Industrial agriculture has been enhancing in meeting the food production demand of the continuously increasing population. Livestock farming is a part of it that constantly improves to reach a trade quality and safe product despite the intensive necessitate.
Aiming for this manufacturing goal starts with advanced and effective management. The drone for livestock monitoring is an innovative tool that allows farmers and ranchers to reach that targeted yield. Drone technology in cattle farming supports the efficient process and ensures a secure income from healthy animal farms.
Beneficial Uses of Drones
Livestock is one of the food supply sources. Hence, ensuring practical animal farming is a must. Drone technology is a solution to achieving that productivity, and here are its beneficial uses in livestock farming.
1. Remote Herding of Animals
The drone camera allows ranchers to herd animal farms remotely. They can deploy drone technology to locate the herd. Excellent support of drones for farmers is that they can hover over the flock. It will not scare them as the farmers can control how close the drones will be to gently moving these farm animals by detecting the attached heartbeat monitoring in one of them.
It is a usual incident in herding when some animals move away and lose their direction. The drones, with GPS features, make it easier to locate the missing one and send it back to the herd.
2. Efficient Monitoring of Farm Condition
Drones for livestock monitoring also mean monitoring the farm. It helps farmers save time and effort in checking the area rather than regular manual check-ups. Sending the drone from above can give an aerial glimpse and information on the farm conditioning.
It is high-definition and can capture the view of escaped animals, fallen trees, the pasture status, the fences and gates, potential problems in water dam, etc. Ranchers do not need to check it daily. Instead, they can now fly the drone at any time and see through it. And in case of a problem, they can immediately distinguish it and then send personnel and equipment to fix it.
3. Oversee the Livestock Health Status
Drone cattle monitoring produces well-defined imaging of the animals. With drone sensors and thermal imaging, farmers can identify potentially sick animals. Another thing with drones, with the integrated software, is they can record vital animal information such as their weight, size, and daily activity. So in case an animal has physical trouble, ranchers can immediately set a treatment. It avoids further infection, especially for contagious diseases.
The drone software integration can also help identify the animals according to their shape, size, or color. Meanwhile, during herding, farmers can put a heart rate monitoring strap on the animals to detect the raised pulse due to drone hovering. Hence, ranchers can control and adjust their distance toward the flock.
4. Ensures an Effective Farm Security
Adequate security in farmlands is one of the challenges that the agriculture industry usually faces. With the drone for livestock monitoring, farmers and ranchers can get consistent imaging and information on the land. It can go to remote and challenging to reach areas without risking the workers. Drones can capture a 360° view in high-definition and crisp footage.
In addition, the drone thermal sensors can help identify trespassers such as hunters and possibly illegal activities around the farmlands. It prevents potential problems while aiding in immediate response and ensuring the safety of the animals and the workers.
Drone for Livestock Monitoring: A Support for Efficient Farming Management
It is crucial for livestock farming to secure the farmland and animals efficiently. It needs 24/7 monitoring to ensure productivity and healthy farm animals. Some of the usual daily challenges of livestock farming include:
- Maintaining good shape pastures that are free from pests or poisonous plant
- Regular tracking of the livestock’s health condition
- Maintaining different aspect areas of the farmland
- Ensuring a well-secured place for ranchers and the animals
- Streamlining a cost-effective and productive livestock surveillance
These uses of drones in livestock farming allow ranchers to solve everyday challenges effectively. Drone technology is also known for its usage in the agricultural farming industry. They can inspect the pastures for potential threats such as pests and poisonous plants. Its sensors and drone software integration allow ranchers to have a more accessible tracking of their health.
Using the traditional method for livestock management is challenging, especially in checking their daily necessities and tracking the farmland condition. With drone technology, this day-to-day process can be more efficient. It helps in providing more secured farmland and support for detecting possible threats.
Hence, it is an aid for avoiding worsened farm issues. Lastly, it also presents comprehensive data for ranchers to improve livestock management.
How to Choose the Best Drone for Cattle Farming?
Now knowing the excellent use of drones in advanced livestock management, it is possible of thinking to invest in this long-run solution. So here are some of the primary considerations ranchers need to take in looking for the best drone for cattle farming.
1. It should have stabilized imaging for video and photos. Having a high-defined drone camera allows farmers to have a better bird-eye viewing and makes it easier to locate escaped animals or see problems on the farmland.
2. It is more efficient to have drones that incorporate intelligent multispectral sensors for a more accessible detection of temperature, lighting, and collecting the depth of the field data. Having a thermal sensor helps identify potentially sick animals and possible trespassers on the farm.
3. It should have decent battery power. High-quality drones highlight a fast-charging, built-in, and long-lasting Lithium Polymer battery. Since livestock monitoring usually takes a whole day, the drone should also extend its power for uninterrupted tracking.
4. It has a GPS tracking feature. It supports ranchers in locating escaped animals quickly through the exact coordinates. During herding, it sends the animals’ location and helps understand the herd’s movement.
5. It is better to have a high-quality body component with a user-friendly operation. Investing in a long-run drone should emphasize how it can resist atmospheric impacts. Going with a drone with foldable carbon propellers is recommended for a quicker speed and steady hovering. Also, drones with carbon fiber wrap ensure resistance to possible aerial damage.
Meanwhile, having a user-friendly operation helps the farmers and ranchers adopt its usage. Also, it should allow integration with drone and ranch management software for effective advanced livestock monitoring.
Takeaway
Drone for livestock monitoring is beneficial for a time-efficient and cost-effective process for ranchers and farmers. This drone technology can help the livestock industry push a more efficient cattle farming.
