Progress report for WPDP22-016
Project Information
Ranching is a nexus of economics, culture, and conservation in the western US. There is a critical need to integrate emerging technologies into traditional livestock practices to respond to the challenges of a changing world. Virtual fencing (VF) is one such technology. Using GPS-enabled cattle collars and on-ranch base stations, ranchers can create temporary or permanent virtual barriers that trigger collar stimulus to contain livestock in planned areas. This technology can save ranchers time and effort by allowing them to remotely adjust barriers, determine the location of animals, and examine how livestock are using pastures. They can then use this knowledge to improve grazing systems by adjusting in real-time in response to ecological conditions.
Building on VF field trials in Arizona, this two-year train-the-trainer program will increase the knowledge, skill, and capacity of producers, Cooperative Extension professionals, agencies, and non-governmental organizations to evaluate and implement VF technology. Rangeland and beef cattle professionals at the University of Arizona and Arizona Cooperative Extension, with Santa Rita Ranch LLC will: (1) conduct an economic cost-benefit analysis of VF technology, (2) create outreach materials (fact sheets, training guide, demonstration video), (3) host three on-ranch workshops to provide hands-on learning experiences, (4) lead three web-based courses, and (5) extend learning opportunities to western producers through online marketing.
Without VF training programs, managers and producers may miss opportunities to use VF to adapt to challenges or may misapply the technology. Increasing management flexibility is essential for ranchers to meet fundamental and emerging management challenges such as animal welfare; climate variability and change; and livestock management in ecologically sensitive areas. The integration of novel technologies combined with well-established agricultural knowledge and methodologies has the potential to develop mutually beneficial outcomes for both the ranching community and the environment.
This project will provide multiple training opportunities designed to increasing economic and ecological sustainability of ranching by introducing precision livestock management and VF technologies to meet the following objective:
By the end of the project period, increase knowledge, skills, and technical capacity for VF evaluation, implementation, operation, and economic assessment among western rangeland professionals and producers, including: ranchers; Arizona, New Mexico, and California Cooperative Extension professionals; NRCS; USFS; NGOs; and local land management agencies.
Success will be measured by surveying participants before and after in-person workshops and webinars to test knowledge and skill acquisition related to VF implementation, operation, and economic assessment and comfort level with use of computer programs and other technologies needed to implement VF. Programming will be adjusted at each workshop and webinar using results from surveys conducted at previous trainings.
The project team has the knowledge and expertise to achieve this objective. Faculty from UArizona (PI Lien) and ACE (PI Beard) are cooperating with Santa Rita Ranch LLC (McGibbon) to implement VF field trials at the SRER. Trials include ~500 cattle wearing collars to test implementation and cost effectiveness of the technology (IACUC-Approval). The PIs of this proposal have extensive experience designing and hosting Extension workshops. UArizona research staff have years of experience designing and developing online resources for Rangelands Partnership (RP; Dalke, Noelle, Rahr) and are conducting field research on VF technology (Antaya, Mayer, Noelle). UArizona resource economics staff will conduct the cost-benefit analysis (Duval). Landmark Stories, UArizona’s internal documentary film studio, will produce the demonstration video. The project team will use knowledge and experience gained from VF field trials and literature to effectively disseminate information related to animal agriculture, agronomics, and the effects of sustainable practices on quality of life for producers and rural communities to western agricultural professionals.
The project team assumes there is demand for VF training based on interactions with producers and land managers individually and at professional meetings where the topic has been presented and discussed. A multi-faceted training program combined with strong outreach will significantly increase the ability of stakeholders to evaluate VF technology for sustainable rangeland management (Wright et al., 2017). Successful completion of the project requires: (1) salary support for staff, (2) Santa Rita Ranch LLC financial support for meaningful involvement from start to finish, and (3) support from collaborators.
Activities and Methods:
Pre-workshop (10/1/2022-3/31/2023):
- Conduct a cost-benefit analysis of VF technology using established methods.
- Based on VF field trials, create training guide, five fact sheets (topics: economics, animal behavior/wellbeing, VF 101, implementation on state and federal land, computer skills needed for implementation, and troubleshooting), and demonstration video.
- Reach target audiences through Arizona, New Mexico, and California Extension; land management agencies; NGOs; RP; Arizona Society for Range Management; and producer organizations. Underserved communities will be reached through collaboration with UArizona’s Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program.
