Animal nursing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a nursing device for animals of a novel structure which has a simple structure, excellent durability, and does not require a skilled technique for using the same; and to provide an artificial lactation method which uses the nursing device for animals of such a novel structure to perform artificial lactation.SOLUTION: A nursing device 1 for animals of a novel structure includes: a nipple member 10 composed of an elastic material which has a nipple part 11 and a pore 12 capable of discharging liquid at the end of the nipple part 11; and a liquid reservoir member 20 which is connected to the nipple member 10 and has an opening 21 for supplying liquid in the nipple member 10 from the connection part. Thus, it is possible to provide the nursing device for animals which has a simple structure, excellent durability, and has the novel structure.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an animal nursing device used to administer liquid compositions such as milk or medicinal liquids, particularly liquid compositions with high viscosity that tend to clog pores, such as high-protein artificial milk, to small animals, including experimental animals such as mice or rare animals, by utilizing spontaneous suckling behavior. [Background technology]

[0002] During the developmental period of mammals, from birth to maturity, the nutrient needs of the animal body from neonatal to adulthood, the efficacy of pharmaceuticals, the safety of chemicals, immune formation, and the effects of various stresses during infancy on maturity and beyond cannot be assessed in mature individuals. Therefore, pharmacokinetics and biological functions in the animal body during the developmental period must be investigated in actual developing animals. When conducting such research in individual rodents (mice and rats) shortly after birth, newborn pups are separated from their mothers within 48 hours of birth and artificially raised on formula until weaning. Individuals at this stage are equivalent to premature infants in humans, with their eyes and ears still open, and their organs immature, making them highly susceptible to drugs and other substances. This allows for the acquisition of highly accurate data.

[0003] Until now, artificial feeding of rodents has been performed by intubating the stomach at four days of age and injecting artificial milk or liquid medicine (Non-Patent Document 1), but this has posed many problems, such as leakage of the artificial milk or liquid medicine. Subsequently, artificial baby bottles and nipples were developed (Patent Document 1), but they had complex structures and durability issues, and their use required considerable skill.

[0004] Furthermore, bottle-feeding using conventional formula has also had the problem of not being able to fully achieve growth equivalent to that achieved by breastfeeding, and known bottles and nipples (Patent Document 1) are prone to clogging, making it necessary to continue using conventional formula. Furthermore, conventional bottles and nipples (Patent Document 1) have complex structures and include parts that cannot be disassembled, making it difficult to clean the equipment after formula feeding. Furthermore, high-temperature sterilization using an autoclave or other method has the disadvantage of gradually discoloring the bottles due to the residual traces of protein in the formula. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4540324 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] Francis, F., et al., Probiotic Studies in Neonatal Mice Using Gavage. J. Vis. Exp. (143), e59074, doi:10.3791 / 59074 (2019) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention aims to develop a high-protein artificial milk that is preferable for achieving growth equivalent to that achieved by artificial feeding with breast milk, and to provide an animal-feeding device of a novel structure that is suitable for artificially feeding such high-protein artificial milk, has a simple structure, is easy to disassemble and clean, and is disinfected and sterilized, is highly durable, and does not require skilled techniques for use. Another object of the present invention is to provide an artificial-feeding method for artificially feeding animals using such an animal-feeding device of a novel structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inventors of the present invention discovered that the metal thin tube attached to the nipple portion of a known artificial feeding device (Patent Document 1) inhibits feeding of a liquid composition containing high protein, and discovered that by improving the nipple portion of the feeding device so that the thin tube is not necessary, it is possible to provide an animal feeding device that can also artificially feed a liquid composition containing high protein, and further discovered that it is possible to provide an animal feeding device that is easy to disassemble as a whole and has a reduced number of parts, has a simple structure that is easy to disassemble and clean, is highly durable, and is easy to use, and thus completed the present invention. Specifically, the present invention relates to: a nipple member (10) made of an elastic material having a nipple portion (11) and a pore (12) at the tip of the nipple portion (11) through which liquid can be discharged; A liquid reservoir member (20) connected to the nipple member (10) and having an opening (21) for supplying liquid into the nipple member (10) from the connected portion. By providing an animal nursing device (1) including the above, it is possible to provide an animal nursing device with a novel structure that solves the above problems.

