LAKELAND - Virtual cattle fencing is new technology getting real world interest, says a regional agricultural research organization.
It's been a popular topic at conferences and local presentations over the last year for the Lakeland Agricultural Research Association
"It's virtual fencing, where you put collars on the cattle — and they get a little 'zap'", explained Sterling Johnson, a LARA board member from Lac La Biche County. "It's something new, where you can fence in your cows with the collars and they know where they can go and can't go."
His simplified explanation sums up years of research and continuing study across the globe and across the Prairies that includes data on crops, weather, animal behaviour and wireless connectivity.
While not actively researching the no-fence technology, LARA officials in the Bonnyville-based office say they have seen a lot of interest in the topic at recent conferences and demonstrations where the topic has been addressed.
LARA's Megan Wanchuk says a recent Technology on the Ranch workshop they hosted featured a presentation by University of Alberta researchers on the no-fence technology that trains cattle to move into desired areas of the farmland by sending auditory prompts and then small electric shocks to GPS-equipped collars around their necks.
Although there are no commercial applications of the technology yet in Alberta, Wanchuk says it's likely to be coming soon. Some European countries and a few regions in the United States are using the technology, and from the interest at recent workshops, she knows it is a product that many ranchers would like to try in this area.
"There was a ton of interest on it at the latest workshop, and every time it's mentioned, there's more interest," she said, explaining it as a less time-consuming way to monitor livestock and manage grazing resources. "A lot of it has to do with the convenience and the ability to know where your animals are, and to be able to move your animals without actually having to be there."
The virtual fences can be set up through the computer program and monitored in real-time by ranchers. Wanchuk says it's not just about moving animals to desired areas for grazing, it's also about keeping them out of sensitive areas.
"You have the ability to fence out areas you don't want cattle to be in. Perhaps there are riparian areas in sensitive times during certain seasons," she said. "The no-fence technology works both sides, you can fence them in, or fence them out of areas."
The no-fence technology isn't working to get rid of fences all together, said Wanchuk, explaining that perimeter fences will still be needed. "It's the cross-fencing inside the perimeter that can be a big cost and a lot of work. But here, potentially, you could have rotational grazing areas without having to doze fence lines, build fences and maintain them."
At the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural Life and Environment, second year Master's Degree student Alexandra Harland is leading the research on the no-fence technology. Over the last year, Harland has been monitoring a test herd of 49 heifers and two bulls at a ranch in the community of Kinsella, about 120 kilometres south of Elk Point. Some of that monitoring and research has been done at the site, but a lot of it — by the nature of the study — has been done from anywhere but.
Moving cows at a wedding
"Once a week, I would rotate animals using the technology from one pasture to the next on the same day of the week. One of those days I was called down to Olds College for a presentation — so from the college, I opened up the app on my phone and rotated the animals up in Kinsella. Another week, I was at a wedding, so I pulled out my phone during the reception and moved them from one area to another."
While the process sounds simple, the research isn't. Harland has spent a lot of time and energy not only getting a better understanding about the habits of cattle and cow and calf operations, but also on the habits of the ranchers behind them.
"My study is one of the first of this type... it's a really big proof of concept study, taking in all the details, not one or two small pieces . I'm looking at how well they can work in Alberta in broad terms. How well will they work for Alberta farmers — how do they work with our climate across the province, our internet across the province," she said. "I'm looking at what will be the effect on the farms as well as the effect on the animals."
With another year of study expected, Harland says the research is showing positive results. While the research isn't intended to market or sell the new technology, she says the study so far has found the concept of no-fence ranching feasible. She estimates the Canadian market will see some form of no-fence technology available within the next three years.
Professor of Rangeland, Ecology and Management with the U of A's Faculty of Agricultural Life and Environment Edward Bork has overseen Harland's work. An expert in the practice of Precision Agriculture, where mapping and monitoring of seed and feed applications determines the best practices to produce the best results for farmers, Bork says the no-fence study and the technology brings more of that control to cow-calf operations for ranchers. He said the ability to move cattle more easily from one area to the next, to direct them to specific areas at specific times, and even to certain plants to feed on, adds a better level of control to increase overall productivity.
"So when we work on this precision ranching, it's putting the right animal in the right place at the right time," he said.
As the study continues, Bork says the result so far are impressive.
"We still have a lot of questions and we will continue to research it .. but right now, it's the most encouraging technology I've seen on the cow-calf side."
Some of the questions remaining, he said, relate to the commercial availability of the collars and software. With only two or three manufacturers and distributors in the world, the supply is very limited. Right now, it is only research studies like Harland's that have received product to test in Canada. As other countries begin their rollouts, the current price for one collar is about $350.
"Alberta alone has1.5 million beef cows. If just five percent were to want them, that's 75,000 collars," said Bork. "The next step will be to mass produce these things to appease the demands ... because the demand will be big."
