Since it’s only January, we have a long way to go before the end of the year.  So perhaps it only makes sense that this issue of The Animal Science Monitor deals with commuting.  No matter if you’re an employee or a hiring manager, commuting is a hot-button topic in the marketplace these days.  And as you’ll see, it can have a profound impact on both the productivity of your company and the success of your career, not to mention the satisfaction you derive from it.  So sit back, relax, and enjoy this issue of The ASM.  After all, you don’t have anywhere to go at the moment, do you?

—Dan and Don

> Upcoming Industry Events

>Extreme Commuting . . . Wise or Perilous?
    By Dan Simmons

> Commuting and Your Career
    By Don Hunter

> Send Us Your News and Information!

> Innovations in the Animal Science Industry

At The Animal Science Monitor, we’re advocates of continuous education and the promotion of industry events such as conferences and conventions.  The training and networking opportunities that exist at these events are extremely valuable and can pay dividends in a number of different ways.

That’s why we run a regular column devoted to upcoming events in the animal science and animal nutrition industries.  And as always, we value your input.  If there’s an industry event that you believe we should promote through our newsletter, please email your information to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.

The ASM is pleased to highlight these upcoming industry events:

February

Minnesota Grain and Feed Convention

Date: Thursday, February 3 through Saturday, February 5
Location: St. Cloud Civic Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota
Description: This year marks the 101st time that the Minnesota Grain and Feed Association has held its annual convention and trade show.  In keeping with recent tradition, there will be a Super Bowl party around the pool of the Kelly Inn following the conclusion of the afternoon grand opening of the trade show.  This major association event represents a unique networking and training opportunity.
Registration: To register or for more information, click here.

Cattle Industry Convention

Date: Wednesday, February 6 through Saturday, February 9
Location: Plaza Hotel in Garden City, Kansas
Description: Sponsored by the Kansas State University’s Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, this day-long conference will cover a comprehensive array of topics associated with animal nutrition, including—but not limited to—feed additives, processing methods, toxicity, roughage levels, and the impact of ethanol.
Registration: The cost of registration is $55; for graduate students, it’s $20.  For more information or to register, click here.

CHI’s Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

Date: Monday, February 11 and Tuesday, February 12
Location: Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland
Description: Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies is the longest running meeting of its kind in the world.  This 12th annual meeting will address the ongoing progress in the science of prion diseases, as well as the newest developments in the fields of pathophysiology, transmission, detection, removal/inactivation, treatment, and prevention.  This conference will present the newest data on TSEs in the context of its application to the pharmaceutical, biological, environmental, and device industries.
Registration: To register, call Cambridge Healthtech Institute at (781) 972-5400 or click here.

National Wild Turkey Federation Conference

Date: Wednesday, February 20 through Sunday, February 24
Location: Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia
Description: This event is an annual conference that draws up to 50,000 people.  It consists of seminars on wild turkey management (nutrition and health) and habitat management.  In addition, there are wild turkey calling and owl hooting competitions, hunting seminars, live and silent auctions, country music entertainment, and activities for children.
Registration: To register or for more information, click here.

Extreme Commuting . . . Wise or Perilous?

Relocation has always been a hot-button topic when it comes to recruiting top talent from around the country, but now a new twist has been added to the issue.

In a trend that has become increasingly popular, candidates and employees are opting for something termed “extreme commuting.”  In other words, when accepting a new job which is a significant distance from their home, they’re deciding against moving their entire family.  Instead, they’re opting for a longer commute, which could take the form of flying home every weekend, or in some cases, just once a month.

On the surface, this might be an acceptable solution.  In reality, though, there are a lot of factors involved that can impact the ultimate outcome—and that includes how it will affect your company and its productivity.

The teenage advantage
Conventional wisdom dictates that it’s better for families with children to remain where they are, for the sake and welfare of the children.  So when one of the parents takes advantage of an opportunity out of town or even out of state, parents believe they’re doing what’s best for the children by selecting an extreme commute over an outright move.

However, according to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, parents aren’t prepared for the challenges that an extreme commute can present, and that’s especially the case when they have younger children.  Young children operate much better when given concrete structure, and that means doing many of the same things every day and seeing many of the same people.  To have one of the major people in their life—a parent—just pop in and out at random can be very disconcerting and confusing.

On the flip side of the equation, the article also points out that older children, especially those in their teens, have less of a problem coping with a parent’s extreme commute.  That’s because they’re more mature and have created their own social networks of friends and contacts.  (Parents of teenagers can attest to the fact that their children don’t cry when they leave the house to go to work.)  In the examples depicted in the WSJ article, employees with younger children who attempted an extreme commute experienced less success than those with older children.

