We are always looking for the latest in technological advances. Trying to better what we do, so we can work smarter and not harder. One of those tedious jobs that many livestock producers do is putting up fences. Whether it is digging post holes or hammering in stakes, it can take a long time to make very short progress. What if I were to tell you that there is a way to keep your livestock in their area, without using a fence at all? Well, not a fence in the physical sense.
A Wisconsin dairy farm is testing the first-ever virtual fencing system. The Van Wettering farm is near Greenleaf, Wisconsin, and they are using the system to manage their grazing heifers. Andy Kiefer, Conservation Agronomist with the Outagamie County Land Conservation Department, tells us about the system.
Not only does the system keep the animals where they need to be, but it also helps producers track where they are in the herd. It also gives you a readout of how the animal is performing.
There are many benefits to using the system for farmers, beyond just keeping them in a grazing area. It helps you graze land where traditional fencing would be a hassle, plus gives you animal statuses in real-time.
