The world’s first virtual fence for cattle

Nofence has developed the world's first virtual fence for livestock. It controls the cattle's movement via a GPS tracker, which emits a sound that deters the animal if it approaches the "fence." EGGS has helped develop the cattle collar and the app to control the designated pasture's size and location.

The solution consists of a GPS collar and a cloud-based, virtual fence controlled via a mobile app. When the animal approaches the edge of the designated pasture, a sound goes off to indicate that it should return on its path. If the animal continues to approach, an electric pulse is delivered.

Healthier cattle and less work for farmers

With Nofence, farmers can quickly move their livestock from one area to another, without putting up new, physical fences. It also dispenses the work of maintenance that a traditional fence implies. This keeps workload and costs down and allows the cattle to have more days of free-roaming every year. Moreover, it enables cattle to roam in rugged terrain, where physical fencing is difficult to put in place. This provides access to new, healthy pastures, helps keep the landscape open, and contributes to a healthy ecosystem.

We have involved the users – farmers – through continuous, weekly testing of prototypes. The result is a fully functional product developed within a period of only eight months. This would not have been possible without the rapid iterations and trying out concepts built with 3D printing.

Building a robust product for a challenging environment

Nofence wanted a new product, specifically designed for larger animals, but based on their existing technology. We developed a robust, enduring product that can handle the wear and tear of more than 500 kgs massive animal, mechanical impact, dirt, and harsh weather conditions such as humidity, moisture, low- and high-temperature extremes, and sunlight exposure. Moreover, the design caters to the animal itself – the edges are rounded, not to cause any unnecessary friction to the cattle's skin.

One problem in designing the product for cattle was to ensure the battery would be held securely in place under all conditions, and at the same time, be easy to replace. In the event of needing to replace the battery, it can be removed and reinserted in one simple movement.

Self-recharging battery solution

Having a reliable, long-lasting energy source for the collar is essential. It's vital for the cattle's safety and the farmer that the device never loses its power connection. Without a power connection, the device stops working, and the animal gets access to areas that may be inappropriate, and it could get lost or hurt. Therefore, the design includes two large solar panels and a high-capacity rechargeable battery. The solution is self-sustaining under most conditions, but in the event of needing to replace it, the battery can be removed and reinserted in one simple, quick movement.

Apart from controlling the fence, the app allows the farmer to access and track important information about the animals – their location and movement. This can give a good indication of the well-being of the cattle. Photo: Nofence

Easily controlled via a mobile app

The size and location of the pasture are controlled through a mobile app. With just one click, you can make adjustments and include or exclude areas. EGGS is ensuring good usability of the app through user interface and user-experience design, working closely with Nofence’s development team. Besides being practical, the cloud-based solution allows for useful data about the animals to be stored.