A course of action
Now that you’re armed with this information, what should you do?  First, recognize that this new trend could pose a threat to your company’s productivity.  If you hire a candidate who engages in an extreme commute and they quit after three or four months because of stress and other factors, that’s a damaging blow to your bottom line.  Sure, you may have saved on relocation expenses, but you just got hit with turnover costs instead.  Not to mention the fact that the employee might have been a superstar, as well, one who could have helped your company tremendously in the long term.

Second, be aware that any candidate you extend an offer to might be contemplating an extreme commute.  (Heck, there might be somebody on your team right now who engages in an extreme commute, but you don’t know it.)  As a result, you should inquire about their situation in specific terms.  Ask them probing questions in a non-threatening manner, such as “Are you planning to move?” and “When will your family be coming with you?”  Don’t assume!  Discuss this in more detail as the interview process progresses.  When in doubt, make the offer contingent upon the candidate moving to a location that is 30 miles from the job site within “X” weeks/months.

Third, if you discover that a candidate is going to attempt an extreme commute, be prepared to discuss it with them.  Weigh the pros and cons and discuss any potential pitfalls, and definitely discuss the factor that the children’s ages play in the whole equation.  But it’s important to understand that this is an emotional issue, one that might be difficult to broach with a candidate or employee.  They might not feel comfortable discussing it with you.  However, it’s crucial that you talk about it beforehand.

The GOOD NEWS is that extreme commutes are a viable short-term alternative and should be considered when there is a good reason.  Examples would include hiring someone who has a child that will graduate at the end of the current school year, when the spouse needs professional licensure in the new location, when it will take a long time to sell a home, or when the spouse is an educator who needs to complete their contract.

These days, the marketplace is a tricky one.  Issues like extreme commuting have a way of cropping up and impacting your company in a negative fashion before you even know they exist.  They key is to plan for the possibility that you might have to deal with such an issue in the future, so that you have a course of action in place if and when it does happen.  That way, the “extremes” you can focus on the most are extreme productivity and extreme profit.

If you have any questions about this topic, please feel free to contact me at dan@consearch.com.  Until next time . . .

(By Don Hunter)

There are many factors that affect job satisfaction—and ultimately, career satisfaction—and one of the factors that has gained prominence recently in America is commuting.

According to Gallup’s annual Work and Education survey, American workers report spending an average of 46 minutes commuting to and from work on a typical day.  In addition, the survey indicated that those who earn more money and work 40 or more hours per week spend more time commuting than those who do not.

But wait, there’s more. According to a recent article on CNN.com, drivers waste an average of almost an entire work week each year (approximately 38 hours) sitting in traffic on the way to and from their jobs.  Needless to say, long commutes are costing the country billions upon billions of dollars in lost productivity and fuel, not to mention the amount of stress that they’re causing the people who have to make them.

Tom vs. Ted

We’ve touched briefly upon the subject of commuting in previous issues of The Animal Science Monitor, but we’ve never looked at the issue too closely.  That’s what I’d like to do in this article, with your current job and overall career set as a backdrop to the subject matter.

You see, just as work-life balance has had more of an impact on people’s jobs in recent years, commuting is close to having the same sort of impact.  And if you’ve read the article in this issue of The ASM written by my colleague, Dan Simmons, you know that its impact still grows with the emergence of what’s called “extreme commuting.”

The problem with commuting is that it’s a very specific and individualized phenomenon.  In other words, what works for one person might not be okay for another.  Tom may have no problem driving 45 minutes to and from work.  However, the very same commute might drive Ted crazy.  That’s why it’s important to take a personal inventory of your current situation.

Objective vs. subjective

This inventory may require a nuts and bolts analysis in order for you to properly assess it.  For instance, start with calculating how many miles you travel to and from work each day.  Then calculate the amount of time it takes from the moment you walk out your door at home until the moment you walk through the doors at work.  These numbers are indicative of the investment you’re making in the commute, both in terms of time and money (the price of gas and the wear and tear on your car).

Now that you have the cold, hard, objective data—the numbers involved—let’s move on to the more subjective information, how you feel about the commute.  How you feel is one of the major factors involved in whether or not your commute is contributing to your job satisfaction in a positive fashion or if it’s serving to erode your satisfaction.  Here are some questions to help you better assess the situation:

• Are you apprehensive before leaving for work?
• Do you feel aggravated or stressed when you arrive at work?
• Do you find yourself thinking about the drive home during the workday?
• Are you jealous of co-workers who have a shorter or easier commute?
• Are you habitually cranky in the evening after returning home?

Short term vs. big picture

How did you do?  If you answered “Yes” to at least two of the above questions, then your daily commute could be adversely affecting your frame of mind and your attitude toward your job.  More importantly, it might be short-circuiting your career overall, because people who are focused on problems and situations in the short term have less time and energy to plan for the future and dwell on the big picture.

