Effect of Cage Type and Flooring on Reproductive Performance of Laboratory Rats.

Abstract

Present study evaluated the behavioural and physiological measures of welfare on preference of female Wistar rat to litter in two types of solid bottom cages and a grid floor cage. In this regard, reproductive indices and fetal findings were measured, analyzed and compared. Higher reproductive performances were observed in rats tested in solid bottom cages compared to grid floor cages. Pre- and post-implantation losses was significantly (p<0.05) lower in two types of solid bottom cages, while those of in grid floor cages were significantly (p<0.05) higher. Moreover, gestation index, litter index, number of littered pups and mean pups weights were significantly higher (p<0.05) in rats tested in solid bottom cages. Of the two types of solid bottom cages, better reproductive performances were observed from the animals kept in solid round bottom cages through which lowest amount of light could reach animals at daytime. Present findings therefore suggest that more attention should be given to cage type and flooring when maintaining laboratory animals. Also, laboratory animals should be reared in solid bottom cages with sufficient floor area in order to ensure better welfare and grid floor cages should be avoided to achieve the best results from the animal experimentation.