Central Sierra: Virtual Fencing Information

UC Central Sierra research on Virtual Fencing on California Rangelands

Virtual Fencing is a precision agriculture tool gaining traction across California's diverse rangelands that uses GPS collars to contain livestock without physical fences.

Research and trials are ongoing, and many of the findings are collected in the content found here.

herd of cattle wearing virtual fencing collars next to fuel break grazing results where range has been effectively grazed

Article

Central Sierra: Virtual Fencing Enables Cattle to Install Fuel Breaks in the Wildland-Urban Interface

September 15, 2025

By Brian J Allen, Scott R Oneto

Strategically placed buffers help slow the spread of wildfire California’s annual rangelands are famous for their green, rolling hills in winter and spring. But as the grass dries out, these landscapes become highly flammable and pose a significant fire risk. According to CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Activity…

View Article

three side-by-side images show virtual fencing collar on the neck of a heifer, fitted too loose, properly, and too tight

Article

Central Sierra: How to Collar & Train Livestock to Recognize Virtual Fence Boundaries

September 12, 2025

By Brian J Allen

Virtual Fencing: Collaring and Training Livestock In an earlier article, we introduced virtual fencing (VF) as a system for containing livestock without traditional fences. Now, let’s explore how to collar and train livestock to recognize these virtual boundaries.Setting Up Virtual Fencing Collars …

View Article

side-by-side image of virtual fence boundary and movement of heifers within it

Article

Central Sierra: Introduction to Virtual Fencing for Livestock and Land Management

September 12, 2025

By Brian J Allen

Virtual Fencing: A New Tool for Livestock and Land Management Virtual fencing (VF) is a precision agriculture tool gaining traction across California’s diverse rangelands. It uses GPS collars to contain livestock without physical fences. Producers set virtual boundaries across their pasture from a…

View Article

left image shows clear delineation between foraged and un; right image is outline of grazed area on arial map

Article

Central Sierra: Virtual Fencing Directs Cattle to Graze Medusahead Grass on California Rangeland

September 11, 2025

By Brian J Allen

Infestations of Medusahead can be suppressed by targeted grazing Medusahead (Elymus caput-medusae) is a common invasive grass on California’s annual rangelands. It accumulates high levels of silica as it matures, making it unpalatable to livestock and slow to decompose. As a result, livestock tend to…

View Article

Page

Central Sierra: Virtual Fencing On California Rangelands

What is Virtual Fencing? Virtual fencing (VF) is a precision agriculture tool gaining traction across Californias diverse rangelands. It uses GPS collars to contain livestock without physical fences.

View Page

Article

Virtual fencing ‘game-changer’ for ranchers grazing cattle

November 13, 2024

After the Caldor Fire destroyed seven miles of fencing on their cattle ranch in 2021, Leisel Finley and her family needed to replace the fence.

View Article