Breeding and Rearing of Japanese Field Voles (Microtus montebelli Milne-Edwards) and Hungarian Voles (Microtus arvalis Pallas) as New Herbivorous Laboratory Animal Species
Open Access
- 1 January 1982
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Japanese Association for Laboratory Animal Science in Experimental Animals
- Vol. 31 (3) , 175-183
- https://doi.org/10.1538/expanim1978.31.3_175
Abstract
Microtus spp. are very useful as experimental small herbivores. The use of Japanese field voles (M. montebelli) and Hungarian voles (M. arvalis) as experimental animals was investigated. Breeding methods and reproductive performance of these animal species were discussed. The number of chromosomes of M. arvalis is 2n = 46, of M. montebelli, 2n = 30. The breeding and reproduction of Microtus spp. were relatively easily accomplished in the laboratory using high fiber-containing rations. These animals are polyestrous and showed postpartum estrous ont the day of parturition. In continuous mating of the same pairs, there was little or no delay in implantation due to lactation, especially in M. arvalis, resulting in continuous birth at intervals of 20-21 days. Vaginal smears of M. montebelli did not show any definite pattern: 23 out of 30 voles from Hungary (M. arvalis) examined showed 6- to 18-day cycles. There were remarkable differences between the Japanese voles and the Hungarian voles, both biologically and reproductively.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: