Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies are having a major impact on management of intensive systems and recent webinars suggest they can have a similar impact on more extensive systems.

A series of webinars delivered jointly by BSAS Global and partners explored pathways to exploitation of PLF to the benefits of extensive ruminant producers, but also the entire supply chain.

Dr Claire Morgan-Davies from Scotland’s Rural College says that with many extensive grazing systems being in Less Favoured Areas, it will be important to factor in the effect on biodiversity when assessing the role of PLF, but believes the techniques can help farmers address several key challenges.

She says extensive grazing systems are usually in more remote areas with harsher environments. It is a more traditional sector where lack of labour is a concern. Farming is generally less efficient and productive resulting in lower incomes in these areas, while at the same time there is a demand to balance the conflicts between farming, tourism and the environment.

“Despite these challenges, developments across the globe are demonstrating that PLF techniques can help businesses evolve with data helping farmers react and adjust management,” said Dr Morgan-Davies.

The use of remote-based monitoring systems and animal recording systems have the potential to allow automated management systems and alert warnings with wide applications which are already being developed worldwide.

Monitoring systems based on individual animal sensors open the door for the use of walk over weighers to allow monitoring of growth rates and an indication of forage supply as a way to manage supplementary feeding.

Sensors will also allow farmers to see where, when and how much animals are grazing as a guide to grazing productivity. Combined with virtual fencing technologies it will then be possible to constrain animals and direct where they graze.

“These technologies have the potential to improve efficiency and productivity while sharpening environmental and biodiversity management. At the same time, they can help address the issue of labour shortages and may increase engagement with the younger generation, securing the future for more extensive systems,” she said.

Virtual fencing is a technology which is already well advanced and Dr David Stevens from AgResearch Ltd in New Zealand says that it has the potential to enable change in the way extensive systems are managed.

The system involves all animals wearing a GPS location device. The farmer programmes the areas where animals can graze. If animals stray from the allocated area they get a warning.

“Like standard electric fencing, virtual fences work as a deterrent as opposed to a barrier and animals can be trained to use them in less than a week,” he comments.

“The technologies have a wide range of applications. In particular, they can underpin improvements in productivity by allowing animals to be constrained and moved more efficiently to increase feed utilisation and feed quality. At the same time, it can facilitate environmental protection, for example by keeping animals away from wet areas or protecting particular habitats.”

In Aberystwyth, remote sensing satellites are being used to measure grass growth in extensive systems allowing improvements in sward management and utilisation to drive grazing decision making and productivity.

While PLF technologies can deliver a number of benefits in extensive systems, there are still several barriers to overcome before uptake will be more widespread.

Dr Tony Waterhouse from SRUC says that reliable and cheap data communication is a major challenge. “PLF systems require large amounts of data to be uploaded to the cloud and then sent to the end user and currently the capabilities are tiny by comparison with intensive systems. The good news is that the technology is developing very quickly.

“The other major issue is cost as extensive systems typically have less money to invest that intensive operations. However, research is ongoing looking at whether it is possible to only place sensors on a subset of the flock or herd rather than on every animal as a way to bring down costs.

“But it will also be important to look at all the stakeholders who may benefit from better management of extensive grazing systems, including farmers but also processors and the entire food chain as well as wider environmental and biodiversity benefits to see how the cost can be more fairly distributed.”