Individual ventilated cage housing environment quality evaluation and indoor airflow organization optimization using analytic hierarchy process

The welfare of laboratory animals is closely tied to the quality of their housing environment. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive evaluation system capable of simultaneously quantifying the impact of multiple environmental parameters. To address this, this study developed a novel Comprehensive Evaluation Index based on field measurements, numerical simulations and the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Results demonstrate that the Comprehensive Evaluation Index could effectively differentiate environmental quality under various operational conditions. The optimal setting, as defined by the Comprehensive Evaluation Index, consists of a 21 h⁻¹ macroenvironmental air change rate coupled with a 2.5 m/s cage-level supply air velocity, aligning with findings from independent physical field analyses. This configuration has been proven effective for the improvement of animal welfare.