Workshops (4/1/2023-12/31/2023):
Three full-day, field-based professional development workshops to train ranchers and land managers in VF technology. Workshops will take place at SRER (southern Arizona), V-Bar-V Ranch (central Arizona), and Springerville, AZ (eastern Arizona) (~50 participants/workshop, 150 participants total). Workshops will: introduce VF technology and components; demonstrate implementation and provide hands-on use of VF software and hardware (collar placement/establishing fences); and present cost-benefit analysis. A panel of producers currently using a VF technology will share their experiences. Evaluations will be given at workshops and six months and one year after to assess knowledge retention and changes in management because of training.
Web-based Courses (10/1/2023-6/30/2024):
Three one-hour web-based courses demonstrating the fundamentals of VF implementation and economics (~100 participants/course; 300 participants total). Courses will be recorded. Evaluation surveys will assess participant learning and workshop outcomes.
Online Dissemination (1/1/2023-9/30/2024):
Fact sheets, training guide, video, and recorded web-based courses, including cost-benefit information, will be available online (RP’s Rangelands Gateway and ACE’s Beef Cattle) ensuring information remains available beyond the project period. Online marketing will disseminate information through established communication channels, including RP’s and ACE’s social media and electronic newsletters and the project team’s professional networks. Google analytics will be used to track use of online resources.
Cooperators
- (Educator and Researcher)
- (Educator and Researcher)
- (Researcher)
- (Educator and Researcher)
- (Educator and Researcher)
Education
Educational materials: (1) one training guide, (2) five fact sheets, and (3) one demonstration video (10/22-3/23), plus (4) online content: workshop presentations, training guide, fact sheets, and web-based courses will be repackaged for permanent web dissemination on Rangelands Gateway and Beef Cattle (1/23-9/24), and (4) online marketing outreach (1/23-9/24).
Workshops: three full-day, field-based workshops with training in computer applications (2023).
Web-based courses: three one-hour web-based courses will highlight key aspects of the workshops (10/23-6/24).
Continuing online learning content: fact sheets, training guide, demonstration video, and recorded web-based courses, including cost-benefit information, will be available on Rangelands Gateway and Beef Cattle and disseminated through an online marketing campaign before, during, and after workshops and web-based courses will be implemented (1/23-9/24).
Education & Outreach Initiatives
Produce training materials such as fact sheets and and online content.
(1) one training guide, (2) five fact sheets, and (3) one demonstration video (10/22-3/23), plus (4) online content: workshop presentations, training guide, fact sheets, and web-based courses will be repackaged for permanent web dissemination on Rangelands Gateway and Beef Cattle (1/23-9/24), and (4) online marketing outreach (1/23-9/24). As per the project timeline, these initiatives will be completely in calendar year 2023.
Participants will acquire skills needed to implement VF, to establish conservation action areas, and to design and implement collaborative, landscape-level rangeland restoration plans.
Knowledge of where to find resources and learning materials online for future reference.
Hold workshops to provide training in implementation of virtual fencing systems
Three full-day, field-based workshops with training in computer applications. As per the project timeline, these workshops will take place in calendar year 2023, and may continue into 2024.
Workshop participants will gain basic knowledge about VF technology, how it may apply in specific management contexts, and the economics of implementation compared to traditional fencing and labor.
Participants will acquire skills needed to implement VF, to establish conservation action areas, and to design and implement collaborative, landscape-level rangeland restoration plans.
Following the workshops, land managers, producers, and other participants will have the skills and materials for use in their own workshops and technical assistance activities.
Extension personnel, land management agencies, and technical service providers who participated in the training program will use the knowledge gained and resources made available to develop new educational programming about the VF, its uses, and costs and benefits.
Develop and deliver webinars and only resources
Three one-hour web-based courses will highlight key aspects of the workshops; web-based versions of all factsheets, training guides, and other materials produced during the course of the project.
Participants will acquire skills needed to implement VF, to establish conservation action areas, and to design and implement collaborative, landscape-level rangeland restoration plans.
Knowledge of where to find resources and learning materials online for future reference.
NRCS, USFS, and land management agency personnel who participated in the training program will begin to evaluate incorporation of VF and precision livestock management into conservation and management of rangelands, including implementation of adaptive management on public grazing allotments and incorporation of VF into conservation practice standards.
An extended community of land managers and producers accesses the educational materials provided online, expanding the impact of the professional development program beyond the initial participants.
Project Outcomes
This project was initiated in October 2022. We have not yet held workshops, released fact sheets and web materials, etc. Materials will be produced in the next reporting period.
