Diets by Species ...
For over 100 hundred years, Purina Mills has provided nutrition expertise for virtually every species. Our elite team of animal nutrition professionals will custom-formulate and produce purified ingredient and modified grain-based research diets for all animal species, including those not listed below (such as chinchillas, aquatic mammals, and zoo animals).
Please select the links below for a brief discussion of the role of nutrition in research involving the respective species, as well as representative diets used in such research.
For additional information on even more species, please see the end of this page or contact us.
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Typical Daily Feed Usage by Species
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Species |
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Daily Feed Usage |
Water Requirement |
Start on Dry Food |
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Canines |
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25-40 gm/kg body weight |
Ad libitum. Need 2-3 times as much water as dry food consumed. |
20-30 days |
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Felines |
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24 gm/kg |
Ad libitum. Usually 1.5-2 |
3-8 weeks |
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Ferrets |
Growing |
Feed free choice |
Ad libitum |
4-5 days |
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Ferrets |
Breeding |
Limit feed for lean condition |
Ad libitum |
4-5 days |
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Ferrets |
Adult |
Free choice or limit feed to desired condition |
Ad libitum |
4-5 days |
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Guinea Pigs |
Adult male |
35 gm |
Ad libitum |
4-5 days |
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Pregnant female |
35 gm |
Ad libitum |
4-5 days |
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Hamsters |
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10-14 gm. Feed free choice. No supplemental feeding necessary |
Ad libitum |
7-9 days |
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Mice |
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4-5 gm. Feed free choice. No supplemental feeding necessary |
Ad libitum |
10 days |
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Pigs/Swine |
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Approx. 2-3% of body weight, but varies with phase of life cycle. (See specific feed product for other details.) |
Ad libitum |
12-16 days |
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Poultry |
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110-250 gm |
250-500 ml/day |
Immediately after hatching |
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Primates |
Adult male |
2-4% of body weight |
Ad libitum |
20-30 days |
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Pregnant female |
2-4% of body weight |
Ad libitum |
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Rabbits |
Adult male |
110-175 gm |
Ad libitum |
4-5 days |
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Pregnant female |
175-225 gm |
Ad libitum |
4-5 days |
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Rats |
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Fisher |
Larger Strains* |
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*Depends on strain. Some restrict the feed of “Sprague Dawley” rats. Levels of 21-22 gm/d for males and 16-17 gm/d for females rats are frequently used. |
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Ad-libitum |
Ad libitum |
Ad libitum |
12 days |
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Adult Male |
12-15 gm |
20-35 gm |
Ad libitum |
12 days |
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Adult Female |
12-15 gm |
15-25 gm |
Ad libitum |
12 days |
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Pregnant & Lactating |
30-40 gm |
30-55 gm |
Ad libitum |
12 days |
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Growing Male |
12-15 gm |
15-30 gm |
Ad libitum |
12 days |
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Growing Females |
12-15 gm |
14-22 gm |
Ad libitum |
12 days |
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Ruminants |
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2-3% of body weight |
Clean water continuously |
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Alpacas |
Guinea Pigs |
Pheasant |
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Aquatic Animals |
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Amphibians |
Hamsters |
Polar Bears |
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Beef Cattle |
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Aquatic Animals |
Herbivores (General) |
Pot-Bellied Pigs |
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Cattle |
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Bears |
Iguana |
Primates |
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Chicken |
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Birds, caged |
Insectivores |
Psittacine/Passerine |
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Ducks |
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Budgerigars |
Kangaroos |
Ratite |
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Fish |
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Canaries |
Koi |
Rats |
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Geese |
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Cats |
Llamas |
Reindeer |
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Goats |
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Chinchillas |
Marmoset |
Reptiles |
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Pigs |
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Cranes |
Merganser |
Rodents |
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Poultry |
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Crickets |
Mice |
Sea Duck |
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Rabbits |
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Dogs |
Mini-Pigs |
Sharks |
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Sheep |
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Ducks |
Monkeys |
Sheep |
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Turkey |
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Emu |
Moose |
Soft Bills |
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Dairy |
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Feline |
Musk Ox |
Swans |
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Birds |
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Ferrets |
Non-Human Primates |
Tortoise |
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Wildbird |
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Fish |
Omnivore (General) |
Turtle |
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Deer |
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Flamingos |
Ostrich |
Wallaby |
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Game Birds |
Parrots |
Waterfowl |
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Geese |
Peafowl |
Zebras |
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