The economic fundamentals of virtual fencing compared to traditional fencing

Rangelands, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 47(1), P. 92 - 101

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Precision livestock farming: an overview on the application in extensive systems

Italian Journal of Animal Science, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 24(1), P. 859 - 884

Published: March 24, 2025

Language: Английский

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Is Virtual Fencing an Effective Way of Enclosing Cattle? Personality, Herd Behaviour and Welfare

Animals, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(7), P. 842 - 842

Published: March 27, 2022

In modern nature conservation and rewilding there is a need for controlling the movements of large grazers in extensively managed areas. The inflexibility physical fencing can be limitation management, boundaries created by have detrimental effects on wildlife. Virtual systems provide without structures. These utilise collars with GPS technology to track animals deliver auditory or electric cues encourage stay within predefined boundaries. This study aims assess use virtual (Nofence©) keep twelve Angus cows (Bos taurus) enclosure compromising their welfare. As such, examines inter-individual differences between as well herd behaviour, when reacting learning respond appropriately fencing. Moreover, activity was used an indicator successful keeping designated area. cattle learned avoid border cues, where received significantly more warning impulses per week throughout first 14 days than remaining 125 (p < 0.001). were found express both 0.001) behaviour. did not any significant changes upon receiving electrical impulse from collar. Thus, indicating that little no acute welfare implications associated this study. clearly supports potential viable alternative However, it also shows individual personality structure should considered selecting individuals

Language: Английский

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Active interactions between animals and technology: biohybrid approaches for animal behaviour research

Animal Behaviour, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 123160 - 123160

Published: April 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Heifers don't care: no evidence of negative impact on animal welfare of growing heifers when using virtual fences compared to physical fences for grazing

animal, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 16(9), P. 100614 - 100614

Published: Aug. 16, 2022

Virtual fencing (VF) represents a way to simplify traditional pasture management with its high labour and cost requirements for make better use of the 'beneficial' agronomic ecological effects livestock grazing. In this study, VF technology (® Nofence, AS, Batnfjordsøra Norway) was used Fleckvieh heifers investigate possible welfare impacts on animals compared conventionally fenced when they were trained respond correctly system. The Nofence® collars (attached neck heifers) send acoustic signals as warning approach line, which set up by GPS coordinates within Nofence®-App, followed an electric pulse do not stop or return. had no experience prior study. Two treatments (VF versus physical (PF)) applied six groups four each (three per treatment) over three 12-day time replicates. One line separated group into accessible non-accessible area. control PF line. Both equipped (deactivated group). trial took place two adjacent paddocks 1 000 m2 following schedule divided sections: visual support barrier (first 2 days), only virtual border without support, moving (on day 8). Each replicate next successively different new heifers, grazed 5 h daily. During whole experiment, behaviour continuously observed; a.m., p.m. Exclusion effective in our trial. None crossed boundary, i.e. spent exclusion zone zero. received 2.70 ± 2.63 0.30 0.36 pulses (mean SD) heifer hour during all Main cattle affected Live weight gain, herbage consumption faecal cortisol metabolites also revealed significant differences. duration until restarted grazing after from collar significantly shorter than fence. We can summarise that well-being negatively PF.

Language: Английский

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Application of Virtual Fencing for the management of Limousin cows at pasture

Livestock Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 263, P. 105037 - 105037

Published: July 21, 2022

A potential use of pasture-based systems requires an efficient grazing management strategy. Thanks to the Virtual Fencing (VF) physical fences are replaced by virtual ones and, when animals approach boundaries, they receive a paired stimulus: audio cue followed low electrical pulse if cross over fences. This study aims i) evaluate animal's ability learn, and then respond positively, VF ii) VFs' efficiency manage herd within areas virtually delimitated; iii) assess chronic stress related VF, evaluating hair cortisol concentration (HCC), during experiment. Twenty Limousine cows were fitted with commercial VF-GPS collars (Nofence AS, Batnfjordsør, Norway). The experiment was divided into four trials: Trial zero (T0) inactive let get acquainted them; one (T1) where three boundaries coincided ones, while set across pasture restrict area; two (T2) in which area further extended moving forwards board; (T3) line longways pasture. Results show significant decrease stimuli delivered (i.e., sounds pulses) (p < 0.001), among trials. Moreover, reduction 0.0250) ratio between pulses observed T1 T3, T2 being like both. Regarding cows' learning capacity, events significantly less T3 0.001). Furthermore, duration tones lower than 0.0005). Animals increasingly kept inside inclusion zones trials, lowest number escape from zone registered No differences HCC before after treatment. progressive studied parameters following sessions, indicates increase associative through time. fencing has proven be effective tool managing Limousin at However, future research is needed animals' performances terms activities on assessment conditions as well.

