Evaluation of a disposable water system during shipment of laboratory rats and mice

The efficacy of a newly developed system for providing water to boxed rodents during shipment was evaluated. The system, composed of a water filled disposable plastic pouch and a disposable automatic drinking valve, was measured against two products commonly used to provide moisture during transit, canned gelled rodent diet and potatoes. The evaluations were made under conditions of both long (72-88 hour) and short (26 hour) duration trips using regularly scheduled commercial common carriers. Differences in body weight of shipped animals compared to that of non-shipped controls of the same age, and differences in body weight between groups were measured. Under all conditions investigated, rats and mice provided with the transit water system lost significantly less weight during transit than those provided with either of the other two water sources. The equilibration period (the time required to recover body weight lost during shipment) was found to be influenced by both the type of water source and the duration of transit. Under all conditions investigated, animals provided with the transit water system recovered more rapidly and had shorter equilibration periods.