LoRa technology is now used in almost every field of life. Livestock farmers can use LoRaWAN GPS tags to monitor and track their cattle. LoRa-based devices are economical and easy to use for ranchers. Cattle monitoring and tracking doesn’t require cellular services because that can be done by using intelligent ear tags. More importantly, LoRa wireless design can provide real-time animal behavior information.Â
So, in this article, we’ll discuss the benefits and applications of using LoRaWAN technology for cattle tracking and monitoring. Stick around with us.
Table of Contents
How Can LoRaWAN Protocol and LoRa Devices Help Track Cattles?
LoRa-based devices and LoRaWAN protocol is an excellent technology for GPS-free technology. These devices track and transmit data to the cloud. Moreover, the data is transmitted over a long distance.Â
LoRaWAN GPS tag is a perfect technology because it enables low-power and long-range data transmission. It means low-cost sensor units work best for such scenarios. For cattle tracking, it’s essential to have affordable, long-range, LoRa wireless design and long battery life of devices.Â
Let’s find out how LoRaWAN devices track cattle over long distances.Â
- Livestock farmers need to purchase LoRa gateways and LoRa-based sensors. Gateways are mounted high. They can be mounted on walls, ceilings, or poles at 5 to 20 miles intervals. Collars are placed on the steer.Â
- LoRa-based sensors perform various tasks, such as they share data with gateways. They provide information about head motion, the location of animals, and other information like humidity, temperature, and air pressure. Gateways are connected wirelessly to the Internet to ensure data transmission from sensors to the cloud.Â
- Gateways equipped with LoRa provide data to cloud software, used by ranchers to monitor their cattle over a large area. Automated disease-detection software is also available, alerting owners when animals leave their designated area or sensors are removed.
- When data is analyzed, ranchers get alerts about abnormal behavior on their mobiles or computers.Â
Benefits of Using LoRa-Based Devices for Cattle Tracking and Monitoring
LoRaWAN devices can help track animals. Moreover, they also serve lots of other purposes, such as:
- Detecting anomalies in animals’ behavior.Â
- Data is collected from wide-open animal farms and shared with vets worldwide.Â
- When the disease is detected early, it can be treated quickly. Also, sick cattle are removed from the farm to prevent the spread of disease or infection.Â
- Cattle theft can be reduced significantly because ranchers have access to the real-time location of their cattle.Â
- LoRa devices minimize expenses and significantly reduce the environmental impacts of IoT solutions in smart agriculture.Â
Applications of LoRaWAN GPS Tags in Cattle Farms
- It provides real-time information about cattle behavior and location.
- LoRa-based sensors can detect walking, running, rumination, and jumping.
- Data analysis can help detect signs of illness and imminent birth.Â
- It’s an effective technology for livestock management.
- Farmers can use IoT sensors to monitor farm water levels and electricity leakage.
- LoRaWAN coverage is long-range and due to its low-power capabilities, it’s a perfect option for information transfer in large farms.Â
How Much Does It Cost to Use Sensors for Cattle Tracking?
Some livestock farmers don’t use this technology because they feel it’s expensive. But it’s not true. Sensors for tracking or monitoring only cost between $10 and $50. But the actual Return on investment (ROI) is significantly higher. Real-time monitoring prevents disease or theft of animals. It means ranchers can save thousands of dollars.Â
Why Are LoRaWAN Devices Best for Cattle Monitoring?
There are various reasons to use LoRa-based devices for cattle monitoring, such as:
Cost-EffectiveÂ
As mentioned earlier, sensors are available at an affordable price, so it’s an affordable solution for cattle monitoring. When ranchers purchase in bulk, they get a discount as well.Â
Secure
Data transmission and sharing is end-to-end encrypted. Moreover, all devices are tracked safely.Â
Low Power
LoRa-based devices have long battery life. Moreover, they’re connected to a wireless network, so they don’t consume much battery. Due to low power consumption, batteries can last up to 10 years.Â
High Capacity
A single LoRa-based station can cover a distance of a few miles. Moreover, it can handle millions of messages per day.Â
Standard Based
LoRaWAN is an open standard protocol that is supported by LoRa Alliance. Moreover, the products have global interoperability. Therefore, it increases the adoption of LoRa technology.
Conclusion
Animal theft is a common problem these days. Therefore, livestock farmers always look for advanced solutions to secure their cattle. LoRaWAN GPS tag is the latest and modern option for monitoring and tracking animals. With this, ranchers can detect abnormal behavior, get real-time locations of animals, and take timely actions to prevent their animals from theft.Â
Arshon technology can help design sensors for LoRa-based devices. Moreover, we manufacture products for GPS tracking that can be useful for livestock farmers. If you need any help with animal tracking and monitoring, https://arshon.com/ should be your first choice.
Author: Sherry Mosleh IoT Development Engineer at Arshon Technology Inc.