The project is focussed on developing an animal-friendly virtual fencing system for cattle that enables the animals to be confined without using fixed fences. At this stage in the development of what is designed to be a commercial product, the research team has developed a prototype system and successfully demonstrated its use on a herd of cattle.

CSIRO's Dr Andrew Fisher said the system works in a similar way to a conventional electric fence for livestock, except that the fence is invisible. It is a major improvement on existing virtual fencing approaches.

"The boundaries are drawn entirely by GPS and exist only as a line on a computer," Dr Fisher said "There are no wires or fixed transmitters used at all. Importantly, what we're developing, achieves the same result as a conventional fence but without the need for posts and wire."

The system employs electronic collars which emit a sound to warn the cattle when they are approaching a virtual boundary line.

Conducted strictly in line with animal welfare requirements, the virtual fencing project involves collaboration - under the umbrella of the Food Futures Flagship - between CSIRO Livestock Industries in Armidale and the CSIRO ICT Centre in Brisbane.-CSIRO Australia