Coordinating agronomist: Mélanie Perreault Gagnon
Organization: Agrinova
Practice: Rotational grazing
Trial started: Spring 2026
Barrier: Rotational grazing can improve pasture productivity and land use, but the time, labour, costs, and infrastructure required to install, move, and maintain physical fencing can limit its adoption or intensification. Virtual fencing may address some of these challenges, while also allowing more flexible, responsive grazing rotations that adapt to forage growth and changing conditions. However, producers lack regional, commercial-scale evidence on whether the technology can effectively control cattle movements, maintain pasture and animal performance, reduce management time, and provide a financially viable alternative to physical fencing.
Description: A field trial on a commercial beef farm in Centre-du-Québec will compare three approaches to rotational grazing: 1) a herd managed using physical fences under a more rigid rotation system of approximately five days per paddock; 2) a herd equipped with GPS-enabled collars, allowing for adaptive management and more frequent movements; and 3) a theoretical scenario estimating the labour required to achieve the same adaptive management moving physical fencing. Measurements and observations will include forage biomass, quality and utilization, animal behaviour and adaptation, management time, technical issues, and economics analysis performed. The results will be used to assess the profitability and feasibility of virtual fencing, as well as its agronomic impacts.