Enduring a commute that is outside your range of tolerance is unhealthy both physically and psychologically.  It can sap your energy and enthusiasm, increase your stress levels, and even make you more susceptible to illness.  Sure, the money might be good (and for most people, that’s why they endure a potentially unhealthy commute in the first place), but you end up paying for it eventually in the long run.  And what you pay is almost always more than what you earn in additional wages and benefits.

So take the time now to determine what your commute is costing you in terms of time, money, and job satisfaction.  Because the more time you sit in traffic, the more likely your career may be stalled, as well.

If you have any questions about this topic, please send me an email at brg@charterinternet.com.  And if you’re currently engaged in a job search or are interested in advancing the scope of your career, be sure to send me your resume.  I’d be happy to discuss your career goals and ambitions, including ways in which I can help you to achieve them.  Any exchange of information, including resumes, will be kept in total confidence and handled in a discreet fashion.

Send Us Your News and Information!

At The Animal Science Monitor, we’re constantly striving to provide the most up-to-date information possible, and we need your help to do so.  If your company or organization sends out newsletters or press releases on a consistent basis, we’d like to be included on your distribution list.  Our email address for receiving this information is matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.

If we’re included on your list, your news and information may be featured in future issues of our newsletter.  We’d very much like to give your organization more exposure, while at the same time providing the best possible coverage of the animal science and animal nutrition industries to our loyal base of readers.  And as always, we encourage your feedback regarding our publication.

(In select issues of The Animal Science Monitor, we’re pleased to publish important information regarding innovations in the animal science and animal nutrition industries.  Every year, new and important technologies emerge that shape the future of these industries and serve to make them brighter and more enticing.  In this issue of The ASM, we’d like to highlight Green Source Automation, LLC and its automated solutions for rotary dairy parlors.  If you have an industry innovation you’d like to see within the pages of The ASM, please send your information to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.)

Robot milking stalls were first introduced in the Netherlands in 1992.  Based on a “voluntary milking” concept that relied on animals learning to take themselves to the robot, these stall-based systems have found a niche in small family farms and are now very common in Europe.

While the stall-based systems have proven themselves on small herds of 50-200 animals and have had some success on mid-scale farms of 500 animals, they’ve struggled to succeed on larger-scale farms.  There’s much debate as to why the stall-based robots have not adapted well to larger-scale farming practices.  Some point to cow social structures in large herds being unsuitable for voluntary milking, while others look at the difficulties of maintaining a large infrastructure of multiple milking stations spread over a wide area.  It’s been reported that such problems might lead to increased somatic cell counts and mastitis.

In any case, rotary milking parlors have proven a more popular choice than stall-based robot stations for larger herds.  Typically run with a three-man team covering pre-stimulation, cup attachment, and post-milking teat disinfection, rotary barns offer a high-speed alternative to traditional herringbone parlors. Unlike the stall-based robots, which are typically limited to 50-60 cows per robot, rotary barns can be run for longer or shorter periods of time to adapt to changing herd sizes.  Nonetheless, robot stalls have one key advantage over rotary barns—the promise of reduced labor requirements in the parlor, giving the herdsman more time to focus on other aspects of his job, keeping the herd healthy and productive.

The rotary concept is a natural platform for increased automation, and Green Source Automation, along with distribution partner and robot integrator Ram Mechanical, has now turned its attention to combining these rotary and robot concepts by putting robots into the rotary barns.  According to head of engineering at Ram Mechanical, Leroy Hewes, a chance discussion over a barbeque with his farming neighbor, Paul Fernandez, led to the company looking at its first dairy parlor.  Green Source Automation has now developed its first offering, a robot station for teat disinfection.

Green Source’s teat disinfection station uses an industrial robot arm to move a disinfectant tool under the cow.  The tool may be adapted to spray, foam, and dip applicators.  Developed for prolonged use in harsh environments, the industrial robot arm from Fanuc Robotics is a robust and easily maintained machine.  Sensors detect the position of each cow and the arm moves between its rear legs. Unlike some previous attempts to automate this station, Green Source’s system does not go in blind; a 3-D camera system is used to locate and track the cow teats and ensures thorough coverage.

While Green Source has been initially focusing on the teat disinfection station, the company has a vision to fully automate the dairy parlor. Vice President Neil Hodgson, who hails from a farming background himself, explains that the company is now developing an automated cleaning and pre-stimulation station to prepare the animals for automatic milking.  Next will be an automatic cup attachment station.

“Rotary barns were designed to enable automation of the milking parlor,” said Hodgson.  “Bringing robots into the barn is a natural next step in this process.”

For more information, contact Steve Nelson at Ram Mechanical, Inc., distributor for Green Source Automation, LLC.  You can reach Steve by telephone at (209) 531-9155, or you can contact him via email at snelson@ram-mechanical.com.