Standard natural ingredient diets for a variety of laboratory animal species are comprised of agricultural commodities such as grains, and plant and animal proteins. These diets are used to meet the everyday needs of animal colonies for breeding, growth and maintenance. When carefully chosen, they also can support many research objectives.

The hallmark of all Teklad standard natural ingredient diets is our fixed formulation philosophy coupled with stringent ingredient procurement practices, followed by automated and controlled manufacturing practices. Regular, autoclavable, certified, and irradiated laboratory diets are among the many options.

Learn more about standard natural ingredient diets

If you need to control nutrients, induce disease or provide specific doses through a diet, you can leverage our experience with purified or other types of custom research diets. Our nutritionists can work with your unique specifications to find a Teklad solution that meets your study’s requirements.

Learn more about custom research diets

For treatment of a condition or to prevent illness or outbreak, the use of Teklad medicated diets as directed by a veterinarian can be supported by stocked medicated diets. Custom diets with various medications or compounds can also be added by request at our custom research diet facility.

Learn more about medicated diets

From contact bedding to custom-cut paper cage liners to enrichment products, we can support your laboratory animals with a variety of comprehensive solutions.

Learn more about bedding and environmental enrichment products

There is no definitive point where one is able to predict when a specific diet will spoil or become deficient in one or more nutrients. The common guideline of a six month shelf life is based on longstanding practice in North America. In Europe and Asia, differences in local practices and regulatory oversight have led to Teklad standard natural ingredient diets being routinely used out to nine months and sometimes 12 months post-manufacture. This practical experience, along with literature support and vitamin testing over time, gives us confidence that these diets continue to support animal health and study integrity out to at least nine months post-manufacture. Please refer to your institution for guidance if you are unsure of local policies.

Recommended storage conditions:

• Cool and dry; at or below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, humidity below 50% ideal, but up to 65% is acceptable
• Clean and free of pests
• In original packaging or in a container that prevents continuous exposure to light and minimal exposure to air

Teklad Dog Diets are designed to be fed to dogs under research conditions. Select the feeding method which keeps the animal in the proper body condition. The amount of food the research dog needs depends upon its size, age, breed, temperament, and amount of exercise.

Feed the pregnant female twice a day or ad libitum. Moisten the diet for her first few feedings after delivery. Thereafter, allow ad libitum access to diet and also feed her moistened food once a day.

Puppies will start eating diet (either moistened or dry) when they are about four weeks old. To encourage them to eat, add one cup water to each cup of dog food. Initially, feed the moistened food three times daily. The daily feedings (either dry or moistened) can be reduced to two as the puppies grow. The self-feeding program is ideal for puppies since they like to chew on dry food. They also can eat when they are hungry, assuring proper and adequate nutrition.

• Minimum order quantity is three kg, sufficient for feeding ~20 mice for one month
• Store diet refrigerated and plan to use within six months
• Typical lead time is two weeks (four weeks if irradiated)
• Irradiation (optional) minimal dose of 20 kGy (Must be requested at time of order)
• To place an order: contact Teklad Customer Service at 800.483.5523 or initiate order online

Plan for:

• Initial reduction in food intake and weight loss
• Daily observation of animal tolerance — consult your IACUC for monitoring metrics
• Intervene when necessary

If intake seems to be a problem:

• Determine if a lower dose is effective for your model by conducting a tamoxifen dose feeding trial
• Gradually acclimate mice by mixing tamoxifen-containing pellets with regular feed pellets
• Wet the food, then place in a dish inside the cage (requires daily replacement)
• Feed tamoxifen diet on weekdays, regular diet on weekends
• Alternate weeks (two weeks on tamoxifen diet, one week off) for longer treatments

• Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) meaning it can repress actions of estrogen or have pro-estrogen effects
• Usual dose for therapeutic effects in humans is 20 mg/day. Tamoxifen diets for rodents typically contain ~one to two mg/pellet
• Accidental tamoxifen exposure can be minimized by using typical lab precautions of lab coat, gloves, and mask when handling the diet.
• Your chemical safety department should be contacted for additional institution specific guidelines for handling and disposal of tamoxifen containing diets.

