Last week I opened up the digital version of my hometown newspaper to read that a decades-long dream of mine had come true:
What’s virtual fencing and why am I so excited?
Virtual fencing uses remote-sensing collars in combination with a wireless network to manage where livestock graze. A grazier can draw virtual boundaries using a computer or a smartphone. The collar keeps the animal within those boundaries by making a sound as the animal enters a “warning zone.” If the animal doesn’t turn around, the collar will give the animal a small, but effective shock. Training animals to these signals is similar to training them to an electric fence. Once trained, the manager can use the system to move and place animals on pastures in ways they never could have with physical fencing.
As I wrote in 2014, to me, virtual fencing is the Holy Grail of farming and ranching. Imagine it: No more pounding posts in the hot sun, no more unwinding and rewinding spools of wire, no more accidentally grabbing onto the fence and getting shocked, no more arriving at the pasture to find someone opened a gate and the cows are out, and all while animals stay just where you want them.
Having built miles and miles of fence, virtual fencing seems like heaven to me. So when Frank Wooten of Vence called me up a decade or so ago to see if I would be an advisor, I was happy to say yes. You can see Frank in the 1:15 video below. Over the past ten years, he and his colleagues worked hard to come up with a solution that would perform well for a wide variety of graziers, all while testing it on the ground to ensure they were getting it right. Though my role was very small, I’m very proud of what they accomplished.
What about the cost?
There are a variety of companies providing collars that also provide different services. Pat Luark, the rancher in this example, says the Vence collars he used cost $58 per animal. While he could afford that, he initially wasn’t sure the expense could be justified. But when an early grant covered that cost for him, he had a chance to see what the technology could do.
“It’s the evolution of grazing,” he said. “If you’re willing to put some time in on it, its going to create more grass than you’ve ever seen in your life!”
When compared to the average cost of $25,000 per mile for a BLM fence ($15,000 in easy places $35,000 in difficult terrain), the collars look like a very affordable alternative to fence. It’s also a technology that land management agencies can provide in place of fencing. The BLM receives an average of $13 million in grazing fees every year. Half of that is placed in the Range Improvement Account to cover infrastructure, like wire, fence posts, and cattle guards. It can just as easily be used to cover the cost of virtual fencing, as the agency is doing in Eagle County. Pat also notes that the Natural Resources Conservation Service provides cost sharing for those wanting to implement virtual fencing on their operations.
Stirrup-High Grass
The best recommendation for virtual fence comes from the ranchers themselves. Here’s Pat Luark from the video below:
“In 1924, my dad and my grandma moved into this country and they talked to old ranchers and they said the grass was stirrup high to the horses, waving. That’s how we have abused this ground. And we see that this is achievable to get that back. And what’s really amazing is Mother Nature is so resilient. The virtual fence is a big plus to that as well as some chemical spraying and chopping trees. We have knowledge now and can share knowledge to expedite this process. It’s a great time to be alive!“
Stirrup-high grass isn’t possible everywhere. But improvements to our grazing across large landscapes and small are certainly attainable. You can get an idea of what is possible, as well as some of the work that goes into working in this new world in the 10:15 video below. I’ll be sharing more about this next step in coming weeks. And even if you’re not in the market for Virtual Fencing we’ll be talking about how to think about and put yourself in a good spot with whatever technology you choose.
And here’s another video of ranchers talking about their virtual fencing and how they use the technology for the benefit of wildlife, grass, soil and climate.
Still here? Well, here are the funnies!
