Far-reaching implications for virtual fencing trial
The protagonists of NQ Dry Tropics’ Virtually Fence Free project have high hopes for the potential application of the new technology.
The five-year trial at the Department of Primary Industries’ Spyglass Beef Research Facility, in the Upper Burdekin north of Charters Towers is the only such trial being conducted in northern Australia.
It will test the viability and practicality of virtual fencing systems for cattle in remote rangeland environments and the results will help shape and promote wider adoption.
NQ Dry Tropics leads a consortium behind the project including:
- Department of Primary Industries;
- North Queensland graziers;
- Centre of Applied Climate Science at DPI’s Spyglass Beef Research Facility; and
- Gulf Savannah NRM.
The project will be guided by two advisory groups:
- a Producer Advisory Group to guide the design of the trial and ensure the project is focused on solving issues faced by graziers; and
- a Scientific Advisory Group that will review trial methods to ensure they’re scientifically sound and will provide results in which graziers can have confidence.
Drought being a part of life for Australian graziers suggests the enormous potential in the new technology to give landholders tools to implement fine-scale adaptive grazing will help them nurse drought-affected country back to health and full production.
The unprecedented level of control over where and when cattle graze every part of a property should also give graziers the wherewithal to be continually building resilience in the good seasons.
The trial follows on the heels of prototype trials conducted by CSIRO and virtual fencing collar manufacturers, Gallagher.
