PROJECT OVERVIEW
Goals
TESTING VIRTUAL FENCING TECHNOLOGY
The five-year Virtually Fence Free project is testing the efficacy of virtual fencing as a drought resilient grazing strategy in the Burdekin region .
The aim is to demonstrate :
• the effectiveness of virtual fencing collars so rangeland graziers can implement drought resilient grazing systems ; and
• how virtual fencing can be used to protect areas of vulnerable land condition while delivering improved production .
Partners
NQ Dry Tropics is leading a consortium including :
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries ( DAF );
• North Queensland graziers ;
• Centre of Applied Climate Science at DAF ’ s Spyglass Beef Research Station ; and
• Gulf Savannah NRM .
Project oversight
A Producer Advisory Group will guide the design of the trial to ensure the project is focused on solving issues faced by graziers .
A Scientific Advisory Group will review the trial methods to ensure findings are scientifically sound , and provide results in which graziers can have confidence .
Next steps
• Developing a control paddock with similar pasture qualities to the trial paddock ; and
• increasing the size of the herd .
The eShepherd collars being trialled in the project .
ESTABLISHMENT PHASE
Connecting the virtual
There is limited mobile connectivity at DAF ’ s Spyglass Beef Research Facility so this will be a chance to test whether Starlink broadband internet can support adoption of agtech in remote areas , where poor connectivity prevents wider uptake .
What it is that ’ s being
The trial will be monitored to ensure the technology and practices are effective and to ensure the trial is responsive and applicable to graziers . The collars ’ inbuilt accelerometers and telemetry will also provide data for individual animals around behaviour , activity and energy expenditure .
P12 P12 | Grit | Grit Issue Issue 31 , 31 June , June , 2024 , 2024