[0009] More specifically, the present application provides the following aspects to solve the above-mentioned problems: [1]: A nipple member made of an elastic material having a nipple portion and a pore at the tip of the nipple portion through which liquid can be discharged; a liquid reservoir member connected to the nipple member and having an opening for supplying liquid from the connected portion into the nipple member; animal feeding devices, including; [2]: The animal feeding device according to [1], including a teat portion filling member made of an elastic material that is filled at least inside the teat portion; [3]: The animal feeding device according to [2], wherein the elastic material is silicone rubber, isoprene rubber, styrene-isoprene rubber, urethane, or a sponge-like material thereof; [4]: The animal feeding device according to any one of [1] to [3], further comprising a milk replenishing member connectable to the liquid reservoir member and capable of supplying liquid into the liquid reservoir member; [5]: The animal feeding device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the nipple member does not include a metal capillary tube; [6]: The animal feeding device according to any one of [1] to [5], in which all components are separable from each other; [7]: The animal feeding device according to any one of [1] to [6], which prevents leakage of liquid from the pores in the nipple portion by surface tension; [8]: The animal feeding device according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein the internal pressure of the animal feeding device becomes negative when the animal sucks the liquid from the nipple portion, and the liquid in the liquid reservoir member is supplied into the nipple member; [9]: The animal feeding device according to any one of [1] to [8], which is capable of supplying a high-protein liquid;

[10] : Animal formula containing up to 15 g of protein per 100 ml;

[11] : The animal formula according to

[10] , wherein the animal is a rodent;

[12] : Animal formula as described in

[10] or

[11] , containing 10.5 to 15 g of protein per 100 ml;

[13] : An animal formula according to any one of

[10] to

[12] , wherein the protein comprises casein, whey protein isolate (WPI), whey protein hydrolysate (WPH), or any combination thereof;

[14] : An animal formula according to any one of [8] to

[13] , wherein the ratio of casein to whey (WPI+WPH) is 2:1 to 1:2.5. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The present invention, through the invention of the novel animal feeding device described above, simplifies the structure of the feeding bottle, achieving overall ease of disassembly and a reduced number of parts. Its simple structure allows for easy disassembly and cleaning, and its excellent durability facilitates cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization, as well as the ease of feeding techniques, such as artificial feeding with liquid compositions that tend to clog, such as high-protein formula. This allows even beginners to artificially feed not only mice and rats using liquid compositions such as high-protein formula, but also small wild mammals. As a result, the animal feeding device of the present invention makes it possible to evaluate not only the intake of various nutrients, the administration of pharmaceuticals, and chemical exposure during growth and development, as well as the effects of rearing environment, but also changes after maturity. It also makes it possible to artificially feed wild animals that require protection. Furthermore, it allows for more accurate and convenient evaluation of the effects of various high-protein formulas on growth. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of an animal feeding device (1) of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the nipple member (10). [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a view of the nipple portion (11) viewed from the pore (12) side, showing examples of the shape of the pore (12). [Figure 4] 4 is a view of the nipple portion (11) viewed from the pore (12) side, showing examples of the shape of the pore (12). It is a diagram showing a midline cross section of the liquid reservoir member (20), showing examples of the position of the refill opening (22). [Figure 5] FIG. 5 shows an example of the manufacture of an animal feeding device (1) of the present invention, showing the component configuration (FIG. 5(a)) and the assembled state (FIG. 5(b)). [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a graph comparing the weight gain over a 28-day rearing period between an artificially reared group using the animal nursing device of the present invention and a naturally reared group in which the animals were spontaneously nursed by their mothers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The present invention provides an animal feeding device having a novel structure that is simple in structure, easy to disassemble and clean, has excellent durability, can feed liquid compositions that are prone to clogging, such as high-protein formula, and does not require skilled techniques for use. a nipple member (10) made of an elastic material having a nipple portion (11) and a pore (12) at the tip of the nipple portion (11) through which liquid can be discharged; A liquid reservoir member (20) connected to the nipple member (10) and having an opening (21) for supplying liquid into the nipple member (10) from the connected portion. The present invention provides an animal feeding device (1) comprising:

