Testing virtual fencing for the sustainable management of north Australian rangelands: Impacts on beef cattle grazing behaviour, pasture resource, and cattle production.

Abstract

The selective grazing behaviours of cattle frequently lead to degradation of selected areas. Virtual fencing (VF) will be tested to control cattle spatial grazing distributions in extensively managed herds in northern Australia. If VF can successfully be used to change spatial grazing pressure, this would allow for increased rest for preferred areas and improved utilisation of less preferred areas that would otherwise have limited productive value. This will likely improve land condition, carrying capacity, and drought resilience. If successful, VF could be an important tool for management of grazing impacts to increase production and achieve a variety of environmental goals in the extensive systems of northern Australia.