The economic fundamentals of virtual fencing compared to traditional fencing
• Virtual fencing (VF) for livestock is being commercialized by several companies in the United States. • Ranchers and land managers are interested in the potential benefits of VF but have reservations about its cost. • Cost structures of VF systems vary and are different from physical fencing, making direct comparisons difficult. • We explore relevant costs and outline scenarios where VF systems are likely to be cost effective. • We discuss practical considerations for livestock producers and rangeland managers who are considering adopting VF.
Authors
- Ryan R Reuter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8498-7855)
- Paul Evangelista (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4750-8314)
- Nathan D. DeLay (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3239-0798)
- Anthony G. Vorster (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0622-0683)
- John P. Ritten (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6468-3870)
- Dana L. Hoag (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7660-6832)
- Daniel F. Mooney (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5056-9102)
- Jeff Vitale
Institutions
- Oklahoma State University (US)
- Colorado State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Rangelands
- Published
- 2025-02-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2024.05.006
- Citations
- 8
- Primary Topic
- Digital Games and Media
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 33.61
Funders
- Nature Conservancy
- National Institute of Food and Agriculture
- Natural Resources Conservation Service