[0013] <Overall configuration of animal feeding device (1)> As shown in Figure 1, the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention comprises a nipple member (10) and a liquid reservoir member (20) connected to the nipple member (10) and in liquid communication with the nipple member (10) via an opening (21). The animal feeding device (1) may be connected to a liquid component replenishing member (30) via a replenishing opening (22) provided in the liquid reservoir member (20).

[0014] <Nipple parts (10)> As shown in FIG. 2, the nipple member (10) has a nipple portion (11) for discharging the liquid components contained inside the animal feeding device (1), and an opening for supplying the liquid components contained in the liquid reservoir member (20) described below to the nipple member (10).

[0015] The nipple member (10) may have any shape as long as it can be molded, and may be, for example, a semi-spherical or conical shape, which are relatively simple structures.

[0016] The animal to be sucked can hold the nipple portion 11 in its mouth and spontaneously suck on the nipple portion 11, just as it spontaneously sucks milk from its mother's nipple, to drink the liquid in the animal sucking device 1. To achieve this feature, the size of the nipple portion 11 may vary depending on the animal to be sucked, and it is preferable to adjust it to a size similar to that of the nipple of the mother.

[0017] To achieve this feature, it is advisable to make the hardness of the teat portion 11 approximately the same as that of the teats of the dam. This hardness is determined by the thickness of the material of the teat portion 11 and the hardness of the teat portion filling member 12, which will be described later. If the thickness of the material of the teat portion 11 is made thinner (the hardness of the teat portion 11 itself will decrease), the hardness of the teat portion filling member 12 can be increased accordingly, thereby maintaining the overall hardness. Conversely, if the thickness of the material of the teat portion 11 is made thicker (the hardness of the teat portion 11 itself will increase), the hardness of the teat portion filling member 12 can be decreased accordingly, thereby maintaining the overall hardness.

[0018] The nipple portion (11) is characterized by having a small hole (12) at the tip thereof through which the liquid contained inside the nursing device (1) can be discharged. The small hole (12) may be of any shape, and as shown in Figure 3, when the nipple member (10) is viewed from the nipple portion (11) side, it may be a circular small hole (Figure 3(a)) or a small hole with a cross-shaped notch running through it (Figure 3(b)). The size of the small hole (12) may also be any size as long as it does not allow the liquid component contained inside the nipple member (10) to flow out.

[0019] The nipple member 10 may be made of any material that is flexible, washable, and can be sterilized using an autoclave, etc. Examples of materials that can be used include silicone rubber, natural rubber (latex, etc.), chloroprene rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, urethane rubber, and isoprene rubber.

[0020] The nipple member 10 may be formed by any molding method commonly used in the art that can create the structure of the nipple member 10. For example, it may be formed by coating molding, in which a molten material is coated onto the surface of a mold to create the entire structure.

[0021] The nipple component (10) is characterized by the absence of a metal capillary tube, as compared to nipple components of conventional nursing devices (Patent Document 1). The absence of a metal capillary tube offers the advantages of increased disassembly, a simpler structure, ease of disassembly for cleaning, and ease of disinfection and sterilization.

