Optional protective races are available for the FIRE Feeder. While FIRE may be used as a stand-alone ad-lib feeder, protective races reduce the chance dominate animals might produce atypical results during a test. The protective races, ranging from shoulder-length races, to races with integrated animal scales, provide protection as each individual animal visits the FIRE Feeder to eat. Race widths are easily adjusted to match the average size of animals in the pen. Each race helps FIRE Feeders simulate commercial, multi-opening feeders more accurately.