas-Peneda Sara S Brajon Sophie S Lamas Sofia S Lopes Igor M IM Gilbert Colin C Olsson I Anna S IAS

Communications biology 20240817 1

The ongoing worldwide effort to reduce animal numbers in research often omits the issue of pre-weaning mortality in mouse breeding. A conservative estimate of 20% mortality would mean approximately 1.1 M mice die annually in the EU before scientific use. We hypothesize that pre-weaning mortality in laboratory mouse breeding is associated with cage social and macro/micro-environment conditions. Here we count pups from 509 C57BL/6J litters daily for accurate detection of mortality, and monitor cag ...[more]

PMID: 39154136

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Dataset Information

Proper micro-environment alleviates mortality in laboratory mouse breeding induced by litter overlap and older dams.

Publications

Proper micro-environment alleviates mortality in laboratory mouse breeding induced by litter overlap and older dams.

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