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Aspen shaving versus chip bedding: effects on breeding and behavior.
E Jackson1, K Demarest2, W J Eckert2
1Mouse Behavioral Assessment Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, LA Jolla, CA, USA.
Laboratory Animals
|September 28, 2014
Summary
Laboratory mice housed on aspen shaving bedding show improved breeding success compared to chip bedding. This difference is likely due to enhanced nest-building potential, though overall well-being behaviors remain unaffected.
Area of Science:
- Laboratory animal science
- Animal behavior
- Animal husbandry
Background:
- Cage bedding material choice in laboratories often prioritizes practical and husbandry factors over behavioral outcomes.
- Anecdotal evidence suggested a link between aspen chip and shaving bedding and differences in mouse breeding success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of aspen chip versus shaving bedding on mouse breeding success.
- To assess the effects of these bedding types on behaviors related to animal well-being, including nest building, anxiety-like, depressive-like, and social behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 20-month breeding records across four mouse strains.
- Behavioral assessments including nest building, anxiety-like, depressive-like, and social behaviors in mice housed on different bedding types.
Main Results:
- All four mouse strains exhibited a significant increase in average weanlings per litter when housed on shaving bedding compared to chip bedding.
- Differences in nest building quality were observed between the two bedding types.
- No significant overall effect of bedding type was found on anxiety-like, depressive-like, or social behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Aspen shaving bedding appears to enhance breeding success in laboratory mice, potentially due to improved nest-building capabilities, particularly in more demanding strains.
- While breeding performance is affected, both chip and shaving bedding are considered equivalent for standard laboratory practices regarding other examined well-being behaviors.
