Field Day: Virtual Fence Demonstration
Co-hosted by: Kootenay Livestock Association (KLA), Grassland and Rangeland Enhancement Program (GREP), and Kootenay & Boundary Farm Advisors (KBFA).
Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Location: Thibeault Ranch, Cranbrook
This field day explored the Virtual Fence Demonstration Project. Participants learned from early adopters Thibeault Ranch and JRJ Black Angus, who are in their first season of trialing virtual fence technology for cattle ranching on crown range in the East Kootenays. The project aims to document the practical experiences, opportunities, challenges, risks, and uncertainties of using virtual fencing in our region.
This field day explored the following topics, based on lessons learned during the pilot project:
- Rancher experience
- Livestock response
- Collar installation and livestock training
- Web and mobile application use
- Paddock design and livestock traceability
- Cell-based infrastructure performance on crown range
- Grazing management opportunities, risks, and limitations
This demonstration and learning project was funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
The virtual fence infrastructure was funded by the Climate Agri-Solutions Fund. Funding for the Climate Agri-Solutions Fund has been provided by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund.
This Kootenay Livestock Association project was made possible thanks to contributions from the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and Grassland and Rangeland Enhancement Program (Columbia Basin Trust, BC Ministry of Forests). A factsheet on project outcomes will be produced for ranchers in 2027.