[0022] <Nipple portion filling member (13)> A nipple portion filling member (13) made of an elastic material may be placed as an optional member inside at least the nipple portion (11) of the nipple member (10) to fill the inside of the nipple portion (11). This nipple portion filling member (13) is designed so that when the target animal holds the nipple portion (11) in its mouth and sucks, the elasticity of the material causes the liquid component accumulated inside the elastic material to be expelled into the target animal's mouth through the pores (12). This nipple portion filling member (13) is necessary when supplying a thin liquid component with a relatively low protein concentration, but is not essential when the liquid component inside is high in protein.

[0023] The nipple portion filling member 13 is made of an elastic material. In the present invention, the elastic material may be silicone rubber, isoprene rubber, styrene-isoprene rubber, urethane, or a sponge-like version of any of these materials, but is not limited to these. The nipple portion filling member 13 made of such a material may be disposable or reusable, but can be reusable if made of a material that can withstand autoclave sterilization.

[0024] The shape of the nipple portion filling member (13) is sufficient as long as it fills at least the inside of the nipple portion (11), and the outer shape of the nipple portion filling member (13) is sufficient as long as it roughly matches the inner shape of the nipple portion (11).

[0025] The nipple portion filling member (13) does not need to be molded integrally with the nipple member (10), and the nipple portion filling member (13) can be made independently of the nipple member (10) and fitted into the nipple portion (11) when in use.

[0026] The nipple portion filling member (13) has the effect of preventing the liquid component from flowing out of the pores (11) due to the surface tension that occurs between the material and the liquid component as a result of the liquid component penetrating between the material arranged in a sponge-like manner.

[0027] <Liquid reservoir member (20)> The nipple component 10 described above is used by connecting it to a liquid reservoir component 20. The liquid reservoir component 20 is connected to the nipple component 10 via its opening 21, and is used in a state where liquid is communicated between them.

[0028] When the target animal sucks on the nipple portion (11) and the liquid component inside the nipple member (10) is discharged, a slight negative pressure is created inside the nipple member (10), or the nipple member (10) is deformed as the liquid component inside the nipple member (10) decreases. In such a case, the liquid component stored in the liquid reservoir member (20) is supplied to the nipple member (10) by the pressure caused by the slight negative pressure inside the nipple member (10), by applying pressure manually or mechanically from the outside, or by external pressure such as gravity.

[0029] The liquid reservoir member (20) may be made of any material as long as it can be connected to the nipple member (10) at its opening (21) without leaking the liquid component, is washable, and can be sterilized by autoclaving or other means, such as plastic materials (such as syringes), silicone rubber, glass, fluororesin, etc. The end opposite the opening (21) may be either an open end or a closed end.

[0030] The liquid reservoir member (20) may be provided with a scale to allow for a rough understanding of the amount of liquid component aspirated by the target animal. For example, by making the opposite end from the opening (21) an open end, when the liquid component inside the liquid reservoir member (20) is supplied to the nipple member (10) by gravity, the scale on the liquid reservoir member (20) can be used to measure the amount of liquid component to be supplied. Furthermore, if it is desired to measure the amount of liquid component more accurately, a liquid reservoir member (20) made of a material and shaped like an injection syringe can be used, and by applying pressure to the plunger, the liquid component can be supplied into the nipple member (10) and the amount of liquid component aspirated by the target animal can be measured relatively accurately.

[0031] The liquid reservoir member (20) may be provided with a refill opening (22) for refilling the liquid component inside the liquid reservoir member (20) in addition to the opening (21) for connection to the nipple member (10). The refill opening (22) may be provided anywhere in the liquid reservoir member (20) other than the opening (21) of the liquid reservoir member (20), and for example, in the case of a liquid reservoir member (20) shaped as shown in Figure 4, the refill opening (22) may be provided on the side surface relative to the opening (21), or on the opposite end of the opening (21).

[0032] <Liquid component replenishing member (30)> The liquid reservoir member (20) can be connected to a liquid component refill member (30) via the refill opening (22). This liquid component refill member (30) can refill the liquid component into the liquid reservoir member (20) while the liquid reservoir member (20) and the nipple member (10) remain connected.

