Which term describes the daily cost assigned to sustain one animal or cage for a day?

Which term describes the daily cost assigned to sustain one animal or cage for a day?

• A. Per subject rate
• B. Per census rate
• C. Per capital rate
• D. Per diem rate

Answer: (D)

The daily cost assigned to sustain one animal or cage for a day is called the per diem rate. Per diem comes from Latin for “per day” and is used in budgeting to standardize the cost of daily care, including housing, food, bedding, routine husbandry, and basic veterinary oversight. This helps facilities plan and compare expenses across cages or groups and track daily operating costs. Other terms describe different costing concepts that don’t reflect daily per-animal care. A cost per subject rate would be tied to each individual subject regardless of housing, a per census rate relates to counts or inventories, and a per capita rate is not the standard budgeting term used for daily animal care.

The daily cost assigned to sustain one animal or cage for a day is called the per diem rate. Per diem comes from Latin for “per day” and is used in budgeting to standardize the cost of daily care, including housing, food, bedding, routine husbandry, and basic veterinary oversight. This helps facilities plan and compare expenses across cages or groups and track daily operating costs.

Other terms describe different costing concepts that don’t reflect daily per-animal care. A cost per subject rate would be tied to each individual subject regardless of housing, a per census rate relates to counts or inventories, and a per capita rate is not the standard budgeting term used for daily animal care.