THE innovative eShepherd digital fencing platform will be trialed as a tool to better protect the Great Barrier Reef, while enhancing grazing management in reef catchment areas.
The trial follows eShepherd's developer, Australian agtech company, Agersens, being awarded a prestigious $335,000 Innovation and Systems Change Grant, which is jointly funded by the Australian Government's Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
eShepherd allows cattle to be controlled and moved using an 'intelligent' neckband, which is is virtually connected to a base station and the eShepherd web application.
Impressively, a grazier wanting to contain or move animals to a particular area can use the app to create a virtual paddock on their property.
The trial will see eShepherd used to exclude up to 400 cattle from catchment locations during the next 12 months, and to collect data on the effectiveness of the system in reliably keeping stock from entering sensitive riparian areas.
The costs and benefits of using the technology as part of an integrated approach to improved grazing land management will also be undertaken
Agersens chief executive officer Jason Chaffey said the protection of the Great Barrier Reef was paramount and real change needed to start at a production level to minimise sediment runoff into waterways.
"We believe we are part of the solution to improving land management practices, both in catchment areas and more broadly across the Australian grazing sector, through virtual fencing," Mr Chaffey said.
"eShepherd allows graziers to cost-effectively establish virtual fences in challenging terrain typically unsuitable for traditional fencing.
"The cost of traditional fencing and its maintenance can be huge to a grazing business. However, we now offer a solution to allow landowners to protect sensitive areas and minimise topsoil runoff into the waterways, by keeping stock away from eroding gullies and streambanks."
Mr Chaffey said beyond stock exclusion, eShepherd also enabled graziers to adopt improved grazing practice change across an entire property.
"eShepherd controls and moves animals automatically, enabling better pasture management by increasing rest periods to improve pasture quality," he said.
The data collected throughout the trial via the intelligent neckband will be used to track the position and behaviour of each animal relative to the virtual paddock boundary. The technology can also provide compliance data to verify animal location.
Great Barrier Reef Foundation managing director Anna Marsden said poorer water quality caused by land-based runoff was a significant threat to the health of Australia's irreplaceable ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef.
"Sediment and pollutants running into the Reef's waters smother coral and seagrass, are toxic to marine life and contribute to crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, and we must continue to work together and do better," Ms Marsden said.
"This innovative project will add to the more than 60 Reef-saving projects we are delivering right now with over 65 project delivery partners.
"This builds on work by Queensland's farmers and agricultural community who are already undertaking a high calibre of work to safeguard the future of the Reef."
The trial is expected to start in February next year. Volunteer producers in eligible catchments are being sought for the trial.
