Are virtual fences applicable in mountain pastures?

Fencing steep mountain pastures is time consuming and expensive. Consequently, these valuable grasslands are more and more abandoned. Virtual fencing (VF) is a promising technology to facilitate pasture management: animals wear GPS-collars emitting (1) audio tones (ATs) when reaching a digitally determined pasture boundary, and (2) an electric pulse (EP) when crossing it. We aimed at testing the adaptation of cattle to VF in mountain conditions. Thirty heifers were trained to VF in the lowlands and then divided into 3 independent groups during mountain grazing. Here, during 3 months, each group successively grazed 9 paddocks (6 virtual fenced, 3 wire fenced). We recorded the number of ATs and EPs per individual. The VF system worked reliably, but required careful handling when changing paddocks. During 83 days of mountain grazing, each animal received an average of 4.9±6.9 ATs and 0.3±0.7 EPs per day. These numbers were much lower when compared to the training period, indicating an effective learning by the animals. Only during days with special events occurring (e.g., wildlife presence) were ATs and EPs significantly increased. VF effectively kept the animals within the defined area. Therefore, if a 4G-GSM network is available, it can facilitate mountain pasture management.