Animal Science Lab Safety and Tools

Animal Science Lab Safety and Tools Review


  1. Describe flight zone and point of balance for livestock. 

  • Animal’s comfort zone/personal space

  1. What is PPE?

  • Personal Protective Equipment

  1. List the 4 types of restraints routinely used on animals and describe what they do.

  • Chemical - drugs/sedation/tranquilizers

  • Non-contact - using fight zone to make them move without contact 

  • Physical - grabbing them/using rope/halter/device

  • Psychological - using voice, posture, or presence to make the move

  1. What is the international system of units?

  • Measurements used internationally (metric system: meter, liter, gram, etc.)

  1. Describe the following tools.

  • Beakers: 

    • Large open mouthed glass jars that range in size and can be used to mix hold or transfer liquids 

  • Graduated cylinder:

    • Tall cylinder with a volume scale that range in size and are used to precisely measure volume by using the meniscus[curve of liquid] at eye level

  • Erlenmeyer flask: 

    • Have a narrow neck connected to a conical base that range in size and are primarily used to mix liquids[can swirl to reduce spills] and doesn't provide precise measurements

  • Test tube: 

    • Plain tubes with a round, closed end and an open end used to hold, transfer, heat, or mix[tap bottom with 2 fingers] small amounts of liquid 

  • Thermometer: 

    • Different thermometers measure in units and are classified by their use


  1. List the different thermometers and their uses.

  • Clinical: used to measure body temperature 

  • Infrared: noncontact device using infrared energy 

  • Mercury: sealed glass with  graduated scale, they arent common due to the toxicity of mercury

  • Alcohol in glass: sealed glass with graduated scale

  • Digital thermometer: contact or noncontact with a screen showing temperature 

  1. What is the number one mistake when handling livestock?

  • Overcrowded pens

  1. What are the effects of restraints?

  • Psychological and physiological

  1. List the different types of eye and face protection and what they do.

  • Safety glasses: cover front of eyes from impact; minimum protection 

  • Chemical splash goggles: Completely covers and encloses eyes and area around eyes to prevent chemicals and flying debris from getting into the eyes 

  • Face shield: covers and protects the entire face but doesn't replace protective eyeware and should be used when when handling infectious, sparking, or cryogenic materials and corrosive chemicals

  1. What is an SD sheet and what does it contain?

  • Safety data sheet is a document that is sent with chemical containing chemical hazard information

  1. What is a centrifuge?

  • Used to spin test tubes or microbes at high speeds to separate solids from liquids[often used with blood seperating red and white blood cells] a thumping sound means it 

  1.  What is a petri dish?

  • Shallow plastic or glass dish with a lid used to cultivate microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, virus, and cells and contains a medium specific to the cells, for example agar and agarose 

  1. What is a stereoscope?

  • Type of microscope used to study solid specimens or perform delicate dissections and can be reffered to as a dissection microscope; utilizes light from above specimen to illuminate 

  1. What are biological specimens?

  • materials or living organisms derived from any living thing, collected for scientific research or analysis

  1. What is another name for a liquid nitrogen tank?

  • Cryogenic tanks

  1. Where should items such as needles, syringes, and lancets be disposed of?

  • Sharps container

  1. What is the acronym for using a fire extinguisher and what does it mean?

  • PASS: pull aim spray and sweep

  1. List at least two restraint tools and/or methods for each livestock species (horse, cattle, sheep, swine)

  • Horse: halter, twitch

  • Cattle: squeeze chute, head gate

  • Sheep: shepherd’s crook, sitting method

  • Swine: snare, hogboard

  1. What are zoonotic diseases?

  • Able to be transmitting from humans to animals and vice versa

  1. How many days should animals be quarantined for when coming to a new herd?

  • 30-60 days depending on species

  1. What is the primary goal of biosecurity on livestock farms?

  • Making sure the animals, people and environment are healthy 

  1. What are the government agencies responsible for biosecurity and what are their roles?

  • FSIS: Food Safety and Inspection Service

    • ensures meat, poultry, and eggs are safe and properly labeled.

  • USDA: United States Department of Agriculture

    • oversees animal health, welfare, and agricultural disease prevention programs.

  • APHIS: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

    • enforces animal disease control, import/export regulations, and quarantine measures.

  • CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    • monitors and investigates zoonotic diseases that can affect humans.

  • FDA: Food and Drug Administration

    • regulates medications, feed additives, and vaccines used in animals to ensure food safety.

  1. What is a visitor log and why is it necessary for biosecurity?

  • Keep track of who has entered and exited barns and interacted with animals