In lab animal facilities, making informed decisions quickly can significantly impact operational efficiency and cost management. The key element driving informed decisions is access to real-time, accurate data. Mosaic Vivarium offers a comprehensive solution that not only streamlines operations but also helps identify areas where costs can be reduced.

The Power of Real-Time Data

Having access to real-time data means that colony managers can respond to situations as they develop. Accurate data can uncover inefficiencies that might otherwise go unnoticed. For instance, one of the common challenges in lab animal facilities is managing cage capacity effectively. Without a centralized system, identifying under-utilized cages can be cumbersome and time-consuming, leading to unnecessary expenses.

Identifying and Consolidating Under-Capacity Cages

Mosaic Vivarium provides many ways to explore cage usage. One of the easiest ways is to use the Cage Card Worksheet to obtain a clear and immediate snapshot of cage usage. By regularly monitoring this data (or by setting up automated notifications), facilities or individual investigators can identify cages that are under capacity and take action to consolidate them, thereby reducing the number of cages in use and saving on associated costs.

This Cage Capacity Assessment view (created on the Cage Card Worksheet) shows several cages that are under capacity (highlighted in yellow). By consolidating sex and genotype-compatible animals from under-capacity cages into others, the facility or investigator can reduce the number of cages in use. This not only helps in saving costs related to cage maintenance and bedding but also improves overall space utilization in the facility.

Real Impact on Cost Savings

By implementing such data-driven strategies, facilities can realize significant cost savings. Reduced cage usage means lower costs for cleaning, maintenance, and consumables. Additionally, it can lead to better allocation of staff time, as fewer cages require less frequent monitoring and care.

Here’s a specific example demonstrating the impact of this strategy:

Over the course of just one month, the facility managed to reduce the number of under-capacity cages from 18% to 10%. This reduction led to an annualized savings of approximately $13,140 for the investigator. This example highlights how even small improvements in cage utilization can lead to substantial financial benefits.

The Key to Sustainable Improvements

While this example showcases how real-time, accurate data can drive cost savings, it’s essential to understand that the real key to improvements lies in the intuition and expertise of the facility managers and staff.

Mosaic Vivarium provides data allowing users to explore hunches, implement changes, and assess the results. The combination of motivated, insightful facility managers, skilled staff and real-time data creates a powerful synergy leading to continuous operational excellence.

Ready to learn more about how Mosaic Vivarium can help your facility?
Schedule a free demonstration today!