The Christmas carol ‘While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night’ dates back to 1703. Now shepherds are watching their flocks via their mobile phone or tablet.
With the use of mobile phones and tablets for various applications, anywhere, anytime, new industry and innovation research in the AgTech space have more to offer.
This animal-friendly fenceless grazing system sometimes referred to as a “virtual fence” enables a farmer to use their smartphone or tablet to create any number of fences, potentially moving their livestock, or check their cattle’s health and location from anywhere in the world. Each animal wears a GPS-enabled collar containing software that trains the animal to move or stay within a boundary set up by the farmer.
CSIRO’s patented virtual fencing technology uses coordinates, wireless technologies and sensors to control the location of livestock without the need for an actual fence.
We understand that rotational grazing is used to increase the stock value and carrying capacity of a property, but this requires the installation of new fences and additional labour amongst other things.
In addition, the preferred grazing area may follow seasonal vegetation and land formations, that means the boundaries have to be relocated to optimise grazing patterns. This virtual fencing will potentially enable farmers to automate large-scale rotational grazing customised to farm geography, vegetation and seasonal variations.
Recognised benefits in virtual fencing systems includes:
More information can be found at http://www.csiro.au/en/Research/AF/Areas/Animal-Science/Animal-Health-Welfare/Virtual-fencing