Remote Tracking Location and Activity of Beef Cattle on Pasture Utilizing GPS-Enabled Technology

Indicators of animal health and welfare levels impacting beef cattle performance and productivity can be gathered through wearable remote sensor technology. GPS-enabled technology with accelerometers, often as ear tags or neck collars, is a suitable option available to provide near or real-time location tracking and activity monitoring of livestock for disease, oestrous, or calving alert detection, animal behaviour and well-being, or for anti-theft purposes. However, behaviours that are less frequently expressed, or with similar patterns, or those expressed during a short duration, are challenging to accurately detect and measure resulting in poorly fitted algorithms for certain animal types or management scenarios. Besides, technology limitations such as battery lifespan, transmission range, satellite orbit frequency, service coverage, storage capacity, and economic affordability for the average beef ranch also hinders its adoption. Equipment suitability is specific to environmental, climatic, and regional production practices, and even though the accuracy of location data is high, GPS can be subject to errors. Additionally, current prices of the technology may limit use on all animals within a herd and/or use in all seasons. Platforms for the GPS data generally include features to visualize cattle grazing patterns and alert to movement and activity over time as just a few examples of the valuable options that can contribute to improved management decisions.