This year, we’ve added something to our farm that’s not only exciting, but it’s also helping us take our regenerative practices to the next level! We recently fitted our cow herd with virtual fence collars. This cutting-edge technology is helping us do an even better job of improving soil health on the farm.
You are probably familiar with “invisible fences” for dogs that keep them from roaming too far from home. Now imagine using a similar concept, but for cows!
These high-tech collars allow us to control where the animals graze via GPS signal. Rather than physical fences, sound cues and gentle corrections guide our cows to the areas we want them to graze each day.
We can draw and adjust grazing areas from our smartphones or computers using satellite images of our farm. When a cow wearing the collar approaches the edge of a designated grazing zone, the collar emits a sound encouraging her to turn around. After just a day of training, our herd had the system figured out.
We still use physical fencing around the perimeter of the farm for safety, but the virtual fence allows us to divide up pastures into smaller paddocks and move the animals daily without lifting a single strand of wire. This helps us prevent overgrazing, which improves soil health and allows our pastures to recover faster and grow more nutritious forage for our livestock.
One of the most exciting benefits is the ability to graze areas that were previously inaccessible. We’ve used the virtual fence to guide the cows through wooded areas and across crop fields after harvest, making use of crop residue, cover crops, and timber areas that otherwise go to waste.
This technology also helps us protect sensitive areas. With a few clicks, we can keep the herd out of creek beds and fragile habitats, which helps reduce erosion and preserve water quality on our farm.
Like all technology this new tool isn’t perfect or foolproof, but so far, the time savings and flexibility have been game changing. Instead of moving electric fence boundaries every day, we can spend more time observing our animals, managing our land, and enjoying our family.
If you ever spot a cow on our farm wearing a collar, now you’ll know why!
ROSIE (SANDERSON) TRUMP – FARMER, AG MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS, CLARE
Rosie farms with her family in Clare where they raise grain and livestock. She also has a career in ag marketing/communications. Rosie and her husband Corey have two children, Violet and Calvin.
