At the recent Texoma Cattlemen’s Conference in Ardmore, the Noble Foundation’s Bryan Nichols discussed several new technologies in the works to help beef producers improve cattle and grassland management.
Nichols, who is also a cattle producer in southern Oklahoma, says geofencing - a system very similar to what some might use to keep a dog in a yard - would allow a producer to plug in coordinates on a map to determine boundaries and then equip cattle with a device that trains them to not cross over that border. Although the technology is still in early development, he says it could be a valuable tool in improving rotational grazing and reducing fencing costs.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are already gaining popularity with producers across the state. Nichols says this technology could be especially helpful in capturing more data on grassland to make management decisions like when to provide supplemental nutrition or when to move cattle.
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