Our project team has been conducting pilot research studies to provide foundational data for SARE supported workshops.
Passive Capture Rotation pilot study
When planning a rotation on the Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER), stocking rate or Animal Unit Days (AUDs) are assigned based on the average production produced in a pasture (lbs/acres) and the total animals using that forage base. This average is reduced to a 40% threshold in an attempt to proactively graze the forage base within the sustainable levels. Utilization is measured after the herd is moved to the next pasture in the rotation. This approach assumes the amount of time spent within the pasture follows the rotation schedule. Accomplishing this requires ranchers to efficiently gather and move animals within a short period of time. This process is difficult to execute on its own and greatly increases in difficulty during periods of labor shortage or when more frequent moves are required. SRER additionally follows a 10 day grazing limit per pasture during the growing season (monsoon period) to limit impact to the forage base while they are in their most sensitive stage. Combined with labor shortages, this increases the time and cost required of the ranching operation.
Virtual fencing holds the potential to expedite gathering and moving time by passively capturing the herd in smaller fenced in areas over time. Animals can be collected near a gate where a move would normally occur while using a water source as an incentive to capture animals. Passive capture (PC) can be then used reduce the ranchers reliance on personnel to directly gather cattle and limit the risk of stragglers remaining in the pasture. Ranchers will only be required to open and close the conjoining gate and selectively collect any remaining cattle following the initial move.
There are likely multiple factors influencing the effect of PC including the number of animals in a herd, seasonal changes in individual mobility, the size of the pasture, number of virtual fences included, distance between virtual fences, and the type or whether or not incentives are used when gathering. Understanding whether this method can be implemented in a working context and the circumstances necessary to most efficiently use this method need to be examined. Once a firm understanding of how these factors influence the PC process is established, rate of movement or percentage captured can be calibrated to maintain the existing rotation schedule.
Disclaimer: The Santa Rita Experimental range (SRER) herd are owned and under the operation of the the Santa Rita Ranch, Inc.. All tests are opportunistically examined under working ranch conditions. As such, virtual fences are applied depending on an existing rotation plan to improve the quality of use while accessing a pasture or to assist in maintaining the rotation schedule. Results are not from controlled experiments, but inform how well the technology can be used in a real life context and should be interpreted as so.
2022
Objective
The objective of this study was to examine the use of PC as a potential method for moving cattle between pastures. The study occurred in the UA-Cells during the growing season with a small herd of 70-80 individuals. Due to grazing occurring during the growing season, the herd was allotted 10 days in each pasture. This would require the ranchers to actively move the herd 6-7 times over a period of 2 months. Normally, this would require extensive effort on the rancher's part and is likely to result in a number of stragglers remaining pastures past the 10-day limit. Utilizing virtual fencing, we can maintain the existing schedule without incurring the added time and labor costs of multiple round ups.
The average pasture size for each of the five moves we observed is 393 acres. This study provides insight into the practicality of using the PC method as a means of effectively and efficiently moving cattle in a low cost manner between pastures and serves as a foundation for examining the factors influencing its effectiveness under the varying circumstances that occur on working ranches.
Results
PC occurred over the period of three days following the opening of the conjoining gate to the next pasture. Locations of cattle after each day fences were active were used to estimate capture rate for each move. Percent-captured was observed for the three days before and after each move to observe the number of animals present during the PC session and the number retained after the session was complete. Variability existed between each move depending on when the gate was opened in relation to when the virtual fencing was activated and when the gate was closed.
Examining the effect of all moves within the active virtual fence period virtual fences resulted in a collection rate of 25%. Extrapolating this out an additional day would suggest that a four-day period would be enough to move the entire herd between pastures.
Discussion
From these results, it was observed that on average 25% of the herd was captured per day. This is useful in planning future PC efforts, suggesting that a four-day PC session may be necessary to move the entire herd in pastures of approximately 400 acres in size. These preliminary results suggest that passive capture is an effective method of moving livestock between pastures and may greatly assist managers in maintaining a rotation schedule with a reliable 2-day virtual fence scheduling around the intended deadline and execution of the planned stocking rate.
The variability present during each pasture move indicates that there are additional factors are at play. Most noticeably, the move from UAF to Pasture 1 had the lowest capture rate and the only move without a water source used as an incentive to capture animals. This indicates that the use of incentives may play a larger role in the successful implementation of PCs in similar situations. Additionally, this may suggest the need for more strategic fencing placement to capture animals.
