"It started off being about compliance and now it’s much more about productivity," the Omarama Station co-owner said.
He put 200 Gallagher eShepherd neckbands on some of his breeding cows on his 12,000ha sheep and beef station about 18 months ago.
Cattle wear the solar-powered, GPS-enabled neckbands and a farmer draws virtual fences in an app.
As cattle wearing the neckbands approach a virtual fence, a warning beep sounds from the neckband. If the animal continues towards the virtual fence, the neckband delivers an aversive, but harmless pulse.
The initial reason for buying the neckbands was to install virtual fences to keep cows out of waterways, including a high-profile fishery, which would be impossible to physically fence to exclude livestock.
"It has proved very successful."
He had worked with Environment Canterbury before putting the neckbands on his herd to ensure a new virtual system would meet all of the council’s regulations.
The neckbands had also been used as a tool for improving pasture utilisation and quality.
"When the cows come on to the more intensive paddocks, we can put a virtual fence up so that the calves move ahead of the cows and they get the best feed first, instead of competing with mum."
The Station has since bought more neckbands and now 260 cows wear them.
A plan was to buy more neckbands so all of the about 350 cows on the station had them.
The cows easily learnt how the technology works in up to three days.
"Cows are smart."
Staff helping run the 18,500 merino sheep and about 700 beef cattle on the station include a stock manager and two shepherds.
A helicopter was no longer needed at mustering.
The new technology and traditional farming methods, such as mustering on horses, was "a good marriage".
"You can see on your phone exactly where they are and just go and pick them up."
The neckbands and app communicated via a cellular network.
"We’re lucky that we’ve got a pretty good cell network."
He predicted the technology would be able to connect to a satellite in the future.
"I think everybody’s going that way, it’s just who gets there first."
Gallagher Group business development manager Mark Maitland, of Lincoln, spoke about the eShepherd technology at a Beef + Lamb New Zealand field day, called Farming in the Future, in South Canterbury earlier this month.
The beef sector was being targeted to buy the technology, where a common use of the neckbands was as a "precision grazing" tool to increase the performance of pasture and cattle.
Cattle should ideally be 200kg or heavier to wear a neckband, and the length of the neckband needs to be adjusted as cattle grow.
Farmers must have a desire to drive the technology, he said.
"Don’t just buy it because your neighbour has got it."
If farmers were not using new technology, they should still stay engaged with how it was advancing.
"It is moving so fast, that if you don’t stay engaged, you’ll get left behind."
