Evaluation of the technical performance of the Nofence virtual fencing system in Alberta, Canada

Virtual fence (VF) technology uses GPS-enabled collars to manage cattle movement through audio cues and electrical pulses, offering a potential alternative to traditional physical fencing. The performance of Nofence VF collars was evaluated while in operational mode and deployed on cattle grazing within the northern temperate climate of central Alberta, Canada. Technical parameters such as network connectivity, collar failures, battery performance, and solar charging capabilities of the VF collars were evaluated across four grazing trials, three conducted in summer and one in winter. The network connection intervals, defined as the time between successive connection events, ranged from 8.1 (± 6.2) to 9.4 (± 5.4) minutes throughout the trials, remaining well within the optimal 15-minute interval, highlighting the favourable interactivity with end-users. Poor network connections occurred less than 1 % of the time, demonstrating robust coverage across the entire area. Fourteen collars experienced a network connection failure that did not persist after a manual reset. Four cattle physically lost their collars, which were then recovered and promptly redeployed. Although the mean solar charging rate was lower during the winter trial (3.1 ± 10.8 mA h-1) than the summer trials (7.9 ± 18.0 to 12.4 ± 22.1 mA h-1), mean battery charge remained greater than 96 % for all trials, even during winter when daylight was limited. While reliable cellular network access is crucial, these results indicate that Nofence VF collars can effectively function in diverse environmental conditions, and may be suitable for broader adoption by cattle producers grazing in relatively cold climates, including those of western Canada.