2023
Objective
In 2023, PC will be implemented in every move for the large and small herd. This will encompass roughly 32 moves over the course of the 2023 calendar year in pasture ranging in size from 156 to 4699 acres. Fencing density, herd size, fencing placement, and season will all be examined to observe the influence of each parameter in executing PC.
Pasture Distribution and Riparian Exclusion Tests
The objectives in Pasture 8 focused on within pasture control of the Santa Rita Experimental Range's small herd. Grazing in Pasture 8 is reportedly observed as heavily concentrated to the northwest portion of the pasture. The reasons why the herd actively selects this part of the pasture is unknown, but is likely associated with lesser topography, higher forage quality, or distance to water. Due to the strong incentives driving selection for the northwest portion of the pasture we determined this would be a good opportunity to test how well virtual fences can be used to contain animals to other areas of the pasture to increase the overall distribution of use.
Disclaimer: The Santa Rita Experimental range (SRER) herd is owned and under the operation of the the Santa Rita Ranch, Inc.. All tests are opportunistically examined under working ranch conditions. As such, virtual fences are applied depending on an existing rotation plan to improve the quality of use while accessing a pasture or to assist in maintaining the rotation schedule. Results are not from controlled experiments, but inform how well the technology can be used in a real life context and should be interpreted as so.
2021-2022
Objective
The objective of this study was to observe the virtual fence’s ability to restrict access to a previously accessed and preferentially selected portion of a pasture while excluding cattle from a reach of riparian habitat bordering the enclosed sub-pasture. To examine this, virtual fences were created bisecting the pasture into northwest and southeast sub-pastures (Figure 1).
The herd was allowed full access to the entire pasture for 10 days, after which the total animal days within each sub-pasture were summed for this period. Animal days include the total amount of time per individual occurring in either sub-pasture. Following the first 10 days, virtual fences were enabled and access was restricted back into the southeast sub-pasture for the next 30 days. Average animal days for the 4-10 day periods were compared to the animal days during full access.
Sub-Pasturing Results
Cattle activity within the SE pasture was significantly larger during the fenced period when compared to activity with the virtual fence off (one-sample t-test, p < 0.0001). Average cattle activity during the “Fence On” period was 186.77 days higher in SE than during the “Fence Off” Period with a total 152% increase in activity.
Riparian Exclusion Results
No significant difference between “Fence On” and “Fence Off” periods (one-sample t-test, p = 0.2441). Riparian use was maintained regardless of a 152% increase in cattle activity in the SE pasture.
Discussion
The results from this study indicate that virtual fencing can be used to control livestock access within a pasture, but is still in need of improvement. Compliance with virtual fencing is a product of training and previous experience. Identification of individual compliance and their previous history with virtual fencing may provide insight into why certain individuals fail to comply with the stimulus. Additionally, now that there is an understanding that virtual fencing can influence pasture use, further study is required to test whether increased distribution was successfully obtained.
Results from the riparian exclusion experiment provide some insight into the fences ability to restrict access to sensitive riparian habitat. Under increased grazing density, there was no significant difference in riparian use. Though this may be a result of incentive, such as thermal protection or water availability, being less important during the winter but does show virtual fences provide some pressure against cattle access. Additional studies are necessary to observe the virtual fence’s ability to exclude cattle.
2023
Objective
The objective of this study is to use virtual fencing to concentrate use in historically lesser used parts of a pasture to increase distribution across the entire pasture.
Stocking pastures to meet sustainable use objectives is difficult due to the variability in how resources are distributed within a pasture and the obstacles in place preventing access those resources. This variability can be a product of forage quality, distance from water, and topography within the same pasture; all of which have some influence of use (Pauler et al. 2020, Valentine 1947, Mueggler 1965, Cook 1966). History of use may additionally play a part in where cattle preferentially graze (Howery et al. 1991). Under the SRER rotation planning guidelines, Animal Unit Days (AUDs) are assigned based on the average production pasture (lbs/acres). This average is reduced to a 40% threshold in an attempt to proactively graze the forage base within the sustainable levels. Though reduced to presumably sustainable levels, concentrated utilization can impact specific areas in a pasture.
Schedule
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1/5 - 1/13 |
1/14 - 1/22 |
1/23 - 1/31 |
2/1 - 2/9 |
2/10 - 2/18 |
2/19 - 2/27 |
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Full Access |
Restricted |
Restricted-Riparian |
Restricted-Riparian |
Full Access-Riparian |
Full Access-Riparian |
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