CORNCOB LABORATORY ANIMAL BEDDING SPECIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS-Suggested Bid Requirement
Clean, dry corncobs, are precision ground to retain only the material from the woody ring of the cob. The cobs shall be heat treated to achieve moisture content not greater than 9% and to control any pathogenic bacteria. Fines content to be less than 1% through -20 screen. Typical final moisture after milling is 6% plus or minus 2.
The manufacturer shall provide (upon request) a description of the drying process, including the temperature produced during the drying process, and the duration of time that the corncob is subjected to the highest temperature.
The manufacturer shall supply a laboratory analysis of the finished material annually. A certificate of analysis is to be done by an independent outside laboratory in good standing. This cost shall be borne by the vendor. Results shall be provided as requested along with any or all results for the past 20 years for comparison.
The corncob bedding products shall be available in a variety of particle sizes such as 1/8" and 1/4" and a blend of both. The vendor shall submit a description (upon request) and copy of the particle size distribution/screen analysis. Two pelleted non contact products also must be available; one with alfalfa and one plain corncob pellet.
Due to the wide variety of applications, the corncob manufacturer must offer a range of bedding and litters such as irradiated bedding and autoclavable bags for specific requirements. Bag sizes offered should be in cubic feet or liters in order to meet both federal and state laws.
Other bedding products should also be available to offer a complete family of bedding materials to fulfill any needs or requirements.
We offer premium enrichment bedding, Enrich-o’cobs, containing twisted paper rolls which are blended with Bed-o’cobs. The paper rolls can be unfurled, fluffed, and mounded into a sheltered nest for mice and their pups. With the benefit of
Bed-o’cobs this blended product offers greater ammonia control by encapsulating urea.
Also available, bed-o’cobs/pure-o’cel, a blend of corncobs and ¼” paper square. This new product promotes activity with mice, separating the paper from the corncobs. The ¼” paper square, produced in an approved FDA facility, allows for more surface area to wick fluids.
We also offer a complete family of paper only product. Enrich-n’nest is a blend of paper squares and twisted paper rolls. This is the ultimate enrichment material for mice and is the premium bedding material for toxicology research.
The corncob bedding product shall be within allowable limits of the following contaminants: fines, pesticides, heavy metals, toxins and any substance that might alter the results of biomedical research in laboratory animals.
The production facilities shall be clean and vermin free to prevent the contamination of the bedding during the manufacturing process and are inspected annually by the National Institute of Health.
The corncob bedding product should be bagged immediately after manufacture and stored in vermin-proof, clean and dry storage facilities.
The vendor shall provide assurances that contamination from wild or domestic animals, birds, or insects is improbable during manufacture or storage. The corncob bedding product shall be packaged in new paper bags. The bags shall be minimally two-walled. The easy open bags shall be securely sealed at both ends by adhesives. Any adhesive used must not be toxic to animals.
The paper bags shall contain 1.25 Cubic Feet of product as requested. The corncob bedding products shall be shipped on clean stretch-wrapped pallets.
The corncob bedding product can be delivered by a local distributor that offers prompt, efficient service and only delivers in vehicles that do not transport animals, chemicals, etc., to eliminate any contamination.