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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #422929
Research Project: Knowledge Systems and Tools to Increase the Resilience and Sustainability of Western Rangeland Agriculture

Location: Range Management Research

Title: Virtual grazing of Raramuri Criollo and Angus-Hereford cattle on arid rangelands

Author
item PEREA, A - New Mexico State University
item Macon, Lara
item SPETTER, M - New Mexico State University
item FUNK, M - New Mexico State University
item CAMPA MADRID, S - New Mexico State University
item Estell, Richard
item VAN LEEUWEN, D - New Mexico State University
item Bestelmeyer, Brandon
item Spiegal, Sheri
item UTSUMI, S - New Mexico State University

Submitted to: Site Specific Farming Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2025
Publication Date: 10/7/2025
Citation: Perea, A.R., Macon, L.K., Spetter, M.J., Funk, M.P., Campa Madrid, S.E., Estell, R.E., Van Leeuwen, D., Bestelmeyer, B.T., Spiegal, S.A., Utsumi, S.A. 2025. Virtual grazing of Raramuri Criollo and Angus-Hereford cattle on arid rangelands. Site Specific Farming Conference Proceedings. Proceedings.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anscip.2025.08.267

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The response of beef cows to a virtual grazing system was compared during the training and testing phases. Thirty Raramuri Criollo and thirty Angus-Hereford cows naïve to virtual fencing system were instrumented with Nofence collars, and were trained in pens during six 3-d periods; subsequently, the cows were tested during four 1-week periods while grazing on four pastures with 20% of the area virtually excluded. Audio warnings, stimulations, ratio of warnings to stimulations and escapes were evaluated. Raramuri Criollo adapted faster, but all animals effectively learned to use virtual fence. No differences between breeds were found during the grazing phase. Implications The learning and management responses of Raramuri Criollo and Angus-Hereford cows to a virtually fenced grazing system were compared. Cows of both breeds naïve to a virtual fencing system were instrumented with Nofence collars and trained in pens for 18 days; thereafter, cows grazed in large rangelands pastures with approximately 30'% of the area excluded by the virtual fence system. Raramuri Criollo adapted faster to virtual fencing during the training phase; however, all animals effectively learned to respond correctly to the audio warnings. The virtual boundaries applied to large pastures successfully contained animals within the prescribed virtual fence areas, and without differences between the breeds.