The approach is being piloted in the region by Devon Wildlife Trust’s Northern Devon Natural Solutions project, which works with the agricultural community in the region to improve river quality and local nature diversity. It has been supported by the Naturesave Trust, which is funded by ethical insurance broker Naturesave Insurance.

The ‘Nofence’ system uses GPS technology and a phone-controlled app to set a digital land boundary to control cattle movements.

Cows wear a collar which, when they approach the digital boundary triggers, a low-pitched sound. This sound rises as they proceed and if the cow continues to try and move through the invisible boundary the collar emits an electrical pulse warning it to move back.

The pulse is similar to that used in the electric fencing commonly seen in the countryside. Before deployment the cattle are ‘trained’ in recognising the sound and learn to turn around before the electrical trigger. There is a maximum of three electric pulses after which the pulses cease and a text is sent to the farmer letting them know that the cow has moved through the invisible ‘barrier’.

The collars have been deployed in North Devon and ultimately the goal is to bring a more wildlife-rich Culm grassland – that has been unusable for grazing until the collars became an option – back into positive management. Culm grasslands support populations of rare marsh fritillary butterflies and the use of these collars will allow for targeted grazing that should increase their habitat size, building in a resilience in their population to external factors relating to the climate change and the biodiversity crises.

Wildlife sites such as these with good ranges of wildflowers, insects, birds and small mammals are easily lost because of a lack of suitable grazing livestock. Sites can quickly be overtaken by the growth of grasses, brambles and other scrub plants if cattle aren’t on hand to keep them in check.

Now the Northern Devon Natural Solutions team is looking to expand the Nofence approach to other suitable spots in North Devon. The system requires none of the traditional infrastructure of fences, fence posts and gates. This makes it ideally suited to places such as moorlands or woodlands where traditional fencing methods are either not allowed, not effective or cannot be economically justified.   

Ewan Wallis is Northern Devon Natural Solutions project team manager. Ewan said:

“The collars have proven to be a very effective tool for bringing marginal land back into positive management for wildlife – whilst also providing the farmer with peace of mind as they can see where there are animals are. Lessons have been learned on the best way to train the cattle – an essential process for them to be used effectively – and I am very interested to see if we kind find other sites where fenceless grazing collars can be deployed. The purchase of these collars was only possible thanks to funding from both the Naturesave Trust and the Environment Agency.”

People with sites in northern Devon within the project area who want to discuss using the collars with their cattle are being encouraged to get in touch with Devon Wildlife Trust’s Ewan Wallis on ewallis@devonwildlifetrust.org to explore options.