Cow collars

[Dave]

There is a big bred cow sale next week. They posted some videos of some of the bigger consignments. One groups is 300 cows from the middle of no where high desert eastern Oregon. In the video all of the cows have a collar that is tucked right up under their chin. I wonder if those are the receiving devise for that electronic fence (I can't remember the name) that people have been talking about. Be interesting if that is what they are. How well did it work? How much did it cost? But 300 black and red Angus bred to River Bend bulls to start calving in March. Just part of 1,350 bred cows. Going to be a long day sitting in the seats. I will have to pack a lunch. No cafe at that sale..... who ever heard of such a thing.

 

[kenny thomas]

There is a big bred cow sale next week. They posted some videos of some of the bigger consignments. One groups is 300 cows from the middle of no where high desert eastern Oregon. In the video all of the cows have a collar that is tucked right up under their chin. I wonder if those are the receiving devise for that electronic fence (I can't remember the name) that people have been talking about. Be interesting if that is what they are. How well did it work? How much did it cost? But 300 black and red Angus bred to Riverside bulls to start calving in March. Just part of 1,350 bred cows. Going to be a long day sitting in the seats. I will have to pack a lunch. No cafe at that sale..... who ever heard of such a thing.

Do you have a link so we can see the cows with the collars?

 

[RockinRB]

Yes they are the virtual fence collars. That ranch has been using virtual fence for a few years now. They run in both the desert and forest. I believe they have used a couple of the companies that make them.

 

[sstterry]

Since I will be starting fresh once I get things worked out with my sister, I may check out virtual fencing. I have some land that I don't own but am allowed to graze. I don't want to invest in fencing land I don't own, but I am also getting tired of trying to keep up an electric fence through some pretty rough terrain.

Here is a Drover article about the different types.

https://www.drovers.com/news/beef-production/beyond-barbed-wire-look-virtual-fencing

 

[ClinchValley86]

There is also another device they use to track movements. To and from water or the bunk or what have you.

@sstterry id love to be able to use them over here on lease ground. Total game changer.

 

[regolith]

There's something similar in NZ called Halter for electric fencing, but increasingly dairy cows are getting collars for health monitoring & there must be half a dozen different companies involved in that over the last couple of decades.
A salesman for Halter called in here and was sent packing, but I did look it up on the internet when he'd gone and trace down some costs. It's unjustifiable for a small herd, IMO. There may be some savings for very large operations in using them.
I've seen a few very negative opinions on them as well, based on animal behaviour as they're adjusting and the reality of strapping a satellite receiver to a cow - like wearing a cellphone full-time in radiation risk level.

 

[Dave]

Do you have a link so we can see the cows with the collars?

Hmmmmm. You have to realize just how computer illiterate I am.

Producers livestock Vale Oregon. Googling that gets you o the sale yard web site.
They also have a Facebook page. That is where I see the videos. When I open that it appears to open using my wife's facebook.
When I google Producers livestock Vale both their website and Facebook page pop up. In the facebook there is 3 posts which show pictures of the cattle. It is the one of a bunch of red an black cows in the desert.

 

[kenny thomas]

Thanks, just curious to see them.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Was talking with my insurance agent and he mentioned that he had another client wanting to use virtual fence for his animals. Said he would cancel the farm liability policy without adequate physical perimeter fencing.

I know in open range states that isn't likely a concern. But in "fence in" states it's something to investigate.

 

[Silver]

Thanks, just curious to see them.

 

[Dave]

They are from far enough from me that I know nothing about them. I googled them to see what I could find. Not a lot. But they did have a wanted ad for a ranch manager. It mentioned virtual fence several times. The couple of pictures posted in that ad did show a lot more forest that I expected to find in that area. But I have never been off the beaten path in that part of the world.

 

[kenny thomas]

View attachment 62947

Thanks, somehow I can see it working in small areas but its hard for me to invision using it where its 100 acres per cow. But i guess it could be more useful there.

 

[Silver]

Thanks, somehow I can see it working in small areas but its hard for me to invision using it where its 100 acres per cow. But i guess it could be more useful there.