[0033] 1 shows an example of the liquid component replenishing member 30 having a substantially tubular shape, but any other shape of member may be connected to the tubular liquid component replenishing member 30 outside the drawing to form the liquid component replenishing member 30. For example, the liquid component replenishing member 30 may be formed by connecting an injection syringe to the tubular liquid component replenishing member 30.

[0034] <Features of Animal Feeding Device (1)> The animal feeding device (1) configured as described above is characterized in that each of the components, the nipple member (10), nipple portion filling member (13), liquid reservoir member (20), and liquid component replenishing member (30), can be disassembled and easily cleaned. By making each component from a sterilizable material, these components can be sterilized before use, then reassembled and reassembled into the animal feeding device (1). Each of these components may be made individually disposable, if necessary.

[0035] The artificial feeding method using the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention enables the feeding of fixed amounts of liquid ingredients, enabling more accurate evaluation than previous methods of the effects of various nutrient intakes, pharmaceutical administration, and chemical exposure during growth and development, as well as the influence of rearing environment, and changes after maturity. As a result, the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention can be applied to all research fields related to growth and development, including functional foods, including foods for specific dietary uses, aimed at maintaining and promoting the health of not only newborns and infants, but also children, and basic research related to the development of pharmaceuticals in pediatric settings such as NICUs and PICUs for premature and preterm infants. Furthermore, it has become possible to more accurately and simply evaluate the effects of various high-protein formulas on growth.

[0036] Another feature of the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention is that it can be used to feed liquid compositions that are prone to clogging, such as high-protein artificial milk.

[0037] For example, rat breast milk contains 10.5±1.5 g of protein per 100 mL of milk (i.e., 9.0–12.0 g per 100 mL of milk) (Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 24, 242–252(1997)). In contrast, conventional formulas have protein contents of 9.2–9.5 g per 100 mL of formula (actual values: Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 24, 242–252(1997)), 9.4 g (Exp. Anim. 55(4), 391–7, 2006), or 10.1 g (Lipids. 44(8), 685–702, 2009). The reason why the protein content could not be increased to the average protein content of rat milk (10.5 g / 100 mL milk) is thought to be that as the protein content of formula increases, it becomes more susceptible to clogging in conventional feeding devices.

[0038] On the other hand, when using the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention, the structure of the nipple member (10) is simplified, so that even high-protein formula, for example, with a protein content of about 15.0 g per 100 ml of formula, can be fed.

[0039] Thus, the animal feeding device of the present invention is capable of feeding liquid compositions with low viscosity and low protein content, up to liquid compositions with high protein content up to 15.0 g protein per 100 ml formula, which tend to clog.

[0040] In addition, because the structure of each component is simple, it is easy to change the size of the nipple portion (11) in particular, and the animal feeding device (1) can be configured to suit various animal species, and it is expected that it will also be applied to rare small animals that are difficult to breed and raise.

[0041] <Animal formula> As described above, the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention is characterized by its use in feeding liquid compositions that tend to clog, such as high-protein formula. That is, the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention is capable of feeding liquid compositions ranging from low-viscosity liquid compositions with low protein content to liquid compositions that tend to clog, with protein contents of up to 15 g per 100 ml of formula, and is particularly capable of feeding liquid compositions with protein contents equal to or greater than the average protein content of rat milk (10.5 g / 100 mL milk).

[0042] Therefore, in one aspect, the present invention can provide an animal formula containing up to 15 g of protein per 100 ml.

[0043] Here, the animal artificial milk can be applied to small mammals, a specific example of which is rodents, and these animals may be laboratory animals or wild animals in need of protection.

