LABORATORY ANIMALS BREEDING UNIT
In the laboratory animals breeding unit; animals which are used in all kinds of experiments are produced, bred, fed, and raised by taking animal welfare to forefront. Appropriate conditions in which the animals can meet their distinctive physiological and behavioural needs are provided.
Production of experimental animals is planned primarily to fulfill the needs and demands of the laboratories which are located in our Institute. Besides, animal demands of other institutions and organizations are met on the condition that the purpose is scientific. The production of animals in our Institute is conventional.
There are five sub-divisions according to the species bred in laboratory animals breeding unit :
- Sheep and goat breeding division
- Rabbit breeding division
- Guinea pig breeding division
- Mouse breeding division
- SPF (Specific Pathogen Free) Egg production division
In order to protect the health of animals that are produced, bred, fed, and raised, bacterial and toxicological controls, chemical and bacterial analysis of the water, parasitological controls of stools, and virological controls that related with the animals are performed. periodically by the laboratories of the institute.
There are two SPF hens that are owned by the institute and each of these hens has 275 chicken capacity. In these hens, FAPP (Filtered Air Positive Pressure) type SPF breeding is performed. Our institute is the only place that has SPF hens in Turkey.
SPF is a herd that consists of pathogen and pathogen-related antibody free chickens. Temperature, feed, air, water and other needed materials of the hens in which these herds accommodated are provided by fully controlled special systems.
SPF eggs are used generally in viral vaccine production , control tests of viral vaccines and diagnosis of viral diseases while SPF chicks are used in production of some human vaccines (measles, flu, mumps); in safety -potency controls; genetic and biological tests of animals and diagnosis of viral diseases.
In our institute SPF eggs are used in vaccine control tests and diagnosis of viral diseases on the other hand SPF chicks are used in safety and potency tests of chicken vaccines, genetic and biological tests on chickens and diagnosis of viral diseases.
