Virtual Fencing Pinpoints Location of Cattle Grazing

Imagine being able to train a cow to stay within an invisible fence just like dogs have been trained to do for many years. Virtual fencing (VF) has now made it to the cattle industry and is possible by using a collar transmitter similar to what's used on man's best friend. This technology is now a rancher's best friend for use to rotationally graze, have cows out on recovering land or just graze grass more efficiently without building a physical fence.

Several options are available from companies to help transform grazing practices without limiting cows to a certain area. A physical fence is recommended for the very outside perimeter, but designing a grazing plan within that area can change based on needs. Each of the companies that provide a virtual-fencing option stress the importance of flexibility, efficiency and sustainability, while enhancing grazing management. These systems use either GPS or cellular service to show the producer where the cattle are in the paddock.

Tucker Brown, R.A. Brown Ranch, in Throckmorton, Texas, started using VF out of necessity after a wildfire destroyed fencing on their ranch in 2023. "This virtual fence allows us to be more efficient with the land that we have," Brown says. They will continue to utilize it across their ranch to better manage rangeland.

All the VF options available allow a cattle producer to define the boundaries of the virtual paddock/pasture through software on a computer or smart device provided by the company. The use of global positioning systems or cellular service communicates with the collars worn by the cattle. After a training period, cattle learn the audio sound telling them they are nearing the virtual fence boundary. If the boundary is crossed, the animal will receive a pulse similar to an electric fence.

Four primary companies have been identified as providing the VF system to cattle producers across the U.S. and, in several cases, around the world. All four have similar features, software and required equipment. Each company will meet with producers to advise what will work best on their operation.

Following is a Q&A with the companies. Responses were supplied by each and were edited for clarity.

Q: What special features does your system have?

A:

Gallagher eShepherd: eShepherd has been available in the U.S. and Canada for 12 months. It has been designed for beef cattle but works just as well in dairy situations. eShepherd is solar-powered with an exceptional battery life. The width of the virtual line on the ground has just been reduced to 6 feet, so virtual paddocks can be small and intricate. eShepherd neckbands can connect directly to cellular providers like Verizon or AT&T, or base stations can be used to extend signal where pastures are more remote.

eShepherd neckbands are built tough to withstand submersion in water, impact from concrete troughs, steel hay feeders and grumpy bulls. The web and mobile app software is not complicated. The eShepherd VF solution is incredibly versatile and able to contain four or 400 animals on flat or mountainous terrain, in extensive or very intensive grazing situations.

eShepherd is easy to use, giving producers full control over grazing areas from anywhere. It is efficient in reducing fencing costs, saving labor and enabling rotational, strip or bale grazing. Producers can easily move livestock remotely, improve forage utilization and reduce overgrazing. Livestock can be traced and monitored in real time, providing data on each animal's location and movement, and detecting potential health or grazing issues. Customers are matched up with a customer success professional for help and answering questions.

Halter: Halter's focus is effortless grazing, both for the cow and the rancher. Halter is centered on the welfare of the animal to make sure the solar-powered collar is comfortable, and the cow gets the most from her grazing experience. The system's app is easy for ranchers to use so they can set up virtual fences from anywhere and at any time.

Cows are guided using two primary cues, sound and vibration, where sounds act as warnings for a virtual boundary. Halter has created "cowgorithms" where the system customizes the strength and frequency of the secondary cue -- a low-energy pulse -- to each individual animal's tolerance and determination to push boundaries. Most cows only need the lowest energy pulse to be effectively contained. There are multiple layers of product safeguards that protect animal welfare and prevent animals from experiencing excessive pulses.

Animal performance is important, as well, especially to accomplish growth rate goals. One aspect is using Halter for creep grazing, where uncollared calves graze ahead of cows to get the best grass first, which can help improve growth and weaning rates.

Halter is 100% focused on VF and herding, which means extra customer service is available. The company works hard to understand the needs of the ranch and the geographic characteristics that make it unique. Once the system is installed and running to suit the ranch's needs, customer service continues.