[0044] The animal formula of the present invention is characterized by containing 15 g of protein per 100 ml. This protein concentration was such that previous animal feeding devices (Patent Document 1) were unable to be used due to clogging. In particular, rat milk is known to contain 10.5±1.5 g of protein per 100 ml (i.e., 9.0 to 12.0 g / 100 ml milk) (Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 24, 242-252 (1997)). Therefore, the animal formula of the present invention preferably contains at least the average protein content of rat milk, i.e., 10.5 g or more of protein per 100 ml of formula. In other words, the animal formula of the present invention preferably contains 10.5 to 15 g of protein per 100 ml of formula.

[0045] The protein contained in the animal formula of the present invention is composed of proteins including casein, whey protein isolate (WPI), whey protein hydrolysate (WPH), or any combination thereof. Here, "whey," also known as milk serum, is a type of protein contained in milk secreted by the mother and is easily soluble in water. "Casein" refers to the insoluble solid component remaining after removing fat and whey from milk. Whey is characterized by rapid digestion and absorption, while casein is characterized by slow digestion and absorption.

[0046] Whey protein may be whey protein isolate (WPI) or whey protein hydrolysate (WPH), or a combination thereof. WPI is a highly concentrated whey protein obtained by further ion-exchanging whey protein to remove most non-protein components. WPH is whey protein separated into peptides by hydrolysis using enzymes or other methods.

[0047] Among the proteins contained in the animal formula of the present invention, the ratio of casein to whey (WPI+WPH) is preferably 2:1 to 1:2.5. The rat milk in the aforementioned literature contains casein to whey (WPI+WPH) in a ratio of 2:1 (Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 24, 242-252 (1997)). Other conventional formulas contain casein to whey (WPI+WPH) in ratios of 5.75:3.64 or 5.40:3.60 (Exp. Anim. 55(4), 391-7, 2006), and one containing casein to whey (WPI+WPH) in a ratio of 3.46:7.64 (Lipids. 44(8), 685-702, 2009). On the other hand, the animal formula used in the examples of the present invention contains casein and whey (WPI+WPH) in a ratio of 4.0:9.0.

[0048] The present invention will be specifically illustrated by the following examples, which are not intended to limit the present invention in any way. [Example]

[0049] Example 1: Construction example of animal feeding device (1) In this example, an example of construction of an animal feeding device (1) of the present invention is shown.

[0050] In this embodiment, the nipple member 10, the liquid reservoir member 20, and the liquid component replenishing member 30 are all made of silicone rubber (Fig. 5(a)). The assembled components are shown in Fig. 5(b). A syringe needle is connected to the liquid component replenishing member 30, and an injection syringe containing the liquid component is connected to this needle.

[0051] The nipple portion filling member (13) filled into the nipple portion (11) of the nipple member (10) is made of a sponge-like material made of urethane.

[0052] The pores (12) formed in the nipple portion (11) were circular pores as shown in FIG. 3(a).

[0053] The refill opening (22) in the liquid reservoir member (20) was provided on the side of the liquid reservoir member (20) shaped as shown in FIG. 4, resulting in the final configuration as shown in the figure (FIG. 5(b)).

[0054] Each component was sterilized in an autoclave at 120°C for 30 minutes, then dried and assembled to form the animal feeding device (1).

[0055] Example 2: Example of feeding using animal feeding device (1) In this example, an example of animal feeding using the animal feeding device (1) of the present invention constructed in Example 1 is shown.

[0056] The animals used were C57BL / 6J mice purchased from Charles River Japan, and the offspring were divided into an artificially fed group of eight and a naturally fed group of eight. The former were artificially fed using the animal artificial feeding device of the present invention, while the latter were naturally fed by the infants spontaneously suckling from their mother's milk, and their growth was compared based on changes in body weight.

[0057] The artificially fed group was allowed to voluntarily suckle on the nipple of a feeding device every 3 hours for 12 hours from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM during the study period. The natural-feeding group was allowed to freely and voluntarily breastfeed 24 hours a day.

