Rat eating

Animal Diet

Information Regarding Research Animal Diets

Type and Source of Foodstuffs

Animals are fed standard, commercial laboratory animal diets milled by Purina Lab Diets or otherwise approved source unless required by study protocols and permitted by the IACUC. Irradiated or steam sterilized feeds are provided to some mice and rats. Macaques are given supplements of fruit or vegetables daily and a mixture of grains, seeds, and specially formulated enrichment supplements (source Bio-Serv) in their cage pans 3 times weekly to promote foraging behavior. Rabbits receive produce daily. With the exception of foods for fish and for special diets, the DAR acquires, maintains inventories, and provides all foodstuffs for animals.

The following diets are regularly fed to the associated species as indicated by the DAR and maintained as inventory. Activating each link will provide connection to the manufacturer's description of the diet, guaranteed or proximate analysis, ingredients, and chemical composition.

  • Autoclavable Mouse Breeder Diet 502: breeding colonies of immunosuppressed mice.
  • Bioserv Veggie-Bites S5158: nonhuman primate foraging item.
  • GNC Brewer's Yeast: larval lampreys.
  • Guinea Pig Diet 5025: guinea pigs
  • KayTee Forti-Diet Finch Food: domestic finches.
  • KayTee Hi-Cal Grit Small Birds: songbirds.
  • LabDiet Mini-Pig HF Grower: miniature swine.
  • Laboratory Autoclavable Rodent Diet 5010: immunocompromised mice and rats
  • Laboratory Chick Diet S-G 5065<: chicks in brooders.
  • Laboratory Porcine Diet Grower 5084: farm-origin swine.
  • Laboratory Rabbit Diet 5321: breeding rabbit does.
  • Laboratory Rabbit Diet HF 5326: rabbits
  • Laboratory Rodent Diet 5001: mice, rats, hamsters, other rodents.
  • Mazuri Small Bird Maintenance 56A6: wild-caught songbirds.
  • Monkey Diet 5038: nonhuman primates.
  • Mouse Diet 5015: mouse breeding colonies.
  • Nasco Frog Brittle: Xenopus laevis
  • Rumilab Diet 5508: sheep and goats.

Food Storage in Animal Facilities

Bulk quantities of foods are stored in climate-controlled and dedicated storage rooms. Perishable foods are stored under refrigeration. Working quantities of feed are stored in animal rooms in covered plastic containers labeled with an expiration date of eight months from the milled date.

Means of Providing Food

All food is provided animals in feeders or bowls appropriate to the species with the following exceptions:

  • Hamsters are fed rodent chow from their cage floor.

  • Fish are fed brine shrimp and fish food in their aquaria.

  • Xenopus are fed frog brittle in their aquaria and may be supplemented with thawed, frozen beef heart by research personnel.

  • Lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) in the larvae stage are fed Brewers Yeast® tablets (GNC) every two weeks.

  • Pacific Hagfish (Eptatretus stoutii) are fed sinking frog food or fresh or thawed fish (source local fish market).


Food is routinely provided ad libitum except for feeding limited amounts meeting the daily requirement to dogs, non-breeding rabbits, and swine in order to prevent obesity or unless approved on a protocol-basis by the IACUC. Nursing rabbit does are fed ad libitum.

Quality Control Procedures

Feeds are stored separate from chemicals to preclude contamination. Regular shipments of feed are received from a supplier and feeds are rotated so that the oldest feeds are used first. Bags of feed that are broken or that appear to have been wet are discarded and not used. All chows are used within six months of manufacture. Mice and rat diets are used within five months of manufacture (Huerkamp, Michael J. and Dowdy, Minida (2008) "Diet Replenishment for Ad-libitum-fed Mice Housed in Social Groups is Compatible with Shelf Life". J. of American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 47(3), 47-50).

Special diets: The feeding of specially formulated diets and any or all diets other than those listed above must be specifically approved by the IACUC. Please see the facility supervisor or manager for assistance in meeting cage identification; rack, room and contact information; and record-keeping requirements. Clinically-ill animals may be prescribed special diets and/or supplements at the discretion of the DAR veterinary staff.

While appreciative of the good intentions, the DAR discourages the feeding of cookies or cereals intended for human consumption to post-operative, anorectic or ill animals owing to the high calorie – low protein imbalance inherent to these items and the fortification of vitamins and minerals to human dietary standards. There are excellent, palatable, nutritionally-complete products available specially formulated for the critical care of laboratory animals and persons or laboratories interested in these products are encouraged to consult with the DAR veterinary staff.

Food Restriction: Controlled or limited access to food requires IACUC approval. Please see the facility supervisor or manager to ensure meeting specific requirements for cage identification, contact information, and record-keeping.