{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T09:56:01Z","timestamp":1784022961539,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,21]],"date-time":"2018-05-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1526860800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Lab Anim"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>For studies requiring accurate conception-timing, reliable, efficient methods of detecting oestrus reduce time and costs, whilst improving welfare. Standard methods use vaginal cytology to stage cycle, and breeders are paired-up using approximately five proven females with proven males to achieve at least one conception on a specific day. We describe an alternative, fast, consistent, non-invasive method of timed-mating using detection of lordosis behaviour in Wistar and Lister-Hooded rats that used unproven females with high success rates. Rats under reverse lighting had body masses recorded pre-mating, day (d) 3\u20134, d8, d10 and d18 of pregnancy. Using only the presence of the oestrus dance to time-mate females for 24 hours, 89% of Wistar and 88% of Lister-Hooded rats successfully conceived. We did not observe behavioural oestrus in Sprague-Dawleys without males being present. Significant body mass increases following mating distinguished pregnant from non-pregnant rats, as early as d4 of pregnancy (10%\u2009\u00b1\u20091.0 increase cf. 3%\u2009\u00b1\u20091.2). The pattern of increases throughout gestation was similar for all pregnant rats until late pregnancy, when there were smaller increases for primi- and multiparous rats (32%\u2009\u00b1\u20092.5; 25%\u2009\u00b1\u20092.4), whereas nulliparous rats had highest gains (38%\u2009\u00b1\u20091.5). This method demonstrated a distinct refinement of the previous timed-mating common practice used, as disturbance of females was minimised. Only the number required of nulli-, primi- or multiparous rats were mated, and body mass increases validated pregnancy status. This new breeding management method is now established practice for two strains of rat and has resulted in a reduction in animal use.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/0023677218774076","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,22]],"date-time":"2018-05-22T00:52:15Z","timestamp":1526950335000},"page":"148-159","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Improved timed-mating, non-invasive method using fewer unproven female rats with pregnancy validation via early body mass increases"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"53","author":[{"given":"Agata K","family":"Stramek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6252-610X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michelle L","family":"Johnson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Victoria J","family":"Taylor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-0023677218774076","first-page":"279","volume-title":"Neuroendocrinology of reproduction: physiology and behavior","author":"Feder HH","year":"1981"},{"key":"bibr2-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0192623308315665"},{"key":"bibr3-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/en.2004-1142"},{"key":"bibr4-0023677218774076","volume-title":"Manual of animal technology","author":"Barnett SW","year":"2007"},{"key":"bibr5-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/fnbeh.2011.00038"},{"key":"bibr6-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1079\/BJN19750005"},{"key":"bibr7-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1159\/000243385"},{"key":"bibr8-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00441-005-0085-0"},{"key":"bibr9-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/oby.2002.92"},{"key":"bibr10-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1113\/jphysiol.1971.sp009464"},{"key":"bibr11-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/en.2010-0975"},{"key":"bibr12-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0023677214562846"},{"key":"bibr13-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/bdrb.20106"},{"key":"bibr14-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1590\/S1519-69842002000400008"},{"key":"bibr15-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0166229"},{"key":"bibr16-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.peptides.2017.02.010"},{"key":"bibr17-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pbb.2003.12.014"},{"key":"bibr18-0023677218774076","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0093411"}],"container-title":["Laboratory Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0023677218774076","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/0023677218774076","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/0023677218774076","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T07:37:58Z","timestamp":1777621078000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/0023677218774076"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,21]]},"references-count":18,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2019,4]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/0023677218774076"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0023677218774076","relation":{},"ISSN":["0023-6772","1758-1117"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0023-6772","type":"print"},{"value":"1758-1117","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,21]]}}}