Four Monitor Farms to trial revolutionary virtual fencing technology

Revolutionary virtual fencing technology - which could transform managing hill and upland suckler herds - is to be extensively trialled in field conditions on four Monitor Farms over the next two years. The aim is to assess the cost-benefit of the system on commercial farms.

These farms will be amongst Scotland’s early adopters in trying the innovative system, which uses an app to remotely set and manage flexible virtual ‘fences’ or paddocks which are grazed by cattle with GPS-equipped collars. It means cattle can be contained on unfenced hill land, for example, and that the location and activity of individual cattle can be seen instantly.

Christine Cuthbertson, Monitor Farm regional adviser overseeing the trial says: “This technology has potential to revolutionise suckler management on hill and upland farms. It could help retain cows in these environments as it tackles many of the issues facing herds.

“However, while we know it has the potential to improve livestock performance and management, that is not well quantified. We will be monitoring animal performance over the two-year lifetime of project and checking it against herd benchmark values and the expectations and practical experiences of our Monitor Farmers.

“The four Monitor Farms involved have already highlighted opportunities for the environment, farm profitability, welfare, and well-being by using virtual fencing to manage their suckler cows as it should allow them to optimise grazing and improve herd management. We will be looking at the labour savings from the technology, as well as assessing the training and support needed to implement the system.”

Argyll Monitor Farmer Craig Archibald hopes the technology will mean he can successfully summer 25 cows and calves on rough pasture, so his improved ground can be saved for later grazing or cut for more silage. If the system works well, he is considering using it for autumn/winter grazing by cows on similar pasture. “Longer term, the technology might help us keep more cows and sell more calves,” says Craig.

For South Ayrshire Monitor Farmers John and David Andrew, the technology promises significant benefits, particularly during calving when daily checks over six weeks currently take three hours per day on average. “Being able to locate the cattle easily via the collars and app will also reduce fuel use for the farm bike, which usually has to go right around the hill to locate cattle,” says David.

On the Stirlingshire Monitor Farm, the Duncan family are hoping to be able to save time and fuel but keep a closer eye on cows at their Inveruglas unit. It will also help keep cattle safe from dangerous areas on their hill land and support a potential nature restoration project. The family is also interested to see how the technology will cope with poorer phone service areas, a key part of the trial.

Further north, on the Strathspey Monitor Farm, the Smith family would like to balance good performance of cattle, a positive bulling phase and ease of on-the-ground stock checking with good utilisation of otherwise unused hill grazing. The potential for biodiversity gains is something Calum Smith says he is keen to see as it may be a potential future income or grant source.

The trial will use technology supplied by Norwegian virtual fencing specialist Monil. The company’s head of farmer success, Ann Elinor Aasen, has already spent time on the four farms assisting with set-up and training.

Ann Elinor says: “This trial is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate how virtual fencing can transform livestock management. By enabling precise grazing control without the need for physical fences, farmers can optimise pasture use, improve herd welfare, and reduce labour demands - all while enhancing sustainability on their farms.”

Overseeing the trial is independent consultant and livestock specialist Dr Tony Waterhouse. He says: “It's fascinating to see how the farmers already plan to use this new technology to improve their cattle and grazing management. The goal is to see how this works out for them, and how it helps them in the challenging job of keeping cattle in Scotland's hills.”

Christine adds: “This will be a very practical ‘warts and all’ trial in real farm conditions. We will be holding a series of open meetings at each of the farms over the trial, as well as reporting regularly in the press, social media and online. It’s revolutionary technology and we are looking forward to seeing how it performs on the Monitor Farms over the next two years.”

The Monitor Farms and their virtual fencing goals:

Argyll – the Archibald family are trialling with 25 of the farm’s 225 Aberdeen Angus cows on hill land at Craigens Farm. Their goals are:

Use hill ground which isn’t currently grazed by cattle in summer and potentially the shoulders of winter to make more grazing available.

• Grazing hill will improve grass for sheep.
• Improve biodiversity of the hill which may lead into future farm support/management schemes.
• Keep herd in safe areas, i.e. away from bogs and ditches as well as any protected areas.

South Ayrshire – John and David Andrew are trialling on 25 of the farm’s 150 breeding cattle at their Blair hill farm. Their goals are:

Use underused area of hill ground in summer and potentially the shoulders of winter to make more grazing available.

• Ease of management when calving outside. Keep cows to one area.
• Keep bull tight when running with cows.
• Easier to locate cows or quickly see if there is an issue.
• Potential to graze neighbouring woodland - extra grazing is always needed.

Stirlingshire – the Duncan family, trialling with 25 native-bred hill cows at Lands of Drumhead and Inveruglas. Their key goals:

Locate cows and calves more easily.

• Use to monitor cow movements to check all is well.
• Keep herd in safe areas. i.e. away from walking routes, deep cervices.
• Use current under-grazed areas to improve grass quality for sheep grazing.
• Run bull in a defined area with cows to catch more and reduce bulling time.
• Free up more time/labour to focus on production at Lands of Drumhead.
• Improve personal safety (not having to search for cows).

Strathspey – the Smiths at Auchernack will be trialling the technology with 15 Shorthorn bulling heifers on the hill, 10 older cows that are not bulling and have calves at foot who are grazing by the river on species-rich grassland (a priority habitat), and they may put one collar on the bull with the heifers. Their goals are:

Locate heifers on the hill more easily.

• Heifers will run with the bull in a defined area, so he will potentially catch more and tighten the calving period.
• Targeted grazing across the hill on different habitats.
• Use to monitor cattle movements to check all is well.
• Free up more grazing ground in-bye.