Metabolic stall or crate used in digestion experiments

METABOLIC STALL OR CRATE USED IN DIGESTION EXPERIMENTS

  • A metabolism crate is actually a specially designed stall or box large enough for the experimental animal to be housed in controlled conditions during experimental period.
  • Here the animal enjoys freedom of movement, particularly as regards lying down and getting up.
  • It is so designed to permit the collection of faeces and urine separately under it.
  • In older type, the bottom is a metal grid or mesh of metal rods through which both the faeces and urine pass, the faeces being caught on a screen underneath and below the latter is a metal hopper or funnel like subfloor to catch the urine.
  • In the type now more commonly used, the animal is confined so that it cannot turn around, and the length of the cage is adjusted to the size of the animal in such a way that the faeces fall into a properly placed container.
  • The feed box is attached to the front, so constructed and placed as to prevent scattering.
  • In order to avoid feed lodging at the corners, the bottoms of the metal boxes should be rounded at the sides.
  • The bottom of each feed box, if made of metal, should be made of one continuous piece of smooth sheet metal to eliminate joints or corners where feed may accumulate. Thus very little or no feed may be lost.
Last modified: Monday, 6 February 2012, 8:37 AM