Virtual fence keeps the herd in line by satellite

Virtual fencing technology will be on display at Agriscot next week when the event’s 2022 Innovation Award winners Nofence showcase their product to a farming audience.

The manufacturers say Nofence has the capacity to save money on fencing infrastructure and thereby increase profits, and some Scottish beef farmers who have adopted the technology will be joining them on their stand.

The company’s general manager Synne Foss Budal said: “This event is a great opportunity for anyone who is curious about virtual fencing technology to learn how it works and to see and hear first-hand how the collars and audio cues interact with the Nofence app.”

Nofence uses a combination of GPS, cellular communication and audio signals to work with animal behaviour and create a virtual fence perimeter that can be monitored and changed with a smartphone app, and it allows farmers to set virtual pasture boundaries by picking up GPS information.

Livestock that wear Nofence collars can be turned out on the set area to graze with no physical fencing, and when an animal crosses the Nofence boundary, a three-stage audio warning will start.

If the animal does not turn around when cued with the audio signal, it will receive an electric pulse. The collars which issue the pulse and track animal location are developed with solar panels to ensure long-lasting battery life throughout the grazing season.

When a collar issues a pulse it immediately sends a pop-up notification to the farmer via the Nofence app with the location of the animal. If the animal continues to move in the wrong direction, it will only receive a maximum of three pulses before it is classed as escaped.

Again, the farmer is notified, and the location of the animal is tracked.

According to Ms Budal, the technology has proven successful in shifting cattle and sheep grazing behaviour to rely on their sense of hearing rather than sight.

Data collected by Nofence through observations of herd behaviour on more than 30,000 head of livestock logging more than 180 million grazing hours has found the typical farm to have one pulse for every 30 audio cues.

“Nofence grazing technology has already opened up a lot of opportunities for UK livestock producers, especially those wanting to better manage upland grazing where the lack of physical fencing has previously been challenging,” said Miss Budal.

FENCE FREE: Cattle wearing Nofence collars which the makers say will keep them in their place with an audio warning or electric pulse.

Nofence will be on display at Agriscot as the event’s 2022 Innovation Award winners.