SustAinimal Perspectives – Cattle Management with Virtual Fencing in Northern Sweden

Virtual fencing is a precision livestock farming tool which may offer farmers advantages in pasture based grazing systems in terms of cost saving on labour and flexibility in grazing solutions. Virtual fencing uses neck collars equipped with global navigation satellite systems and telecommunication functions, where audio cues and electrical pulses replace traditional electric fencing. While virtual fencing has been studied in other countries there is limited research done in high latitude climates (e.g. Northern Sweden) and there are concerns on its use in young animals (< 6months old). Due to this we designed an experiment where the heifers were younger than 6 months old under Northern Swedish summer conditions to assess the impact of virtual fencing on animal behaviour, stress physiology and growth. Thirty heifers (126 – 294 d) were allocated into two groups (n = 15 per group): a control group managed with electric fencing, and a virtual fencing group. The 110-day experiment included three 35-day experimental grazing periods, with six days of a learning phase at the start of each period. Over the course of the study, we collected data and samples on body weight, animal behaviour, hair cortisol, pasture and collar information. Our presentation will focus the study’s results and what they might mean for virtual fencing use especially in younger animals in arctic climate.