Foundations of Virtual Fencing: Collar Deployment Basics

Virtual fence (VF) is a management tool that uses invisible barriers, established using Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, that influence livestock movement with a combination of auditory and electrical cues. A VF system includes the following elements: (1) a software interface to draw VF lines and the boundary zone on a digital map, which defines the grazing area and exclusion zone; (2) a GPS- enabled collar fitted around the circumference of an animal’s neck or other wearable device that contains technology to track livestock movement and deliver auditory and electrical cues to influence or limit livestock distribution; and (3) base stations and/or cellular signal to transmit and receive communication between the software and wearable device (Antaya et al., 2024a; Ehlert et al., 2024). In this fact sheet, we will provide an overview of the components that make up a VF collar. Then, we will focus on collar deployment, the process to prepare for collaring events, and suggest strategies to safely place VF collars on livestock while ensuring proper fit.