• Length of treatment varies from one to two weeks^1,2,5,6,7,8 to one to two months^3,4,8
• Pure tamoxifen^1,5,8 and tamoxifen citrate^1,2,3,4,6,7 are both effective
• Usual tamoxifen doses are ~40-80 mg per kg body weight per day
• Typical inclusion for pure tamoxifen is 250 mg⁸ or 500 mg^1,5 and for tamoxifen citrate is 400 mg per kg diet^1,2,3,4,6,7
• Initial weight loss of ten % is reported^1,2,4,7,8, associated with reduced food intake²
• Subsequent recovery of body weight after returning to regular diet may be compromised by gene inactivation^2,7

1. Andersson KB, Winer LH, Mork HK, Molkentin JD, Jaisser F. 2010. Tamoxifen administration routes and dosage for inducible Cre-mediated gene disruption in mouse hearts. Transgenic Res 19:715-725.
2. Chiang PM, Ling J, Jeong YH, Price DL, Aja SM, Wong PC. 2010. Deletion of TDP-43 down-regulates Tbc1d1, a gene linked to obesity, and alters body fat metabolism. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107:16320-16324.
3. Kardakaris R, Gareus R, Xanthoulea S, Pasparakis M. 2011. Endothelial and macrophage-specific deficiency of P38alpha MAPK does not affect the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice. PLoS One 6:e21055.
4. Kiermayer C, Conrad M, Schneider M, Schmidt J, Brielmeier M. 2007. Optimization of spatiotemporal gene inactivation in mouse heart by oral application of tamoxifen citrate. Genesis 45:11-16.
5. Koitabashi N, Bedja D, Zaiman AL, Pinto YM, Zhang M, Gabrielson KL, Takimoto E, Kass DA. 2009. Avoidance of transient cardiomyopathy in cardiomyocyte-targeted tamoxifen-induced MerCreMer gene deletion models. Circ Res 105:12-15.
6. Kratsios P, Catela C, Salimova E, Huth M, Berno V, Rosenthal N, Mourkioti F. 2009. Distinct roles for cell-autonomous Notch signaling in cardiomyocytes of the embryonic and adult heart. PCirc Res 106:559-572.
7. Miro-Murillo M, Elorza A, Soro-Arnaiz I, Albacete-Albacete L, Ordonez A, Balsa E, Vara-Vega A, Vazquez S, Fuertes E, Fernandez-Criado C, Landazuri MO, Aragones J. 2011. Acute Vhl gene inactivation induces cardiac HIF-dependent erythropoietin gene expression. PLoS One 6:e22589.
8. Welle S, Burgess K, Thornton CA, Tawil R. 2009. Relation between extent of myostatin depletion and muscle growth in mature mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab.Oct;297(4):E935-40.

There is no definitive point where one is able to predict when a specific diet will spoil or become deficient in one or more nutrients. The common guideline of a six month shelf life is based on longstanding practice in North America. In Europe and Asia, differences in local practices and regulatory oversight have led to Teklad standard natural ingredient diets being routinely used out to nine months and sometimes 12 months post-manufacture. This practical experience, along with literature support and vitamin testing over time, gives us confidence that these diets continue to support animal health and study integrity out to at least nine months post-manufacture. Please refer to your institution for guidance if you are unsure of local policies.

Recommended storage conditions:

• Cool and dry; at or below 70 degrees fahrenheit with humidity ideally below 50%, but up to 65% is acceptable
• Clean and free of pests
• In original packaging or in a container that prevents continuous exposure to light and minimal exposure to air

Weaning pigs should be allowed ad libitum access to diet. Adults should be fed at a rate of two percent to three percent of their body weight per day. Fresh, clean water should always be available.

There is no definitive point where one is able to predict when a specific diet will spoil or become deficient in one or more nutrients. The common guideline of a six month shelf life is based on longstanding practice in North America. In Europe and Asia, differences in local practices and regulatory oversight have led to Teklad standard natural ingredient diets being routinely used out to nine months and sometimes 12 months post-manufacture. This practical experience, along with literature support and vitamin testing over time, gives us confidence that these diets continue to support animal health and study integrity out to at least nine months post-manufacture. Please refer to your institution for guidance if you are unsure of local policies.

Recommended storage conditions:

• Cool and dry; at or below 70 degrees fahrenheit with humidity ideally below 50%, but up to 65% is acceptable
• Clean and free of pests
• In original packaging or in a container that prevents continuous exposure to light and minimal exposure to air

In general, nonhuman primates will consume an amount of diet equal to four percent of their body weight but there are many factors that can affect daily consumption including species, life-stage, housing, and environmental conditions. Small amounts of fruits, vegetables, or nuts may be fed as environmental enrichment. Clean fresh water should always be available.