JAX visits & collaboration

As a distributor of The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) mouse lines in the region, Ozgene ARC was delighted to host Dr. Krishna Bhagavatula, JAX’s Director of Business Development for India, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The visit included a facility tour to showcase infrastructure improvements, such as the digitisation of all animals in the Geneoz Vivarium Management System and the implementation of Individually Ventilated Cages (IVCs). Discussions covered Ozgene ARC’s automated breeding algorithms for inbred and outbred JAX lines, a meeting with our colony management team, and a demonstration of our ordering portal and its upcoming features. Additionally, Krishna visited Ozgene ARC’s newly acquired premises in Technology Park, which will be refitted as a vivarium in the coming months.

Furthermore, Ozgene’s CEO and Executive VP of Strategic Partnering recently met with JAX executives at the JAX headquarters in Maine, USA, to discuss potential future collaborations and opportunities, especially those related to Geneoz VMS and associated breeding algorithms. We thank JAX for these exciting and fruitful visits and look forward to our continued collaboration. Stay tuned for exciting developments ahead!

Updated order cutoff time

We would like to inform you of an important change in our order cutoff time. To accommodate daylight savings in the eastern states and to facilitate JetPets’ booking of flights and other transportation, we have adjusted the order cutoff time from 12:00 PM AWST to 11:00 AM AWST (2:00 PM AEDT). As before, you can place orders for next-day delivery in WA and book delivery within two business days in other states.

Request for your requirements

In our ongoing efforts to serve you better, we’ve recently sent an email to all users of the Ozgene ARC ordering portal, requesting your assistance in planning our services for the next six months. Please take a moment to provide an estimate of the number of animals and other services you anticipate needing using the provided spreadsheet. This estimate is non-binding and will be used solely to help us plan and allocate resources for the coming months.

We thank those who have already submitted their spreadsheets. If you haven’t done so yet, please email a completed spreadsheet to arc@ozgene.com at your earliest convenience. You may also wish to consolidate your feedback with others in your organisation. We look forward to your response and thank you for your continued partnership with Ozgene ARC.

Shipping FAQ

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about shipping. We will continue to share shipping and facility information as we go.

What types of shippers are used?

Ogene ARC uses the same shippers for domestic shipments as those utilised by the Animal Resources Centre, specifically small (425 x 320 x 150 mm) and large (591 x 370 x 210 mm) corflute shippers from Able Scientific. The only exception is for K18-hACE2 mice, which are transported in rigid plastic shippers due to additional guidelines aimed at preventing human infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

We are planning to improve the quality of shippers in 2024 by transitioning to JAX shippers (454 x 296 x 190 mm), made of PP5 moulded plastic and featuring a clip-on lid with an inside flap for accessing compartments. These shippers not only enhance animal welfare but also streamline the process for Vivarium staff when packing animals.

How many animals are included in a shipper?

The shipper stocking density conforms to the IATA Live Animal Regulations and is utilised in our AAALAC-approved facility in the USA. The ARC also followed IATA Regulations for their shipments.

Mice ~ A small shipper can accommodate a total of 16 mice, either in one compartment or divided into two compartments, with a maximum of 8 mice per compartment. A large shipper is generally used for larger shipments without dividers and can accommodate up to 32 mice.

Rats ~ Rats are exclusively transported in large shippers. Since rat weights vary considerably with age, there is a sliding scale for packing rats in a shipper based on their estimated weight at that age. For example, for 4-week-old rats, a maximum of 8 male or 8 female rats per shipper is allowed, while for 12-week-old rats, a maximum of 2 male or 3 female rats per shipper is permitted.

Males/Females ~ Females can be shipped together, however, males from different litters or different original cages need to be separated. This often results in the need for more shippers when shipping males. This approach is taken to improve animal welfare, minimise stress, and reduce fighting during transit.

What is included in the pre-shipping health check?

Animals undergo a health and welfare check prior to shipment. Our protocols and procedures are based on Ozgene’s AAALAC-approved facility in the USA. A healthy mouse will not exhibit any of the following:

• Weight loss / poor body condition
• Lethargic, reluctance to move
• Dull or ungroomed coat
• Frequent scratching and areas of hair loss
• Skin abrasions or reddening of skin
• Hydrocephalus – swollen head (hydro)
• Ulcerations or wounds
• Raspy or rapid breathing
• Sneezing
• Coughing or chattering
• Nasal discharge
• Liquid, soft or poorly formed stool
• Tucked up abdomen and hunched posture
• Distended abdomen
• Limping
• Lumps and bumps
• Seizing
• Squinting, eye discharge or clouding of eye
• Unusual or wounded genitalia (vaginal septum checks are only performed on request)
• Malocclusion (overgrown teeth)

Digitisation & IVC update

As shared in our previous newsletters, all animals have now been digitally entered into our Geneoz Vivarium Management System and all mice have been moved to individually ventilated cages (IVCs). We continue our work to reconfigure the rat areas to accommodate the new IVC racks.