Effects of human element on efficiency of food utility in mice

To investigate the effects of human element on efficiency of food utility (EFU) in mice, we arranged a forty-two-day experimental schedule by using 210 mice for five senior skillful investigators and another five junior unskillful investigators to administer deionized water, pet os, twice a day, in addition to nd libitum of deionized water and normal feed, to various groups of mice (ten mice per treatment, twenty mice for each person). Another group of mice without human disturbance was control group. Various parameters, such as the initial body weights of animals, daily food intake, daily body weight gain, body weight gain per 100 grams diet, mortality, and observation on behavioral/neurologic/autonomic signs of mice according to Irwin test, were recorded. Without human disturbance, animals had highest EFU. There was statistical significance (P<0.05) of the testing results between the 100 mice treated by senior skillful investigators and another 100 mice treated by another junior unskillful investigators to show that the former 100 mice provide more acceptable results than that of the latter 100 mice. These results suggest that selecting and grouping investigators could be as important as selecting the experimental animals; and also suggest that senior skillful investigator is indispensable for experimental animal studies.