Halter Implementation Ashgrove – 2. Training the Cows

We were now day 2 of training our 102 Angus beef cows with Halter collars. We arrived in the morning to see a distinct line where the cows had grazed up to the virtual perimeter. The training paddock was one of our few flats with 2500kgdm/ha pasture cover. Amazingly within 24 hours the cows had worked, out as soon as they heard the beeping warning noise, they had crossed the virtual perimeter and had 30 seconds to get back into their break. One old escape artist decided she could outsmart the system, nonchalantly she walked up to the perimeter with her collar beeping its warning and got a pulse. She shook her head, backed up then ducked her head down to see if she could get under what must be an invisible hot wire. Shortly old Escape Artist got a second pulse, gave a frustrated snort and no doubt started working on her next cunning escape plan.

It was shift time. The team at Halter, who were on farm with us for the training period told us not to expect great things too early, whilst teaching the cows to hold in their break is really quick, training the cows to shift across that perimeter that was just a minute ago holding them takes a lot longer.

The shift process involves drawing the new break and initiating the shift in a few taps on your phone. A 2 minute countdown commences at which point the cows get a vibration on their collars. As soon as they point in the direction of the new break, they receive a cue in the form of a humming noise. If they start wandering off course the humming stops until they reorientate. Of course, this meant nothing to our cows being their first time. Apparently, when training dairy cows used to electric fences, shifting an electric fence at the same time as commencing the virtual shift is a useful cue for the cows to associate the humming cue with fresh feed. Our beef cows see electric fences also but not to the extent of dairy cows.

We set the app to shift the cows. The collars started humming, then we shifted the electric fence that was 10 meters beyond the virtual perimeter as an additional cue it was time to shift, then we sat back and watched. The cows jostled around, looked at the fresh grass a few metres away but did nothing. Understandably they were cautious crossing where the virtual perimeter had been. This in itself was impressive given this was only 24 hours into training. A few bolder cows including Escape Artist started towards the new break, then thought twice about it and retreated back to their mates. We gave them about 30 mins, then physically chased them across into the new break so they associated the humming cue with fresh grass. We kept this process up all week and by the end of the week the cows had associated the humming noise and cue with shift time and were in the most part shifting within 1 hour unassisted. The calves though were living the good life, wandering across the perimeter their mums were held by, into the long grass for a feed then wandering back to mum for a drink. The end of the first week coincided with removing the training electric fence that was always set up 10m beyond the virtual perimeter.

So far looking positive. But lets not get too excited.