B2Farming and technology15 min

Virtual fences: good for farms and nature?

Read an excerpt from a VOA Learning English report comparing traditional fences with GPS-based virtual fences for cattle.

Before you read

On some farms, cattle now wear collars with GPS receivers. When an animal comes close to an invisible line that the farmer has drawn on a phone or computer, the collar makes a warning sound and then gives a small electric shock. This is called virtual fencing. Jim Strickland, a cattle rancher in Florida, uses it on the land where he works. Read this part of a VOA Learning English report about traditional fences and the possible benefits of virtual ones.

ranchernoun: a person who owns or manages a large farm where cattle or other animals are raisedThe rancher checks his cattle every morning.
grazingnoun: animals eating grass in a field; also land used for thisThe hills are used for sheep grazing in summer.
hurricanenoun: a very strong storm with violent winds, especially in the western Atlantic OceanThe hurricane damaged many roofs along the coast.
cell towernoun: a tall structure that sends and receives mobile phone signalsThere is no signal here because the nearest cell tower is far away.
nestingadjective: building or sitting on nests in order to lay eggs and raise youngDogs must be kept on a lead near nesting seabirds.

Virtual Fences for Cows Show Benefits

Physical fences take time, labor and money to build. It can be difficult to put them in areas such as rocky and hilly land, wet areas, or places with thick vegetation. Over time, fences need to be fixed or new ones need to be built.

When hurricane Ian hit Florida last year, it destroyed four houses and 45 kilometers of physical fence on the land where Strickland works. But the cell towers for the virtual fence system kept working.

Physical fences can also harm wild animals by making it difficult for them to move within and to areas they need for survival.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a U.S-based environmental non-profit organization. It has partnered with cattle ranches in the states of Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado to research the effects of virtual fencing.

William Burnidge is Deputy Director of TNC’s North America Regenerative Grazing Lands Strategy. He said that by changing fence boundaries, the systems prevent animals from eating too much vegetation within one area. This helps plants regenerate, or grow again.

He added that virtual fences could help protect rare plants and areas near rivers and streams. They could also support conservation of wild animals, improve the health of animals and help ranch workers have a better quality of life.

Strickland works with partners at Florida Conservation Group and the University of Florida. With virtual fences, they can carefully control grazing. This helps them research the effects of grazing patterns on the growth of young cows, birth rates, and even the effects on nesting birds.

Source

Text excerpt from “Virtual Fences for Cows Show Benefits”, Science & Technology, VOA Learning English, published 2024-03-06. Andrew Smith wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Public domain.

View the original article

Excerpt of 7 consecutive paragraphs. Questions, notes and glossary by Joy English.

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