24 PC1 certified individual large animal pens

The PC1 animal facility is within the main building of the biocontainment area and has a total of 24 individual large animal pens measuring 2.3m × 4m. The pens are specifically designed for tick research with each individual pen encompasses a floor space of 10 meters with tick barriers in place to prevent loss of ticks from individual pens as well as cross-contamination of ticks between pens. Each pen contains a specifically designed micro-mesh tick collection basket. Each individual pen has a head bale incorporated in front of the feeder to allow labour effective access for bleeding or other sampling procedures. The pens have raised mesh flooring which is easy to clean to optimise tick research capabilities and the laneways to the pens have been modified to a rubber anti-slip material which is the same as that used on live export boats and is optimal for animal welfare.

The design of the animal holding facility has created user friendly and labour saving facilities where OHS and animal welfare is paramount. There are two separate animal rooms, each housing 12 individual pens, six on either side, allowing cattle to see each other across the walk way. Each room is a mirror image of the other side and waste leads into drains where sump pumps direct the waste to treatment tanks or to the effluent pond as determined by the operator.

QASP staff members are specialised in tick research with over 10 years’ experience in the correct techniques to obtain samples and the collection of ticks. All QASP staff members have completed and are deemed competent to the highest level in the Low Stress Stock Handling.

Between the two rooms is a central crush area with incorporated weighing crate. There is also an animal entry room for new animal arrivals and the race is designed for safe easy work with animals. The central area leads directly to the PC1 quarantine yards and as a result of the optimally designed raceways linking different parts of the facility, the animals do not have to come into further contact with a truck after being delivered to QASP. The PC1 animal rooms can also be linked to the necropsy post mortem room using the PC2 corridor as per agreed protocols.

The facility is evaporative cooled and this system is automatically controlled and monitored by the Building Management System (BMS). The lights are on a separately controlled timer set to parameters required by the research.

There is a feed preparation room and feed storage room attached to the animal facility. Feed silos are located outside the building and augers bring feed directly into the feed storage room. The anteroom has large benches with storage space and a large capacity cold room attached.

The PC1 animal room has shower facilities to allow personnel to shower in and out, with lockable lockers for storage of personal items.