In several areas of research, it is advantageous or essential to monitor the amount, time, duration, and/or character of animals' food intake.
Sometimes this is accomplished through elaborate mechanical devices, involving digital scales and sophisticated electronics.
Often, however, simpler and far more economical means of food intake monitoring are sufficient to obtain the necessary data. One example:
Precision Pellets or Tablets made from purified ingredient formulas, custom grain-based formulas, or standard grain-based LabDiet® formulas can be used in pellet dispensers (such as "Skinner Boxes"). These tablets are commonly 45 mg or 20 mg in size. The pellet dispenser will automatically record the precise time that each pellet is retrieved. Because of their small size, the tablets are usually consumed immediately by the animal.
For portion-controlled feeding, tablets are available in precise amounts. For example, by combining 5 gram and 1 gram tablets, the researcher can feed meals of the exact number of grams required, quickly, efficiently, and economically. More Information