Nesting Material Baling and Dispensing System for Mouse Environmental Enrichment

Animal models are crucial in many areas of biomedical research and good husbandry of test animals is important to ensure that these animals are healthy and effective research subjects. Researchers have identified nesting material as the best environmental enrichment for improving animal well-being, health, productivity, and scientific data quality, particularly in mice. Large animal testing facilities require a level of automation, which leads to nesting enrichments that mice do not use, or enrichments, such as shelters, which can be detrimental to mice well-being.

Researchers at Purdue University have developed a method of automatically dispensing an optimal blend of nest-building materials in large-scale mouse husbandry systems. The animals benefit by provision of an optimal enrichment medium. Husbandry facilities benefit from reduced labor requirements and improved animal health and productivity. Researchers benefit by reduced housing costs, improved mice health and well-being, and improved data quality.

Advantages:

-Improved animal health and well-being

-Reduced labor for husbandry facilities

-Reduced housing costs

-Improved data quality

Potential Applications:

-Research labs

-Pharmaceutical industry

TRL: 4

Intellectual Property:

Keywords: Nesting material dispenser, mouse enrichment system, environmental enrichment for mice, rodent nesting material, lab animal enrichment, animal welfare supplies, baling and dispensing system, cage enrichment devices, automated nesting dispenser, bedding dispenser, Animal Health & Nutrition, Veterinary