North Hampshire nature reserve uses GPS technology for cows
A herd is grazing at Hazeley Heath near Hartley Witney without the need for fences to keep them in place
A herd of cattle are now grazing on Hazeley Heath near Hartley Wintney using pioneering invisible fencing technology.
The cattle all wear collars that are GPS tracked. The boundary line is drawn electronically using satellite technology and when the cows come close to this ‘digital’ boundary the collars emit a sound that causes the animal to turn back, creating an invisible fence line. The devices do not cause any harm or distress.
Cllr David Neighbour, Leader of Hart District Council, said:
“This technology has a number of benefits. It saves money as fencing can be costly, not only in its initial set-up but also through its ongoing maintenance. Fencing is also very permanent, whereas this new technology will allow us to create a more targeted grazing regime as we can split compartments and encourage the cows to other areas by slowly moving the boundary line to encourage them to where we need them to be.
“Conservation grazing plays a key role in maintaining rare habitats like heathland. Amongst many other benefits, grazing is a sustainable way of controlling aggressive plant species which would otherwise dominate areas through scrub encroachment. We are proud to be pioneering this technology which we think is the future in balancing wildlife and recreational needs.”
As cattle will not be freely grazing across the whole site, visitors will have the option to avoid the cows completely, allowing free use of other areas for recreational purposes if preferred.
Posters onsite even provide a QR code which when scanned allows site users to see exactly where the cows are on the reserve, allowing for complete peace of mind.
For more information about the project visit www.hart.gov.uk/hazeley-heath