Sprague Dawley®

Outbred

Sprague Dawley® Outbred Rat Model

  • Model #
  • Genotype
  • Nomenclature
  • SD-F
    NTac:SD
  • SD-M
    NTac:SD
  • Used in virtually all disciplines of biomedical research including toxicology and pharmacology.
  • Excellent reproductive performance makes the SD rat a good model for generating timed pregnant females.
  • Opportunist Free (OF) SD rats are useful as health sentinels, clean fosters or where co-housed with immunodeficient/genetically modified models.

Origin:

The Sprague Dawley® outbred model was developed by Sprague Dawley, Inc. NIH received stock from Sprague Dawley, Inc in 1945. The rats are maintained as an outbred closed colony. Taconic received stock from the NIH Animal Genetic Resource in 1970. The rats were refreshed with NIH Genetic Resource stock in 1998.


Coat Color Loci:

Tyrc

Color:

Albino

Species:

Rat


For some applications, weight may be critical. For orders where weight is critical, please place orders by weight, not by age. Taconic can accept orders by weight for this model. For orders sourced from US or Denmark a production minimum 15 gram span is accepted. All weights are weights at time of packing. Mice and rats can lose weight in transit. Orders for specific weight spans will be assessed a nominal fee. More detail on weight order policies is available.

n= 500 per sex at MPF, RF and EF health standards from all global colonies. Data collected 2013-15.
High and Low represent mean +/- 1 standard deviation.
Based on sample size the charts above represents ~68% of the population.
All growth curves represent animals housed in our barriers, at our standard density and fed NIH31-M diet. Variations at customer facilities will alter expected growth curves.
Growth charts are provided only as a guide, if a specific weight criteria is needed please order animals by weight.

Customize this chart by clicking the legend elements, then explore download options by hovering your cursor over the down arrow to the right of the chart title.
Average litter size: 10
SD Physiological Data Summary (April 2004; N=10/group):
Parameter Units Sprague
Dawley® Males
Sprague
Dawley® Females
Serum Chemistry Avg ± S.D.    
Calcium mg/dL 12.3 ± 0.4 11.4 ± 3.5
Phosphorous mg/dL 12.6 ± 1.1 12.4 ± 1.4
Glucose mg/dL 82.4 ± 11.3 93.2 ± 10.3
Creatinine mg/dL 0.3 ± 0.1 0.3 ± 0.1
BUN mg/dL 9.1 ± 1.4 13.6 ± 3.0
Total Bilirubin mg/dL 0.1 ± 0.0 0.1 ± 0.0
ALK U/L 227.7 ± 36.1 142.5 ± 33.9
ALT U/L U/L 29.3 ± 3.4 22.5 ± 3.9
Total Protein g/dL 6.4 ± 0.2 6.7 ± 0.2
Blood Counts
Erythron      
Red Blood Cells X106/uL 6.9 ± 0.3 7.7 ± 0.3
Nucleated RBC X106/uL 0 0
Hemoglobin g/dL 14.5 ± 0.8 16.1 ± 0.6
Hematocrit % 48.3 ± 2.3 51.2 ± 2.6
MCV fL 69.9 ± 1.7 66.9 ± 0.9
MCH pG 20.9 ± 1.3 21.0 ± 1.1
MCHC % 29.9 ± 1.6 31.4 ± 1.9
Platelets      
Platelets X103/uL 1358.0 ± 123.8 1262.2 ± 278.4
Leukogram      
White Blood Cells x103/uL 9.4 ± 3.2 6.0 ± 1.5
Neutrophil x103/uL 0.9 ± 0.5 0.4 ± 0.3
Bands x103/uL 0 0
Lymphocyte x103/uL 8.3 ± 2.9 5.5 ± 1.4
Monocytes x103/uL 0.3 ± 0.3 0.1 ± 0.1
Eosinophil x103/uL 0 0
Basophils x103/uL 0 0
Others x103/uL 0 0
Organ Weights      
Stomach g 2.02 ± 0.12 1.54 ± 0.17
Ileum g 6.19 ± 0.62 4.83 ± 0.35
Colon g 0.77 ± 0.37 0.85 ± 0.21
Lungs g 1.69 ± 0.14 1.31 ± 0.19
Heart g 1.24 ± 0.14 0.90 ± 0.10
Liver g 11.37 ± 1.12 7.17 ± 0.62
Spleen/Pancreas g 1.58 ± 0.15 1.17 ± 0.23
Kidney (L) g 1.08 ± 0.1 0.82 ± 0.08
Kidney (R) g 1.09 ± 0.09 0.85 ± 0.08
Testes (L) g 1.33 ± 0.17 -
Testes (R) g 1.33 ± 0.14 -
Ovary (L) g - 0.08 ± 0.01
Ovary (R) g - 0.08 ± 0.01
Urinalysis      
Glucose mg/dL Negative Negative
Blood - Negative Negative
pH - 6.75 ± 0.35 6.7 ± 0.4
Protein mg/dL N/A N/A
Specific Gravity - 1.0195 ± 0.0068 1.0155 ± 0.0079
Phenotyping Procedures:

