Project cage counts across multiple strains over time. See when your facility hits peak load, which strain drives it, and what it will cost in per-diem housing.
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Load example multi-strain census forecaster data to see the full workflow
e.g., 0.10 = +10%/mo, -0.15 = -15%/mo
When to use
Do not use for
If your C57BL/6J colony grew from 40 to 52 cages last quarter, your actual monthly rate is about 9%. Use that, not the 15% your breeding plan assumed. Overestimating growth leads to unnecessary facility requests; underestimating leads to capacity crises.
Even a "discontinued" strain takes 2–3 months to fully phase out. Aging cohorts still occupy cages. Model phase-out with a -15% to -25% monthly rate and plan for the tail.
The most important number is when total cages peak and at what level. If peak exceeds capacity, you need to either delay an expansion, accelerate a phase-out, or request more space — and you need to do it months before the peak hits.
Each strain is projected independently using monthly compound growth: cages(t+1) = round(cages(t) (1 + rate)). Expansion strains are capped at the user-defined cage limit. Phase-out strains are floored at zero. Monthly totals are summed across strains. Per-diem cost uses the average cage count between consecutive months 30.44 days rate. All computation is client-side.
Last validated 2026-04-07. Calculations are designed for planning and documentation support; verify procurement decisions against manufacturer specifications or institutional SOPs.
ConductScience Multi-Strain Cage Census Forecaster (v1.13.0). ConductScience, Inc. 2026. Available at: https://conductscience.com/tools/multi-strain-census-forecaster
National Research Council. Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. 8th ed. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2011.
Most vivaria operate at 70–90% capacity. When three PIs simultaneously expand their colonies, the facility hits 100% before anyone expects it. Multi-strain forecasting lets you see the aggregate impact of all colony decisions — not just your own.
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