The provision of suitable nesting and bedding is probably the next most important item after nutrition and housing. Good material is essential for achieving the standards of animal welfare now expected.

Today, the choice of types has never been greater, and the standards of production never higher. The range of nesting and bedding materials available from LBS is extensive and has been chosen with great care. The range allows a choice of types, materials, particle sizes and treatments, so that selection for use can be best suited to requirements.

Alpha dri

ALPHA-dri Dust free, uniform particle size 5mm sq, highly absorbent. Produced from pure cellulose fibre.

Pack size 9kg paper sacks.

A true manufactured bedding that is absolutely defined, always consistent.

• Assured variable control– Defined composition assures accurate control of variables, which makes ALPHA-dri ideal for GLP research.
• Dust elimination– Sanitary and virtually dustless, ALPHA-dri® reduces cross contamination, filter clogging and problems of dust adherence to animals.
• Cost reduction– Approximately ten times as absorbent as wood chips, ALPHA-dri does more with less material. What’s more, its rapid evaporation means it stays dry longer. Since you need less material to do the same job, ALPHA-dri reduces storage space and cuts maintenance time and labor.
• Improved animal observation– Bright, white colour aids in animal observation. Discharges and lab spills are readily noticeable.
• Static elimination– No static means no troublesome bridging in dispensing equipment.
• Availability– ALPHA-dri is supplied in technical, irradiated, and individually batch-certified grades.
• Uniform Particle Size– ALPHA-dri is manufactured with our strict quality control
• Packaging – Both certified and technical grades are packaged in high strength autoclavable bags.

Alpha dri +

ALPHA-Dri + Premium laboratory animal bedding material with the added value of enrichment for nesting.

Eliminate the additional cost for adding nesting materials to the cage. ALPHA-Dri® + PLUS™, combines both bedding and nesting materials all in one. Mini-rolls of multi-layered virgin paper cut into short lengths are added to the animals nesting material which enhances their nest building instincts.

The animals transform the mini-rolls into a soft nesting material combined with ALPHA-dri®.

This is a two for one advantage: you get all the benefits of the Industry’s leading premium laboratory animal bedding material – PLUS Enrichment:

• Shepherd’s™ ALPHA-dri® is the first bedding material of
  precisely defined composition and exceptional absorbency.
• The clean and most consistent bedding material available today.
• A bedding material with exceptionally low overall dust content.
• ALPHA-dri® does more with less material.
• Provides superb, cost effective enrichment.
• Uniform particle size means consistent bedding performance and a reduction in leaky water valves.
• Defined composition assures accurate control of variables
  which makes ALPHA-dri® the first choice for GLP research.

LBS Bedding Range

Good quality bedding is an essential factor of the environment for animals used in research. LBS provide an extensive range of substrates for this purpose. Certificates of analysis are available for all products.

Aubiose Hemp
Derived from the soft centre of the Hemp plant, 4 times more absorbent than shavings.
Pack size 25kg bale.

Corn Cob
Particle size
Grade 6: 4.55-3.17mm
Grade 12: 2.08-1.48mm
Grade 16: 1.48-1.04mm
Processed corncobs, highly absorbent.
Pack size 12.5kg, 20kg and 22.5kg.

Gold Chips
Particle size 2.8mm to 1.12mm.
This product is heat dried to 550?C.
Pack size 90 litre – 12.5kg approx. weight.

Gold Flakes
Particle size 4mm to 0.9mm.
Pack size 90 litre – 10.0kg approx. weight.

Gold Shavings
Particle size 16mm to 4mm.
Pack size 90 litre – 5.0kg approx. weight.

Aspen Classic & Midi
Grades Classic B6. Particle size 95% 2-5mm. Heat treated, screened and granulated.

Midi  8/20. Particle size 90% 2-3mm. Heat treated, screened and granulated.

Pack size 10kg.

LBS Gold Cobs GD 12

More absorbent than sands or sawdust, Gold Cobs absorbs up to four times its own weight.  Due to the particle shape it allows liquids to flow through it from the top down, then absorbs the liquids from the bottom up. This ensures animals are on a dry surface between bedding changes. Gold Cob absorbs the urea contained in urine more effectively, therefore providing a low ammonium environment.

Free from impurities:
LBS Gold Cobs are dried at high temperature to ensure that bacteria, yeasts, moulds and coli-forms are eradicated.

Excellent absorbency:
Due to its low moisture content, corn cob absorbs more liquid by volume than other types of bedding products

Exceptional ammonia control:
Corn Cob bedding has been proven in several studies to control ammonia in micro-isolation caging – better than wood and some recycled paper bedding materials.

Consistent 100% natural material:
LBS Gold Cob is made from 100% natural corn cob with all foreign matter removed. It us biodegradable and renewable and easily incinerated.