Animal Receipt and Maintenance

A quantity of twenty rats (ten males and ten females) was submitted for testing, strain identified as Line Sprague Dawley® (NTac:SD), age 7 weeks. Rats were received at RBU 3, Taconic Biotechnology, Albany NY and acclimated for three days on irradiated NIH #31M Rodent Diet and sterilized water ad lib, sterile contact bedding (paper chip) and a 12:12 light:dark cycle. All animals appeared normal during this period and routine health surveillance of this colony detected no microbial pathogens. Rats were assigned study unique identification numbers (males 1-10, females 11-20).

 

Urinalysis

All rats were placed in metabolic cages and an overnight urine sample was collected. Urine analysis was performed using Multistix 10 SG (Bayer). Strips were read and recorded as per the manufacturer's instructions, and the results are presented in Table 2.

 

Clinical Chemistry and Hematology

A terminal blood sample was taken from Carbon Dioxide - anesthetized rats via cardiac puncture. The collected blood was divided into two samples. One sample was treated with EDTA and stored at 4°C for hematological evaluation. Another sample was allowed to clot at 4°C for 30 minutes, and then centrifuged at 7000rpm for 10 minutes, and the serum was decanted and frozen at -80°C for clinical chemistry analysis. A slide smear was made from a single drop of whole blood. Frozen serum, chilled whole blood and slides were delivered to LabCorp (RTP, NC) for analysis; the results are presented in Table 3. Unless otherwise indicated, serum chemistry data is generated from a Hitachi 717 automated analyzer and hematological data is generated from a Celldyne 3500. WBC differential counts are performed manually.

 

Necropsy and Organ Weights

All rats were euthanized and bodyweights were recorded. Representative tissues were collected, weighed, and immersion fixed in 10% Neutral Buffered Formalin. Tissues were delivered to the Taconic Anmed lab (Rockville, MD) for histological preparation and evaluation. Tabulation of organ weights is presented in Table 4. The pathologist’s summary and detailed histological descriptions follow.

 

Discussion

All animals were thrifty on arrival and appeared clinically normal. Locomotor behavior was normal and there were no visible lesions or discharges at the mucous membranes. All tissues appeared normal on gross necropsy evaluation and weights were within normal limits. There were no unusual findings upon collection of these tissues nor otherwise observed in the body cavities.

The overall profile of these rats is consistent with expectations of a general-purpose rat. None of the parameters are indicative of impaired system function.

One Year Growth Chart
Taconic Sprague Dawley® Rats Average Control Group Body Weight in Grams
One Year Toxicology Study (N=20)
Weeks of Age 6 7 8 9 10
Female 152.71 184.13 209.71 227.55 241.11
Male 163.01 225.98 276.15 306.93 336.53
Weeks of Age 11 12 13 14 15
Female 256.33 260.37 271.94 279.08 291.5
Male 361.71 378.11 396.8 412.86 431.21
Weeks of Age 16 17 18 22 26
Female 295.22 298.41 303.42 315.48 335.41
Male 441.56 454.14 461.01 491.98 514.05
Weeks of Age 30 34 38 42 46
Female 350.74 357.83 368.19 383.44 392.05
Male 528.94 544.33 556.88 568.96 568.41
Weeks of Age 50 54 58
Female 408.44 421.01 426.79
Male 579.1 584.42 577.79
Close

Welcome! Tell us a little about yourself