Language: Английский

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What's in a Name? Standardizing Terminology for the Enhancement of Research, Extension, and Industry Applications of Virtual Fence Use on Grazing Livestock

Rangeland Ecology & Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 94, P. 199 - 206

Published: April 17, 2024

Virtual fence (VF) is the use of a global positioning system (GPS) to dictate where on landscape livestock can graze without relying traditional physical such as barbed wire. The recent acceleration in development and adoption VF technology for grazing management has been characterized by evolution divergent terminology. Different research commercial entities have adopted terms definitions independently. Some are inherently problematic, while others more aligned, simple fact that differences exist contributes confusion communication among scientists, producers, land managers, manufacturers, government agencies, public. In this paper, we propose standard terminology determined during 2-d in-service workshop at annual meeting Society Rangeland Management February 2023. Standard will aid efficient effective all interested parties.

Language: Английский

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The effectiveness of a virtual fencing technology to allocate pasture and herd cows to the milking shed

Journal of Dairy Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 107(8), P. 6161 - 6177

Published: April 19, 2024

Virtual fencing technology provides an opportunity to rethink the management of intensive grazing systems in general, yet most studies have used products developed and applied more extensive livestock systems. This research aimed assess application a virtual for pastoral dairy industry. The Halter system uses 2 primary cues (sound vibration) one aversive secondary cue (a low-energy electrical pulse) confine cows pasture allocation remotely herd cows. We studied groups 40 mid-lactation multiparous (Bos taurus, predominantly Friesian × Jersey, parity 1-8). Cows were milked twice per day provided 9 kg DM/d 24-h allocation, supplemented with 7 silage 6 grain DM/d. Training occurred over 10 d, after which managed further 28 d. type time delivered recorded by each collar communicated via base station cloud data storage. took less than start responding sound while held on moving milking parlor without human intervention d 4 training. On training 1, at least 60% resulted pulse. Across 10, 6.4% After 10-d period, 2.6% During 90% spent ≤1.7 min/d beyond fence, received ≤0.71 pulses/d paddock ≤1 pulse/d during herding parlor. By final week 50% 0 pulses/week 35% herding. number pulses pulse/sound ratio was lower this study that previously reported using other technologies. conclude is successful containing lactating as well animals

Language: Английский

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Beef Cattle Producer Perspectives on Virtual Fencing

Rangeland Ecology & Management, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 96, P. 143 - 151

Published: Sept. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Grid grazing: A case study on the potential of combining virtual fencing and remote sensing for innovative grazing management on a grid base

Livestock Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 278, P. 105373 - 105373

Published: Nov. 11, 2023

Sustainable utilisation of the available grazing area acts to increase profitability and productivity livestock should consider animals grass sward. The labour-intensive time-consuming tasks fencing, animal monitoring, controlling forage availability on pasture are general obstacles wider implementation grazing. Virtual fencing (VF) opens up new opportunities by reducing labour increasing flexibility. In this study, we investigated validated potential monitoring via VF collars combined with Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle (UAV) data monitor continuously. 32 Fleckvieh heifers were equipped (Nofence®, Batnfjordsøra, Norway) divided equally into four groups. Each group was assigned a 2-ha paddocks, each grazed for three days. For all heifers, GPS logged used evaluate walking distance, lying time, spatial pattern movement. Lying time measured confusion matrix using observational as reference. Our results suggest that relevant information basic behaviours can be extracted from collars. UAV campaigns carried out pre-and post-grazing paddock. 3D reconstructions, which allowed calculation digital orthomosaics surface models created imagery. On basis, Red-Green-Blue Vegetation Index (RGBVI), change RGBVI, determine herbage offer changes pre- height between surveys calculated analysed polygon grid (2.5 × 2.5 m²) per RGBVI detected ground truthing (R²=0.51). A random forest model analyse active (lying excluded) spent cell derived provided mean R² 0.43. addition, generalised linear mixed effect impact day cattle behaviour. decreased, distance increased, while distribution became more even pasture. These appeared reflect decrease post-grazing. We conclude behavioural UAV-based analyses in addition functions system have capacity sustainable, fine-scale decision-support grassland management base ('grid grazing').

Language: Английский

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