Husbandry Archives

Oct 19 2023

Change to Blue Tabs Used to Identify Single Housed Animals

The Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) would like to update all laboratories to a change in the item(s) used to identify singly housed animals. Due to a supply shortage, the blue tabs typically used to identify singly housed animals in the vivarium (see picture below at left) have become increasingly difficult to order. ULAM ...

Side by side photo comparison of current and new blue tabs used to identify single housed animals

Jul 28 2023

Facilities Husbandry

All the Bright Moves: Minimizing Light Cycle Disruptions in Animal Housing Rooms

Maintaining spaces where environmental variables are minimized to the greatest extent possible plays a critical role in safeguarding animal welfare and ensuring research integrity. Any changes to light intensity, quality, or duration – disruptions that may seem small and insignificant to us – can have a substantial impact on animal health. Although many species can ...

Lightbulb icon crossed out with red circle

Jul 24 2023

Facilities Federal Regulations & Standards Husbandry

Reminders for Laboratories Using USDA-Regulated Species

The Animal Care & Use (ACU) Program is committed to providing the U-M research community with the tools and resources necessary for safeguarding animal welfare and assuring programmatic compliance. To that end, we have several important reminders for laboratories using USDA-regulated species (e.g., all live or dead warm-blooded animals except rats of the genus Rattus ...

Jun 27 2023

Facilities Guidelines Husbandry IACUC Policies Safety

Lessons Learned from Winter 2023 Semi-Annual Facility Inspections

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) completed its latest round of semi-annual facility inspections in mid-March. These inspections are one of the most important tools we have for routinely assessing programmatic strengths and identifying areas for individual and collective improvement(s) in service to the animals entrusted to our care. Through this lens of ...

Multi-colored graph showing common deficiency areas identified during Winter 2023 semi-annual IACUC facility inspections

Apr 12 2023

Facilities Forms Husbandry ULAM

ULAM Containment Housing Request Form Moving to eRAM

In an effort to reduce Study Team burden and eliminate redundancies in our processes, the Containment Housing Request Form managed by the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) will be moved to eRAM beginning Monday, April 17, 2023. Study Teams will notice several changes as a result of this transition: The following processes and procedures will ...

Coming soon banner over Containment Housing Form icon

Apr 07 2023

Facilities Husbandry Safety SOP

Hazardous Substance Administration SOP Recently Updated

To ensure that all members of the U-M animal care and use community have the tools and resources necessary to comply with best practice standards in animal care and laboratory safety, the Animals Administered a Hazardous Substance Requiring Containment Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been updated. Key SOP changes are summarized below and will be highlighted on posters ...

Button listing expected May 2023 adherence date for new Hazardous Agents Administration SOP procedures

Apr 03 2023

Facilities Husbandry ULAM

ULAM Operations Update: Contacting Your Animal Care Team

Like many organizations throughout U-M and around the world, the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine (ULAM) is struggling with staffing shortages, especially in the husbandry and veterinary technician divisions. Use the following to determine the best way to contact your animal care team during this unusually busy time: With Routine Questions That Do NOT Require ...

Dec 12 2022

Facilities Husbandry Safety SOP ULAM

Handle With Care: Reminders for Safe Animal Transport

Transporting animals on campus (either from room to room, building to building, or through a public area) requires heightened attention to detail to ensure that animal health and welfare is maintained at all times. This includes, but is NOT limited to, preventing injury or escape, reducing environmental stressors (e.g., ambient temperature extremes, odors, and excessive ...

Dec 06 2022

Drugs Facilities Guidelines Husbandry IACUC Policies Safety

Lessons Learned from Fall 2022 Semi-Annual Facility Inspections

The Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee (IACUC) completed its latest round of semi-annual facility inspections in mid-September. These inspections are one of the most important tools we have for routinely assessing programmatic strengths and identifying areas for individual and collective improvement(s) in service to the animals entrusted to our care. Through this lens of ...

Multi-colored graph showing common deficiency areas identified during Fall 2022 semi-annual facility inspections

Aug 09 2022

Drugs Facilities Guidelines Husbandry IACUC Policies Safety

Lessons Learned from Winter 2022 Semi-Annual Facility Inspections

Multi-colored graph showing common deficiency areas identified during Winter 2022 semi-annual facility inspections

Jan 28 2022

Forms Guidelines Husbandry

Enhanced Rodent Surgical Record Templates Now Available

Templates for the Rodent Surgery and Post-Operative Record (Notebook Size) and Rodent Surgery and Post-Operative Record by Cage have been recently updated to increase functionality and ease-of-use for research personnel. Specific changes include: To simplify recordkeeping requirements, templates are provided as fillable PDF documents that can be bookmarked, downloaded, and printed from the Animal Care ...

New banner with illustration of enhanced rodent surgical record templates

Dec 17 2021