Depending on the scientific question and necessity, the Core Facility Laboratory Animal Breeding and Husbandry (CFL) offers the possibility of housing animals in different levels of hygiene.
These include:
- Conventional housing: animal housing that is not specifically designed to meet the conditions of pathogen-free levels. Animals in this hygiene level are kept in so-called open cage housing.
- Husbandry under optimized hygiene conditions (OHB): Animal husbandry under optimized conditions (autoclaved material and feed, increased hygiene requirements for responsible technicians) to reduce the risk of contamination
- SPF husbandry: animal husbandry designed to ensure freedom from specific pathogens through high hygiene requirements. Animals in this hygiene level can only be accessed through an appropriate hygiene barrier (e.g., air/wet shower) and are kept at CFL primarily in IVCs (Individually Ventilated Cages). Animals are tested once per quarter for freedom from specific pathogens according to FELASA recommendations.
- SOPF husbandry: animal husbandry designed to ensure freedom from specific and opportunistic pathogens through high standards of hygiene. This represents the highest hygiene level within the CFL. Animals in this hygiene level can only be reached via an appropriate hygiene barrier (e.g. air/wet shower) and are mostly kept in IVCs (Individually Ventilated Cages). Animals can only be imported into this hygiene level via embryo transfer. Animals are tested once a quarter for freedom from specific and opportunistic pathogens according to FELASA recommendations.