Nofence: Nofence's technology relies on GPS collars that communicate with the Nofence app through cellular networks, without needing to install a base station. Designed for herds of up to 200 animals (with a minimum order requirement of five collars), Nofence offers a mobile VF solution and is the only company that sells collars for cattle, sheep and goats. Nofence primarily sells its product for beef cattle, but it can be used for nonmilking dairy cows.

Nofence has a containment rate reaching 99.3%. The training process takes five to 10 days depending on variables like the breed and age, and requires each animal to interact 20 times with the virtual boundary. When an animal approaches the virtual boundary, it receives an escalating acoustic warning. If the animal ignores the sound, a brief electrical pulse is delivered as a last resort. The electric pulse -- half the intensity of a traditional electric fence -- is effective in guiding the animal away from the boundary but does not negatively impact animal welfare.

The collars transmit data about animal movements, health and behavior to the Nofence app. If an animal does not move for four hours, the farmer will receive a push notification through the app, signaling potential health issues or that the animal may be stuck. If an animal crosses the virtual boundary, the app sends a push notification, and the farmer can track its location. The system's continuous monitoring provides real-time feedback, allowing farmers to promptly address potential issues, ensuring better animal welfare.

Each collar is equipped with a rechargeable battery, which can be charged either through a solar panel or a power supply.

Vence: Vence is revolutionizing livestock and land management with an industry-leading VF system. The system is designed to support the goals of each rancher through individualized support. Each rancher is assigned a dedicated member of the Rancher Success Team, composed of range-management experts, who guide them through onboarding to monitoring virtual fences and consulting. This team conducts regular reviews to deliver tailored recommendations for each ranch's grazing-management plans, ensuring each rancher's specific needs are met.

Q: What equipment is needed for use?

A:

Gallagher eShepherd: eShepherd neckbands are GPS-enabled via a cellular connection. For producers managing livestock in areas of limited cell service or on public lands with limited cell connection, base stations are also available and connect with the neckbands, communicating data to the producer's app or desktop application.

There are essentially two pieces of eShepherd equipment. The neckband or collar is the wearable device that hangs beneath the animal's neck, suspended by chains with a flexible rubber top strap and designed to break should an intense scratch result in being tangled in a tree branch.

There is also a base station (sometimes called a tower) used to extend communications out over a more remote rangeland site. The base stations have solar panels and remain remotely powered with support from a 12-volt battery.

A squeeze chute, cell phone, computer, some cellular coverage and a lot less portable fencing is about all the equipment you'll need.

Halter: The equipment used for a Halter system is a central communications tower placed on the ranch, the collars worn by the cows that connect remotely to the tower and the app used by the customer to control the system. The number of towers needed to support the system depends on multiple factors including size of the grazing areas, typography, etc.

Nofence: A smartphone is needed to download the Nofence app, which will communicate with the Nofence collars purchased by the producer.

Vence: Vence utilizes a series of base stations, CattleRider collars and the HerdManager software to create virtual fences, control animal movement and manage grazing. The solar-powered base stations are strategically placed around the ranch and contain batteries that allow them to operate independently. Each animal in the herd is fitted with a CattleRider collar that contains a GPS transceiver that tracks its position and a radio frequency (RF) transceiver that communicates with the base stations. The stainless-steel components and locking carabiners of the collar ensure durability and quick installation.

The collar uses a series of audible beeps and pulses to create cues for behavioral changes in the animal. Ranchers access the HerdManager system from a tablet or computer to create and recreate the boundaries of virtual fences, and track the individual locations of each animal.

Q: Are software updates included with the system?

A:

Gallagher eShepherd: Yes, software updates are included to ensure optimal system performance and security. Updates are typically managed remotely and do not require additional hardware changes.

Halter: Yes, the system is updatable in the field. As new innovations and improvements are made, they can then be sent to all collars in the field (which update usually within 24 hours). Software upgrades roll out regularly, from pasture-management refinements to animal-management upgrades.

Nofence: All our software improvements are available to our existing customers.

Vence: Yes, software updates are included with the system. Our Rancher Success Team will reach out to ranchers in advance to inform them of the scheduled update and provide insight into what changes they might expect.

Q: What is the battery life of the cow remotes?

A:

Gallagher eShepherd: One major advantage of eShepherd is battery life. The type of battery and the technology we use to conserve power ensure that each unit lasts up to seven years. A neckband could fit on a heifer and could stay on her for many years with no need to replace batteries.

