CCAC Training Module on: the Ethical Use and Care of Farm
Animals in Biomedical Research
Questions for Self-Directed Study
1. The purpose of utilizing farm animals in biomedical research is to advance
our understanding of human health.
a. True, some farm animal models are useful for answering questions
concerning human health
b. False, the primary purpose of using farm animals in biomedical
research is to address the shortage of rodent models
Answer: a (True)
2. Many established biomedical farm animal models exist.
a. True, swine and calves are examples of farm animals used in
cardiac research
b. False, rodents are the only established animal models useful in
biomedical applications
Answer: a (True)
3. A major challenge in using farm animals as human models in biomedical
research is maintaining good animal welfare, while also producing
scientifically relevant research outcomes.
a. True, farm animals have been bred for agricultural production and
this may pose a challenge in a biomedical setting
b. False, farm animals have similar requirements to rodents and
therefore fit easily into a biomedical setting
Answer: a (True)
4. Considering the principles of humane experimental technique (the Three
Rs), an example of the “reduction” principle is:
a. Using a non-animal model
b. Preventing pain by providing analgesics
c. Achieving statistically relevant results while using the minimum
number of animals possible
d. All of the above
e. None of the above, reduction is not one of the humane
experimental technique’s principles
Answer: c
5. Which of the following is not a factor necessary for selecting an
appropriate farm animal model?
a. Lifespan
b. Similarity to existing rodent models
c. Tolerance to humans
d. Husbandry and housing requirements
e. Suitability to study objectives and experimental conditions
Answer: b
6. Which of the following is most true when farm animals are used in
biomedical research?
a. When selecting an appropriate animal model consideration should
be given for how good animal welfare will be maintained in the
proposed experimental conditions
b. Some species, such as pigs, have already been established as
suitable animal models for many human applications
c. Young farm animals are useful in pediatric studies due to the short
growth cycle towards adulthood
d. All of the above
e. None of the above, only rodents should be used in biomedical
applications
Answer: d
7. Some farm animals commonly used in agricultural production systems
may be unsuitable as biomedical models because they:
a. Cannot be accustomed to routine handling
b. Are too genetically similar to one another
c. Are only available to research institutions in rural areas
d. Have high growth rates, thereby becoming too large to quickly to be
suitable physiological models
e. Cannot be held in confined housing for longer than one day at a
time
Answer: d
8. Farm animals do not make appropriate pediatric models because their
time course to adulthood is too accelerated compared to humans:
a. True, due to the large amount of human development during the
early years, animal models which better match the time course to
adulthood (e.g., chimpanzees) should be utilized
b. False, the shortened time course to adulthood allows for questions
to be addressed in a timeframe better suited to typical research
designs
Answer: b (False)
9. Farm animals often make better animal models than the traditionally
utilized rodent because of their superior genetic variability:
a. True, genetic variability is essential in biomedical studies in order to
be representative of human genetic variability
b. False, genetic variability may create challenges that would not be
found in rodents with carefully controlled genetics
Answer: b (False)
10. Farm animals housed in long-term biomedical confinement are likely to
experience poor animal welfare which may subsequently impact the
research outcomes:
a. True, animal welfare is negatively impacted by long-term
confinement and this can impact research outcomes
b. False, animal welfare is negatively impacted by long-term
confinement, but because biomedical studies are so closely
controlled, research outcomes are not impacted
Answer: a (True)
11. When intended research outcomes dictate strict confinement, farm
animals need exercise at a minimum of every:
a. Two days
b. Three days
c. Seven days
d. Ten days
e. Rodents should be used as the animal model, as farm animals
cannot be held in strict confinement for longer than one day
Answer: c
12. When testing medical devices, farm animal welfare will be impacted most
by the:
a. Type of device
b. Way the device is deployed in the farm animal
c. Way the device is controlled and monitored
d. All of the above, these factors have an additive effect on farm
animal welfare
e. None of the above, medical devices only impact farm animal
welfare when they fail
Answer: d
13. Communicating with an implanted biomedical device can have as much of
a negative animal welfare impact as the act of deploying the device within
the animal.
a. True, the interface required to communicate with a device may be
highly intrusive
b. False, animal welfare is most impacted during the placement and
testing phase of biomedical devices
Answer: a (True)
14. In regards to medical devices, protocols should address:
a. Performance reliability of device being used
b. Biocompatibility between the device and the animal model
c. Potential impacts to human handlers due to device failure
d. All of the above should be addressed within the protocol
e. None of the above, protocols should focus primarily on the protocol
procedures required for repairing failed devices
Answer: d
15. In order to test device suitability for the target species, it is appropriate to
use a non-survival, anesthetized, pain-medicated animal model during the
final design refinement stages of a medical device:
a. True, using a few non-survival animals for final testing prevents
potential animal welfare issues for a larger group of animals if the
device needs refinement
b. False, using non-survival animals will not identify the potential
implications of failure in a live animal and is therefore not
recommended
Answer: a
16. When a medical device fails and its repair involves major surgery, a farm
animal should be euthanized:
a. True, in most situations only repairs requiring minor invasiveness
should be attempted, otherwise euthanasia may be the most
humane option
b. False, as long as post-operative pain mitigation is considered,
major surgery to complete repairs to devices is acceptable
Answer: a (True)