eShepherd receives $335k grant for reef protection

Australian AgTech company, Agersens, has been awarded a prestigious Innovation and Systems Change Grant by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to trial its eShepherd digital fencing platform’s effectiveness in minimising sediment runoff into waterways and better protecting the Reef.

The grant of $335,000, funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, will be used to apply eShepherd to exclude up to 400 cattle from catchment locations over the next 12 months, and to collect data on the effectiveness of the system in reliably keeping stock from entering sensitive riparian areas.

A desktop study will also be completed to demonstrate the costs and benefits of using the technology as part of an integrated approach to improved grazing land management.

Agersens Chief Executive Officer, Jason Chaffey, said he is thrilled to be part of such a meaningful and progressive program.

“The protection of the Great Barrier Reef is paramount and real change needs to start at a production level to minimise sediment runoff into waterways,” he said.

“We believe we are part of the solution to improving land management practices, both in catchment areas and more broadly across the Australian grazing sector, through virtual fencing.”

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eShepherd started off as a research project by the CSIRO to look at improving herding practices to help farmers save costs on farm. Since then, CSIRO has had much success with the project and has partnered up with Agersens to commercialise the product.

The technology consists of intelligent neckbands fitted on livestock that virtually connect to a base station and the eShepherd web application. A grazier wanting to contain or move animals to a particular area can use the app to create a virtual paddock on their property.

“eShepherd allows graziers to cost-effectively establish virtual fences in challenging terrain typically unsuitable for traditional fencing,” Chaffey explained.

“The cost of traditional fencing and its maintenance can be huge to a grazing business, however we now offer a solution to allow landowners to protect sensitive areas and minimise topsoil runoff into the waterways, by keeping stock away from eroding gullies and streambanks.”

The way eShepherd achieves that is by transmitting audio signals and faint electric pulses via the neckbands when the animals near a virtual fence set by the producer. In time, the animals get accustomed to the audio signals alone and know to turn away and graze in an allowed area and not venture past the “fence”.

Beyond stock exclusion, eShepherd also provides an opportunity for graziers to adopt improved grazing practice change across an entire property, Chaffey said.

“eShepherd controls and moves animals automatically, enabling better pasture management by increasing rest periods to improve pasture quality.”

The data collected throughout the trial via the intelligent neckband will be used to track the position and behaviour of each animal relative to the virtual paddock boundary. The technology can also provide compliance data to verify animal location, Chaffey said.

Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director, Anna Marsden, said poorer water quality caused by land-based runoff is a significant threat to the health of Australia’s irreplaceable ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef.

“Sediment and pollutants running into the Reef’s waters smother coral and seagrass, are toxic to marine life and contribute to crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, and we must continue to work together and do better,” Marsden said.

“This innovative project will add to the more than 60 Reef-saving projects we are delivering right now with over 65 project delivery partners. This builds on work by Queensland’s farmers and agricultural community who are already undertaking a high calibre of work to safeguard the future of the Reef.”

Chaffey said the new trial is expected to commence from February 2021 and his team is actively seeking volunteer producers in eligible catchments to participate.

“We thank the Great Barrier Reef Foundation for this opportunity to showcase our technology and the proven benefits it can deliver, not just to the health of river and reef ecosystems, but to the financial performance of grazing businesses,” he said.

“We now look forward to partnering with them to deliver results for the Reef and for producers, and contributing to the sustainability of the Australian grazing sector.”

For more information on eShepherd or to become part of the new trial program, contact Agersens at info@agersens.com.au