Beyond longevity, the devices are built to withstand tough ranching conditions -- even if they get knocked into water troughs or dropped in mud, they keep working. Winter performance is also exceeding expectations, with customers in South Dakota and Canada using VF with snow on the ground.

Halter: Halter batteries are solar-powered. Collars have a five-year warranty, but they are expected to last much longer.

Nofence: Nofence has improved robustness of battery lifetime as part of its investments in further increasing its product quality. Nofence is confident that the battery of its cattle collars will last from six to 12 months depending on the location and usage patterns, while it can vary from three to nine months for small ruminants.

Vence: Vence's CattleRider collars utilize high-density, MIL-SPEC (military specifications) batteries that are designed to withstand drastic temperature changes and rugged conditions. The average battery life is three months to a year, depending on the use case. In high-intensity grazing programs, the battery life may be less than in standard grazing conditions. When upgrades are needed, the Rancher Success Team will work with each rancher to return nonfunctioning collars and quickly ship new collars back.

Q: How big of an area can be covered by your system?

A:

Gallagher eShepherd: The system is highly scalable, capable of covering small paddocks to thousands of acres. Because the eShepherd system is GPS-enabled, ranchers can receive data, track and move their herd to different paddocks, as needed. Ranchers who have limited cellular connection can use eShepherd base stations, which cover up to a 4-mile radius. Multiple base stations can be used to extend coverage for larger operations.

Halter: Coverage is primarily dependent on the ranch's terrain. For example, in a flat area such as Kansas, a single tower can cover hundreds of square miles. In a mountainous area like western Colorado, the range would be lower. Advanced software modeling and machine-learning techniques is used to optimize tower placement and ensure tower costs are kept as low as possible.

Nofence: The Nofence system relies on cellular connectivity which the sales team tests with the customers. Usually, if farmers can send a WhatsApp message where the animals are located, the connectivity should work. The virtual fence will work anyhow, but if connectivity lags, there can be a delay in receiving the information through the app.

Vence: The Vence system utilizes LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) technology and is built to cover vast rangelands. Solar-powered base stations are strategically placed around the ranch to leverage available cell service and create a network that allows the CattleRider collars to communicate freely over remote areas. On average, the base stations will cover an area of 7,000 to 10,000 acres, depending on the terrain. Vence's Rancher Success Team will work with ranchers to determine how the system will best fit their goals and locations.

Q: What is the cost?

A:

Gallagher eShepherd: The company offers price breaks based on the number of cattle. For example, a rancher who wants 350 neckbands will pay $250 per neckband, remembering that it's a long-lived product with a three-year warranty.

Halter: Each ranch is unique, and Halter will assess each ranch's needs, opportunities and challenges to help ranchers understand the value of implementing the system. Halter's pricing includes a one-time infrastructure investment starting at $4,500, with an annual subscription of less than $7 per head per month. This includes solar-powered VF collars and 24/7 support without ongoing battery costs and time-consuming replacements.

Nofence: Pricing for the Nofence subscriptions is based on the number of collars purchased. Actual complete cattle collars are $289 each. These come with a five-year warranty covering any faults that impact the normal use. For the first 12 months, the subscription is $56 per collar with 49 collars or less and $42 per collar for 50 collars or more. Each month after the first year is $6.50 per collar in use per month for 49 collars or less and $4.50 per collar in use per month for 50 collars or more. The subscription price is in addition to the collar cost. Other equipment is available from the company.

Vence: Each base station costs around $10,000. Each collar is sold on a subscription basis of $40 per year, which covers the collar, software and technical support. The battery for each collar is $10. Anyone interested in the Vence VF system should the website and fill out a contact form for more information on pricing. The Vence team will reach out to have a personal conversation about each ranch's unique needs and cost. Vence can also help connect ranchers with potential cost-share and grant opportunities to support their goals.

**

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

-- Gallagher eShepherd: https://www.eShepherd.com/…

-- Halter: https://www.halterhq.com/…

-- Nofence: https://www.nofence.co/…

-- Vence: https://vence.io/…

-- Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

-- Follow Jennifer on social platform X @JennCattleGal

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