LAR Standard Operating Procedure

Sheep Transportation

Last updated: October 1, 2012

I. Purpose/Scope
The purpose of this Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to outline the transportation requirements associated with the transportation and handling of sheep to ensure consistent and uniform care.

This procedure applies to all personnel involved in the care of sheep in the Laboratory Animal Resources (LAR) facility on the campus of The University of Montana.

II. Policy
It is LAR policy to meet or exceed all federal, state, and local regulations and guidelines and to comply with all institutional policies and procedures as they apply to the use of animals in research. Personnel must attend any applicable training in animal care and use, occupational health and safety, equipment operation, and SOPs prior to performing activities outlined in this SOP or work under the direct supervision of a trained LAR staff member.

III. Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of LAR and the International Heart Institute (IHI) to ensure that daily husbandry care, pre-op fasting and post-op husbandry care meets or exceeds all regulations with daily documentation. It is also the joint responsibility of LAR and IHI to receive, weigh, and place arriving animals in stalls. The transportation and USDA logs should be completed by the LAR staff member leading the sheep entry that day.

It is the responsibility of the IHI staff member leading the sheep entry that day to provide properly filled out cage cards with the applicable IACUC project approval number.

It is the responsibility of the sheep farm to deliver animals to The University of Montana and to provide documentation of identification and health history.

IV. Procedures

• Notification
  • IHI will submit a calendar request of proposed procedures for the following month at least 2 weeks in advance. The LARfacility manager or surgical specialist will notify the sheep farm owner 3-5 days in advance of all requested sheep shipments both to and from the LAR facility.
  • Hay will also be ordered at that time from the sheep farm.
• Transportation and Records
  • The sheep farm owner will provide the AV with a monthly spreadsheet of all sheep that are housed at the farm and any medical or husbandry treatments received.
  • On day of delivery to LAR, LAR or IHI staff will notify the AV of any obvious health problems.
  • On day of delivery, LAR or IHI staff will clean the sheep trailer before it leaves the LAR facility. Staff will shovel and sweep debris from the trailer into garbage bags and wash the trailer with 1:50 dilution of bleach/water or other appropriate solution (Nolvasan, etc.)and allow the trailer to air dry.
    • If the air temperature is at or below freezing, shovel and sweep the trailer and then put down a layer of lime.
  • When sheep are transported from the LAR facility to the sheep farm, the sheep must be accompanied by the Animal Transfer form. It is the responsibility of IHI to provide the requested information and the document to the sheep farm owner.
  • When sheep are transported from LAR to the sheep farm, IHI personnel are responsible for cleaning the trailer (shovel, sweep, and wash with 1:50 bleach/water) after sheep have been unloaded at the sheep farm.
    • If the air temperature is at or below freezing, shovel and sweep the trailer and then put down a layer of lime.
  • IHI will record surgical post-op information on "IHI Post-Op"monitoring form.  All forms will be filed at St. Patrick Hospital following sheep surgeries.
  • The sheep farm owner will maintain daily observation records on all sheep that have had either invasive or noninvasive research procedures once they are returned to the farm. Daily observations will be recorded on "Post Op" observation forms supplied by IHI.

V. Veterinary Care

• Within 24-72 hours after delivery and once sheep have calmed, the IHI veterinarian will do a complete health check in conjunction with LAR staff and immediately notify the AV of any health problems.
• The IHI veterinarian is required to fill out a health check form.
• All sheep undergoing anesthesia and survival surgery require a minimum 72-hour acclimation period in the LAR facility and those undergoing anesthesia and non-survival surgery a minimum 48-hour acclimation period.
• All sheep forms will remain in individual sheep health records maintained by IHI and filed in the IHI office at St. Patrick Hospital. These records will be available at all times for inspection.