The Animal Care Program for Agricultural Animals (ACP-AG), previously known as the Agricultural Animal Care and Use Program (AACUP), was initiated at the university in July 2004. This vital program holds accreditation from the esteemed Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International, highlighting its commitment to excellence. The Farm Animal Care Program leverages the extensive knowledge of faculty, academic experts, and veterinary professionals to champion, implement, and maintain superior standards in agricultural animal care.
The core mission of the ACP-AG is multifaceted:
- To guarantee exceptional care and enhance the health and overall wellbeing of agricultural animals involved in both research and teaching initiatives.
- To deliver comprehensive training, educational resources, expert consultation, and specialized technical support to faculty, students, and staff actively engaged in the care and ethical use of agricultural animals for research and educational purposes.
- To rigorously ensure full compliance with all pertinent laws, regulations, institutional policies, established guidelines, and professional best practice standards governing the use of agricultural animals in research and teaching environments.
Assurance of Agricultural Animal Health and Wellbeing
The farm animal care program operates through close partnerships with faculty, experienced veterinarians, and the dedicated professional managers of the university’s agricultural animal research units. This collaborative approach is crucial to ensure that all animals are housed and managed in strict accordance with the guidelines outlined in the authoritative “Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching.” Furthermore, in cases where biomedical considerations are relevant, the program also adheres to the “Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.” The ACP-AG director serves as a vital point of contact, facilitating communication and coordination among faculty, animal care personnel, professional livestock managers, students, facility maintenance teams, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), and all other stakeholders involved in the ethical and effective use of agricultural animals at the university.
The ACP-AG Veterinary Care Program is integral to the overall farm animal care program, delivering essential healthcare and preventative health maintenance services across facilities managed by the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). Each agricultural animal care unit within the university benefits from a dedicated working committee. This committee is composed of the attending veterinarian for agricultural animals, the ACP-AG veterinarian, the ACP-AG Director, the professional manager of the animal care unit, and faculty or staff members who actively utilize animals within that specific unit. The working committee is responsible for addressing critical aspects of animal health, strategic planning for academic programs, necessary facility upgrades and routine maintenance, standardized animal husbandry procedures, and occupational health and safety protocols for personnel.
Each agricultural animal unit operates under a detailed herd (or flock) health plan. This plan is subject to annual review and revision by the working committee, ensuring its continued relevance and effectiveness. The plan is then formally approved by the attending veterinarian for agricultural animals. Similarly, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and proactive prevention of diseases are also reviewed and updated annually, reflecting the program’s commitment to continuous improvement and best practices in farm animal care.
Open and consistent communication is a hallmark of the farm animal care program. The ACP-AG director conducts regular site visits to all agricultural animal units to proactively address best management and husbandry practices, identify any facility improvements that may be needed, and streamline the provision of services to animal users. ACP-AG veterinarians also routinely visit the units to address any emerging animal health concerns and meticulously review medical records, ensuring a high standard of veterinary oversight. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) further reinforces animal welfare by conducting semi-annual inspections of each unit, as mandated by federal laws and regulations. To maintain close coordination, ACP-AG veterinarians hold monthly meetings with representatives from each unit, and professional managers of the livestock units and ACP-AG staff convene quarterly as a group to discuss program-wide initiatives and best practices in farm animal care program implementation.
Comprehensive veterinary care is a cornerstone of the farm animal care program, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Farm Animal Reproduction, Medicine and Surgery (FARMS) unit, based at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, serves as the primary provider of both emergency and routine veterinary services for animals housed at the Urbana campus. For the two outlying research stations located in southern and western Illinois, the program partners with experienced private clinicians to ensure readily accessible and high-quality veterinary care for all animals under the university’s farm animal care program.
Key Activities of the Farm Animal Care Program
The scope of activities undertaken by the ACP-AG is extensive and designed to ensure optimal farm animal care:
- Oversight of Animal Husbandry and Care: The program rigorously oversees all aspects of animal husbandry and daily care for agricultural animals used in research and teaching across all relevant university facilities.
- Veterinary Health and Care Management: The ACP-AG is responsible for overseeing the health status of all animals and ensuring the consistent provision of high-quality veterinary care within the agricultural animal units.
- Development and Implementation of SOPs: A key function is the development, regular review, and effective implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that govern all aspects of animal care and use within the agricultural animal units, promoting consistency and best practices in the farm animal care program.
- Comprehensive Support for Animal Users: The program provides extensive support to faculty, students, staff, and all other personnel utilizing agricultural animals for research or teaching purposes. This support includes:
- Assistance with the preparation of detailed and compliant animal use protocols required for research and teaching activities.
- Pre-review of animal use protocols prior to their formal submission to the IACUC, helping to streamline the approval process and ensure ethical and regulatory compliance.
- Delivery of specialized training programs covering critical areas such as animal behavior and effective pain recognition, aseptic techniques to minimize infection risk, humane euthanasia methods, and protocol-specific animal handling, medical, or surgical procedures.
- Provision of expert technical assistance with specialized procedures including anesthesia administration, surgical interventions, and other complex manipulations.
- Development of innovative surgical methods and refinement of existing techniques to improve animal welfare and research outcomes.
- Thorough postoperative evaluation of animals to monitor recovery, manage pain, and ensure optimal wellbeing following procedures.
- Animal Facility Assessment: Regular assessments of animal facilities are conducted to ensure they meet the highest standards for animal housing, safety, and functionality, and to identify areas for potential improvement within the farm animal care program.
- Strategic Accommodation of Research and Teaching Needs: The program proactively develops tailored strategies to effectively accommodate the specific and evolving needs of researchers and educators who rely on agricultural animals for their work, ensuring the program remains responsive and supportive.
- Dissemination of Regulatory Information: The ACP-AG plays a crucial role in disseminating up-to-date information to all animal users regarding relevant laws, regulations, institutional policies, and ethical guidelines governing the use of agricultural animals in research and teaching, fostering a culture of compliance and responsible animal use within the farm animal care program.
- Guidance on Record Keeping: Expert advice and guidance are provided on maintaining meticulous and compliant records for animal acquisition, detailed animal use documentation, and proper animal disposition, ensuring full accountability and traceability.
- IACUC Support and Monitoring: The program actively assists the IACUC in its vital role of monitoring protocol activities and generating comprehensive reports on animal use across the university, contributing to ongoing ethical oversight and program improvement.
Facilities Under the ACP-AG Veterinary Program
The ACP-AG Veterinary Care Program extends its comprehensive health care and health maintenance services across a range of key facilities:
College of Agricultural, Consumer & Environmental Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
Contact Information for Farm Animal Care Program
Main Office:
Room 275, Large Animal Clinic
1008 W Hazelwood Dr.
M/C 004 Urbana, IL 61802
(217) 265-6790 (Phone)
(217) 265-6774 (Fax)
ACP-AG Contacts:
Courtney Hayes
Associate Director & Attending Veterinarian for Agricultural Animals
(217) 300-5692
[email protected]
Sara Pearson
Clinical Veterinarian
(217) 300-0896
[email protected]
Kristen Massey
Veterinary Technician III
(217) 265-4962
[email protected]
Christine Stroink Pickering
General Veterinary Technician
(217) 333-2564
[email protected]
