Andy Kessler is the VP Enterprise and Land Mobile for global communications company Viasat.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of AgFunderNews.
The U.S. ranching industry alone generates an estimated $90 billion of revenue annually. Yet with US beef herds shrinking to their lowest levels since 1961, farmers are clearly facing hurdles to investing in and maintaining their livestock.
Without access to reliable tracking technology, farmers cannot monitor the movement or condition of their herd.
This means owners carry the risk of theft, loss, or unwanted or harmful interactions with humans or other animals—none of which are good for animal welfare, and could result in a negative financial impact.
Until recently, installing a satellite tracking device on a cow could cost almost as much as buying the animal itself. It was therefore inefficient financially to track large herds.
Today, however, that dynamic is changing due to direct-to-device (D2D), which enables tracking devices to seamlessly switch between terrestrial and satellite networks without the need for dedicated satellite hardware.
The lower cost of this could dramatically increase the return on investment for farmers, unlocking access to the many benefits provided by tracking tech, including an optimally maintained herd, greater supply chain transparency, and more sustainable ranch management.
What’s holding back livestock tracking technology?
With some of the largest ranches in the US expanding over 100,000 acres, it would be extremely costly and time consuming for farmers to monitor the roaming activity of livestock.
In the context of the wider macro-economic background, this cost has been hard to justify. The decline in US cattle numbers highlights the challenging environment farmers are currently operating in. Climate change is exacerbating droughts and floods, impacting pasture-carrying capacity and water availability for livestock.
At the same time, labor shortages are impacting productivity and herd management on farms, while fluctuating market prices for beef and other meat sources are destabilizing ranchers’ overall income.
Beyond this, many ranchers’ own expanses of land that are commonly in rural, poorly connected areas. The lack of reliable cellular coverage in these areas further complicates the task of tracking herd movement.
Historically, global navigation satellite system (GNSS) devices posed a significant investment cost to farmers. Thus, animal tracking has largely been used for small-scale scientific research or endangered species, rather than livestock management. Yet, D2D is set to change this dynamic, removing hurdles for farmers eager to access the technology that will take herd management to the next level.
How satellites keep ranchers connected to their cattle
By seamlessly integrating mobile and satellite networks, providing continuous connectivity even in areas with poor cellular coverage, D2D connectivity and devices could transform the tracking capabilities for farmers hoping to better manage their livestock.
Enabled by 3GPP open standards, D2D can allow new monitoring devices to connect directly to satellites, without the need for dedicated satellite hardware. This means tracking devices can switch seamlessly between terrestrial and satellite networks to maintain always-on connectivity at a much lower price point, reducing the cost of the hardware associated with enabling tracking.
What’s more, enabling the chipset tracker to connect to both cellular and NTN (non-terrestrial-network) connectivity ensures always-on monitoring of livestock, regardless of location, providing farmers with continual oversight of their assets.
Not only does this empower ranchers to detect illness or injuries of their livestock earlier, maximizing the chances of recovery, it also reduces the chance of straying animals. This drastically reduces the need for manual checks by staff, freeing up capital for other output avenues, such as additional cattle.
This reduction in cost will render such tracking technology a more feasible and worthwhile investment, empowering ranchers to implement connected monitoring systems and bolstering their ability to manage their herds effectively.
Livestock management, supply chain transparency and sustainability – the future of farming with D2D
With cattle prices projected to peak in 2026, pressures are rising for farmers to effectively manage livestock so as to protect precious resources and gain as much value from their investment as possible.
Alongside livestock protection, D2D offers farmers the chance to optimize supply chain visibility and the sustainability of their ranching practices. Tracking data can be used to verify the grazing patterns and movement of livestock, enhancing traceability and consumer confidence in where and how their food has been sourced. This provides farmers a competitive edge when going to market, offering produce closely aligned with consumer demand for more sustainable and ethically produced food.
While protecting livestock is essential, so is protecting the longevity of the land they graze on. Unsustainable ranching practices threaten habitat loss, soil erosion, and water pollution, impacting biodiversity and overall ecosystem health. Always-on monitoring ensures farmers can accurately track where cattle are grazing, enabling them to optimize patterns to prevent overgrazing, manage water sources for cattle and reduce the overall environmental impact.
Source - https://agfundernews.com
