Mouse Diets in Laboratories
The figures below are taken from diets fed to rats and mice in laboratory settings and have been calculated by scientists for the animals' nutrition. I cannot speak to the quality of the analysis since I am no scientist myself, but at least it may help give some guidelines about what sort of foods (and proportions) mice are regarded as requiring. Personally, I was surprised at the amount of wheat in the diet (knowing the problems that it can cause) and also a little at the alfalfa inclusion, since many mice will not eat this at all.
NIH Open Formula Rat and Mouse Diet 18% Crude Protein Autoclavable (NIH-31)
Ingredients |
Percentage by weight |
Fish meal (60% protein) |
9.0 |
Soybean meal (48.5% protein) |
5.0 |
Alfalfa meal (17% protein) |
2.0 |
Corn gluten meal (60% protein) |
2.0 |
Ground whole hard wheat |
35.5 |
Ground #2 yellow shelled corn (8.5% protein)
|
21.0 |
Ground whole oats |
10.0 |
| Wheat middlings |
10.0 |
Brewers dried yeast |
1.0 |
Soy oil |
1.5 |
Salt |
0.5 |
Dicalcium phosphate |
1.5 |
Ground limestone |
0.5 |
Premixes |
0.5 |
Total |
100.00 |
Vitamin Fortification per ton (2,000 lbs) of finished product
Vitamin |
Amount |
Source |
A |
22,000,000 IU |
Vitamin A palmitate or acetate |
|
D3 |
3,800,000 IU |
D activated animal sterol |
K |
20 g |
Menadione |
|
dl Alpha-tocopheryl acetate |
15 g |
|
|
Choline |
700 g |
Choline chloride |
|
Folic acid |
1 g |
|
|
Niacin |
40 g |
|
d Pantothenic Acid |
25 g |
d-Calcium Pantothenate |
|
Riboflavin supplement |
5 g |
|
|
Thiamin |
65 g |
Thiamin mononitrate |
|
B12 supplement |
40,000 mcg |
|
Pyridoxine |
5 g |
Pyridoxine hydrochloride |
Biotin |
120 mg |
d-Biotin |
Mineral Fortification Per Ton (2,000 lbs) of Finished Product
Mineral |
Amount |
Source |
|
Cobalt |
400 mg |
Cobalt carbonate |
Copper |
4 g |
Copper sulfate |
Iron |
60 g |
Iron sulfate |
Magnesium |
400 g |
Magnesium oxide |
Manganese |
100 g |
Manganese oxide |
Zinc |
10 g |
Zinc oxide |
Iodine |
1500 mg |
Calcium iodate |
These concentrations of vitamins and minerals shall be added to the ration via two separate (vitamin and mineral) premixes. The final formulation may be adjusted so the total amount of ingredients will equal 100%. In the case of the mineral fortification, the actual amount of each element required is specified. Therefore, the contractor shall adjust the amount of each compound used in the premix according to its mineral concentration.
Nutrient Standards
Micro Analysis - The total calculated concentrations of nutrients
in the ration from ingredients and from the fortifications at the time
of manufacture should be as follows:
Crude protein |
% Minimum |
18.0 |
Crude fat |
% Minimum |
4.0 |
Crude fibre |
% Maximum |
5.0 |
Ash |
% Maximum |
8.0 |
Amino Acids (% of total diet) |
Minimum |
Arginine |
.90 |
Lysine |
.85 |
Methionine |
.35 |
Cystine |
.25 |
Tryptophan |
.20 |
Glycine |
.95 |
Histidine |
.38 |
Leucine |
1.40 |
Isoleucine |
.95 |
Phenylalanine |
.85 |
Tyrosine |
.60 |
Threonine |
.65 |
Valine |
.90 |
| Mineral |
Minimum |
|
Calcium |
% |
1.15 |
Phosphorous |
% |
.85 |
Potassium |
% |
.75 |
Sodium |
% |
.30 |
Magnesium |
% |
.15 |
Iron |
PPM |
345.00 |
Zinc |
PPM |
40.00 |
Manganese |
PPM |
140.00 |
| Copper |
PPM |
12.00 |
| Cobalt |
PPM |
0.70 |
Iodine |
PPM |
1.80 |
| Vitamin |
Minimum |
|
Vitamin A |
IU/g |
20.0 (10)* |
| Vitamin D |
IU/g |
4.0 |
| Alpha-tocopherol |
PPM |
45.0 |
Thiamin |
PPM |
70.0 |
Riboflavin |
PPM |
7.0 |
| Niacin |
PPM |
80.0 |
Pantothenic acid |
PPM |
30.0 |
Choline |
PPM |
1900.0 |
| Pyridoxine |
PPM |
10.0 |
| Folic acid |
PPM |
2.0 |
Biotin |
PPM |
.2 |
Vitamin B12 |
mcg/Kg |
40.0 |
Vitamin K |
PPM |
20.0 |
* TRUE VITAMIN A ACTIVITY BY HPLC METHOD
|
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