Colony Production

A Barrier Unit is an excellent choice for the majority of projects. Barrier Unit production is favored for large or established colonies, colonies where animals are frequently shared with collaborators, and colonies you are likely to use often and over a long time-period. Our Rapid Colony Expansion Derivation service can help ensure that this option meets your timing needs. Isolator Production is an excellent choice for small projects or those of short duration. Your lines can begin breeding at Taconic immediately. They may stay in isolators, or move to Barrier Units later, as best fits your needs. Colonies that are good candidates for isolator production include: new lines still under evaluation, small colonies, colonies for which you have no need to change the current health profile, colonies that need to be maintained at an RF™ health status, and colonies requiring frequent cross-breeding with lines from other institutions.

	Barrier Unit Facility Solution	Isolator Facility Solution
Your health standard requirements	MPF™ Re-Derivation and clean up is done prior to entry	RF™, MPF™, other (excluding GF) Re-Derivation can be performed, but is not needed prior to entry
Your need for routine health testing	IHMS™ health testing included	A one-time IHMS™-52 is included Additional testing available for an extra fee
Animal shipment needs	Can ship on any Taconic truck	Can ship on Taconic's East Coast trucks, if your animals meet certain health status criteria Can ship by 3rd party truck or air
Expected project duration	Long	Short or Long
Colony size	Large	Small to Medium
Access to your animals after project is initiated	After derivation (approximately 18 weeks after animals arrive at Taconic)	Immediately
Surgical modifications can be made to your animals at Taconic	Yes	No
Cross-breeding	Yes	Yes
Animals will be shared with collaborators	Animals are MPF™ and will be accepted by most facilities without quarantine	Collaborator health status requirements must match your isolator's health status for direct importation.

Derivation Programs

Mouse

Natural mating and/or in vitro fertilization

Rapid Derivations

Rat

Natural mating

Rapid Derivations (20 pups)