The Crown research institute is working with Australian firm Agersens and its cornerstone investor, New Zealand’s Gallagher company, to set up trials to prove the application for virtual fencing here.
Released to research groups earlier this year in Australia, the technology requires cattle to wear a solar-powered collar with GPS and cellular capability for locating stock and activating an audible and electrical alarm in the collar when they stray beyond a pre-defined area on the farm.
AgResearch’s science impact leader Dr Warren King said the concept for fencing stock without fences has been around for at least 30 years.
But it has only been with the proliferation of satellites linked to GPS networks, better cellular connectivity and miniaturised circuitry that the concept is now a reality that could change how farmers view their livestock management in a decade.
“We are among the first to get hold of the collars fresh off the production line but know there are also two farmers already ahead of us keen to get their hands on them.”
One of those is a farmer with less than adequate fences who, rather than invest significant sums in re-fencing is opting to double fence with the collars on cattle.
“Another runs a very intensive techno-beef operation with 80 mobs, which physically cannot all be shifted in one day.
“At most he can shift 20 and he is looking for a system that means all mobs could be shifted once, maybe twice a day at times.”
The collars are programmed to activate an audible alarm when stock approach their GPS defined fence and receive a mild electric shock when they go beyond it.
He can see the value the collars could offer to optimise grass use in intensive cattle systems, more closely matching stock density to grass growth at different times of the year.
There are also opportunities to programme the collars to keep stock out of waterways and sensitive catchment areas.
“But what really spins my wheels about this technology is the uses farmers will find for it – things we as researchers have not even thought about.”
He acknowledges the value proposition is probably stronger for cattle farmers than for dairy and impending environmental rules around restricting stock from waterways could be a key driver.
Estimates are, for example, a Waikato sheep and beef property can expect to have to spend about $500 a hectare to keep stock out of waterways.
Tag prices are yet to be confirmed but are expected to be in the hundreds, making the equation to use them on an average stocked drystock farm attractive.
Other livestock types might ultimately also be capable of being managed by the collars, with deer farmers in particular keen to trial them.
“They require a local network to be established on the farm, with farm contour obviously having an effect on how many base stations you may need to gain coverage.”
