Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee, Yale University

Policy for Regulated Food and/or Fluid in Rodents

Background:

Animal Welfare Regulations state the following for food and water requirements in animals:

All animals should receive food that is palatable, free from contamination and of sufficient quantity and nutritive value to maintain their good health

Potable drinking water should be available continuously or provided as often as necessary for the health and well-being of the animal, considering the animal's species, age, condition and any research requirements.

Policy:

Rodents housed at Yale University receive food and water ad libitum as normal husbandry practice in order to comply with federal requirements. Deviation from this requires written scientific justification and IACUC review and approval prior to implementation.

Guidelines:

If IACUC approval is granted for food or water regulation, the following guidelines must be followed. Any deviation from these guidelines requires written scientific justification and IACUC review and approval.

Animals should be individually housed when there is any evidence of fighting or disproportionate food consumption associated with a particular restriction protocol. Group housing is often feasible for milder levels of restriction, e.g. when animals receive part of their daily food in behavioral testing procedures, thus, preserving species-typical social interactions.

Fluids must be given to satiety each day

Chow (and possibly treats) must be provided each day

Animals must be returned to ad libitum fluids and/or chow when not on study

Animals must be closely monitored, observed daily, with written records maintained by the investigator.
Written records, i.e. a daily log (sample available from Regulatory Services) must be maintained in the animal room for the following data:

a)	amount of fluids offered or consumed or the amount of time animals are allowed ad lib access to fluids each day (must have time on and time off recorded).
b)	who provided the service
c)	amount (# pellets) or weight of chow offered or consumed
d)	observations: appearance, skin turgor, fecal output/consistency, etc.
e)	a weekly weigh of the animal (>20% body weight loss when compared with age matched free fed animals requires increase in fluids and/or chow)