[0058] The animal formula used in artificially reared groups contains the following ingredients as the main nutritional components:

[0059] [Table 1]

[0060] Figure 6 shows the changes in weight gain over a 28-day rearing period for the artificially reared group using the animal nursing device of the present invention and the naturally reared group, in which the animals were spontaneously reared by their dams. In Figure 6, A(AR) represents the artificially reared group, and Dam represents the naturally reared group. It was confirmed that the artificially reared group, which was reared with high-protein formula, also showed similar growth (weight gain) of the infants as the naturally reared group. [Industrial Applicability]

[0061] The present invention, through the invention of the novel animal feeding device described above, simplifies the structure of the feeding bottle, achieving overall ease of disassembly and a reduced number of parts. Its simple structure allows for easy disassembly and cleaning, and its excellent durability facilitates cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization, as well as the ease of feeding techniques, such as artificial feeding of liquid compositions that tend to clog, such as high-protein formula. This makes it possible for even beginners to artificially feed mice and rats with liquid compositions such as high-protein formula. As a result, the use of the animal feeding device of the present invention makes it possible to evaluate not only the intake of various nutrients, the administration of pharmaceuticals, and chemical exposure during growth and development, as well as the effects of rearing environment, but also changes after maturity. Furthermore, it also makes it possible to more accurately and conveniently evaluate the effects of various high-protein formulas on growth. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1:Animal feeding device 10: Nipple member 11: Nipple area 12: Pore 13: Nipple filling member 20: Liquid reservoir member 21: Opening 22: Refill opening 30: Liquid component replenishing member

Claims

1. a nipple member made of an elastic material having a nipple portion and a hole at the tip of the nipple portion through which liquid can be discharged; a liquid reservoir member connected to the nipple member and having an opening for supplying liquid from the connected portion into the nipple member; Including, A feeding device for rodents that does not include a metal capillary in the nipple member.

2. 2. The feeding device for rodents according to claim 1, further comprising a nipple portion filling member made of an elastic material, which is filled at least inside the nipple portion.

3. 3. The feeding device for rodents according to claim 2, wherein the elastic material is silicone rubber, isoprene rubber, styrene-isoprene rubber, urethane, or a sponge-like material thereof.

4. 4. A rodent feeding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a milk supply member connectable to the liquid reservoir member and capable of supplying liquid into the liquid reservoir member.

5. 5. A feeding device for rodents according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein all of the components are separable from one another.

6. 6. The feeding device for rodents according to claim 1, wherein surface tension is used to prevent leakage of liquid from the pores in the nipple portion.

7. A feeding device for rodents according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein when the animal sucks liquid from the nipple portion, the internal pressure of the nipple member becomes negative, and liquid in the liquid reservoir member is supplied into the nipple member.

8. 8. The feeding device for rodents according to claim 1, which is capable of supplying a high-protein liquid.

9. A nipple member made of an elastic material having a nipple portion and a pore at the tip of the nipple portion through which liquid can be discharged; a liquid reservoir member connected to the nipple member and having an opening for supplying liquid from the connected portion into the nipple member; a nipple portion filling member made of an elastic material, which is filled at least inside the nipple portion; Including, A small mammal feeding device that does not include a metal capillary in the nipple member.

10. An animal artificial milk containing up to 15g of protein per 100ml, used to fill a feeding device for rodents as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 or a feeding device for small mammals as described in claim 9.

11. The animal artificial milk according to claim 10, which contains 10.5 to 15 g of protein per 100 ml.

12. 12. The animal formula of claim 10 or 11, wherein the protein comprises casein, whey protein isolate (WPI), or whey protein hydrolysate (WPH), or any combination thereof.

13. The artificial animal milk according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the ratio of casein to whey (WPI + WPH) is 2:1 to 1:2.

5.

14. A set comprising a feeding device for rodents as described in any one of claims 1 to 8 or a feeding device for small mammals as described in claim 9, and animal artificial milk containing up to 15g of protein per 100ml.

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