| 摘要 |
Such devices are used for studies on experimental animals. These devices are suitable for re-equipping existing standard animal cages, especially on the wire lids of these cages. The feeding devices by means of which the time, duration and frequency of feeding of the experimental animals can be preselected and determined are designed in three possible versions. In one model (Figure 1) the food basket is adjusted to suit the contours of the cage lid and can be raised and lowered and thus regulates access to the food. In the design with a flexible wire mesh closure (Figure 2) the food rack is opened or closed. From the rack (Figure 3) closed in the manner of a container the animals are allowed to or prevented from reaching the mealy food depending on the position of the movable food trough. The automatic feeding possible with the equipment described controls the start and end of the meals. Hitherto, feeding in experiments on rodents was ad libitum: i.e., the amount and frequency of withdrawal and consumption of permanently available food are up to the discretion of the animal. The feeding devices now make possible restricted food consumption which takes account of aspects of diurnal rhythm. <IMAGE>
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