An Easier Everyday Life for the Farmer with Virtual Fences
Learn about how to better utilize your resources. Hear farmer Odd Einar's story about how bad fencing cost him time and money.
Throughout the summer of 2023, Monil put their product to the test. They worked together with dedicated farmers who were eager to try out the new technology of virtual fencing.
The learnings from that summer and stories are numerous, and today we want to share a story from one of our pilot farmers, Odd-Einar Hjortnæs.
Odd-Einar has been a crucial part of our product development at Monil. The Norwegian farmer, based about 25 kilometers outside of the capital of Oslo, runs a dairy production of around 200,000 liters. Additionally, he enjoys the Norwegian tradition of summer grazing in the majestic Hardangervidda, where he has rights to the vast public land. For Odd-Einar, virtual fencing has proven to be a solution that has simplified his everyday life.
More Efficient Resource Utilization
Poor and non-existent fencing has often been a hindrance to the effective utilization of valuable open pasture resources. Odd-Einar expresses it as follows:
"With a lot of poor fencing, it's not interesting to utilize open pasture resources without virtual fencing. I have other things to do than travel around on a tractor with a trailer to fetch animals!"
The farmer is convinced that virtual fencing will significantly improve his daily life. With this technology, life becomes that much easier, and he can use his time more efficiently.
Animals' Response to Virtual Fencing
In the summer of testing, Odd-Einar gained firsthand experience of how quickly animals react to virtual fences. His animals participating in the trial behaved calmly and quickly understood the sound signals being given from the collar.
Reliable without Mobile Coverage
An important feature of the virtual fences is their reliability. Odd-Einar was positive that the product has technology that works even in areas without mobile coverage. This means that even if he can't communicate with the device up in the mountains of Hardangervidda, the animals will still receive alerts when they approach the boundary of the defined grazing area. This technology allows farmers to optimize resource usage, ensure the safety and well-being of the animals, and simplify the farmer's everyday life.
Modern Technology for the Modern Farmer
We are grateful for Odd-Einar's participation in the development of our cattle collar. His experience with animals and his perspective were immensely valuable for us to learn and make sure our product is helpful to all farmers who want to spend more time doing other things than wrangling animals.
