Standard Operating Procedures

Ordering Animal Feed

Last updated: November 9, 2011

I. Purpose
To order and maintain animal feed inventory within the LAR facility.

II. Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the Lab Animal Technician to maintain correct levels of feed within the proper mill date specification to minimize waste and to maintain an accurate inventory of all feed.

III. Procedure

• Use a blank Lab Animal Feed Inventory Order Form located on clipboard hanging above telephone desk (an electronic copy of blank form is on computer).
• Take a complete inventory of all unopened feed on hand. Note mill date on form with the count. Mill date is pre-printed on bottom of each feed sack.
• Assemble new feed order and fax the order to the number listed on the form.
  • Orders must be place by the 20th of each month.
  • Fax order to:
    Stevensville Feed and Farm
    Attn: Ben or Dawn
    Fax (406) 777-3548
  • Place feed orders with Harlan at time of placing Sani-Chip order (2016 Hamster Diet).
  • Before order arrives , ACS the coolers with diluted bleach.
• Orders will arrive on Thursday or Friday of the week following the week of the 25th, so order accordingly.
• Ben will schedule delivery date by phone.  At that time call Facility Services (x6091) to schedule fork lift (24 hr minimum notice).
• When feed arrives, count and check off on the invoice as well as the Lab Animal Feed Inventory Order Form located in Health Science Building
  • Note mill dates on form where indicated.
• Place feed in coolers, either 9B and 9C of Health Science Building. 
  • Lab Diet 5008 is stored in 009B cooler
  • All other Lab Diets are stored in 009C cooler
  • Arrange feed so that sacks with the oldest mill dates are used first. (See SOP for Feed Storage.)