From what I can understand from talking to guys that are using them proper training is crucial.

 

[Brute 23]

They specifically say not for use on perimeter fencing.

On the podcast I posted they have a whole episode on virtual fence with prices, pros and cons, how to train for the fence, etc... if you believe in that kind if stuff.

 

[GoWyo]

On federal grazing permits, there are usually some areas that the feds want limited or no use. A lot of these areas are riparian corridors or maybe regenerating aspen stands, etc. and large areas of uplands do not receive enough use. I know the developers were working on seeing if they could get cattle to stay off certain areas and use the underused areas. When looking at the cost of riders or permanent exclusion fencing the collars start getting cost competitive.

 

[Dave]

I wonder if these are cows who just wouldn't respect the virtual fence. It says they are running age. Or are the majority older cows which the ranch is taking advantage of high cow prices to get rid of. Somewhere I heard that they sale will have a lot of older cows. They are advertising 1,350 cows so hopefully I will be able to get some bought right.

 

[klm3030]

 

[Silver]

I’ve seen the question these collars effectiveness in the brush. This picture is of collars being used by a nearby ranch, and their country is thick and steep. I haven’t had a chance to ask them how they are making out with them yet though. I just found the pic on Facebook.

 

[RDFF]

I’ve seen the question these collars effectiveness in the brush. This picture is of collars being used by a nearby ranch, and their country is thick and steep. I haven’t had a chance to ask them how they are making out with them yet though. I just found the pic on Facebook.
View attachment 68806

@Silver , those are the eShepherd brand from Gallagher. I personally think they've got the best developed system, have had the most money to work with in development, one of the first out there so more time to work out the kinks (they and NoFence started out about the same time). They (eShepherd/Gallagher) started out as "Agersens", and then got bought out by Gallagher... which says something too. Gallagher doesn't mess with the junk, looks to be quality product. The pic in @klm3030's post looks to be the Vence collar (they're currently undergoing some hardware changes to improve performance, which has been an issue for them in the past). And @Silver's post above from 11-3-25 looks to be the Halter brand.

I don't think that "brush", per se, will be the main concern for maintaining a good connection with the collars... it'll more likely come from remote/rough terrain conditions (same way that you lose cell/GPS signal continuity in those conditions).

See the concerns I posted on the "screwworm confirmed" page recently too (https://www.cattletoday.com/threads/screw-worm-confirmed.136335/page-7)... not a silver bullet, for sure. But they definitely have their place, and offer some benefits. I don't think that cost is one of them though... Probably best suited for areas where you have to put in alot of fence per cow in tough terrain (steep, rocky, etc.) if wanting to subdivide pastures. Unless you're in open range country, you'll still need physical perimeter fencing, at a minimum.

My guess would be that the "herd" mentioned by @Dave originally is likely in open range country, and being that this post originated over a year and a half ago, they probably are a "prototype herd", meaning they probably got some kind of deal from the collar companies to be testing the systems on a large scale... along with some potential grants to help with the cost. All of this is honestly "essential" to getting to full reliability of these systems... we, as producers, don't want to be footing the bill entirely for these companies to be experimenting on OUR herds, but we DO want these products to be proven in real world conditions.

Remember that once you buy them, they're "tech" that is changing rapidly, and they're YOURS (what's your cell phone worth as a used unit?). And the subscription fee to be using it NEVER goes away, AND DOESN'T HAVE AN IRON CLAD LIMIT ON WHAT IT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE (kind of like time share maintenance fees). Very likely, within a few years, the technology will have changed enough that the "old collars" will have become obsolete, and no longer supported by the service (think Windows 10 right now). And of course, THAT means that you no longer have a fence at all, and you need to start over. A physical fence, once installed, is yours forever, without any subscription fee to be functional. And it's 100% repairable by YOU... With a physical fence, if you do it right the first time, it'll still be standing and functional when your grandkids are running the place.

 

[chaded]

I have some from NoFence on the way for the cows. Not sure yet if im going to use them on the sheep.