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Broadband divide takes toll on livestock industry
A leader with a global animal health company says the lack of broadband is one of the biggest roadblocks for advancing precision ag in the livestock industry.
“If we’re not able to achieve this, that will compound problems,” Tim Bettington Executive Vice President and President, U.S. Operations and Global Customer Experience with Zoetis says.
Health tracking technology can only be optimized with a strong internet connection. “But as soon as they walk out of the barn, out into the pasture, you lose the signal and you lose the connectivity so you’re not getting the full value of the technology available,” Bettington says.
He says broadband has improved crop production, but connectivity is lacking for livestock. “So how do we improve that? How do we improve the ability for farmers and ranchers around the country to input information and to generate more information on the animals to identify sick animals faster and improve gut health?”
He says Zoetis is a strong proponent and is active in the American Connection Project Broadband Coalition.
He made his comments at the Ag Outlook Forum sponsored by the Agribusiness Council of Kansas City and AgirPulse.
Zoetis Inc. (/zō-EH-tis/ ) is an American drug company, the world’s largest producer of medicine and vaccinations for pets and livestock. The company was a subsidiary of Pfizer, the world’s largest drug maker, but with Pfizer’s spinoff of its 83% interest in the firm it is now a completely independent company. The company directly markets the products in approximately 45 countries, and sells the products in more than 100 countries. Hmmmm….vaccinations loaded with hydrogel-graphene oxide-nano-particles will turn the animals into walking broadband antennas?