Table 1. Automated feeding allows for more flexible, frequent, and precise feedings than manual feeding.

Manual feeding is restricted to the times of the day when researchers can enter the animal facilities based on day/night cycles, whereas automated feeding can be programmed to occur at any time of the day or night. Manual feeding is restricted by the researcher’s ability to feed, while automated feeding can occur as frequently as 144 times per day. Manual feeding requires individual attention to each tank on a daily basis, multiple times per day, whereas automated feeding requires an initial setup and biweekly checks to replace batteries and add food to the devices. Manual feeding is relatively imprecise at 0.016 (the inverse of the variance of food delivered), while automated feeding has a higher precision at 0.512.

	Manual feeding	Automated feeding
Schedule flexibility	Limited to weekday working hours	24/7
Maximum frequency	2–3 times a day	144 times a day
Labor required	Daily, linearly increasing with tanks	Initial setup and biweekly checks
Precision	Low, with batch effects for different individuals (0.016)	Higher (0.512)