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Virtual Fence

Finding GIS Data

Photo credit: Michael Stauder

Geospatial Data Collections & Resources: The Arizona Geographic Information Council curates GIS data resources for Arizona and other western states.

Forest Service Geodata Clearinghouse: The U.S. Forest Service maintains digital rangeland data on boundaries, natural resources, and more.

BLM Data: The Bureau of Land Management shares geographic data and content that can be downloaded.

There are several companies that manufacture hardware and software including eShepherd™ from Gallagher™, Halter™, Nofence™, and Vence™. Virtual fence components from different manufacturers are generally not interoperable or interchangeable. Specific components, GIS data needs, software protocol, software training, frequency and duration of the cues, GPS error, livestock collaring, and livestock training protocols may vary depending on the manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and guidelines. The University of Arizona and The Rangelands Partnership do not endorse a specific product.

This material is based upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2021-38640-34695 through the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number WPDP22-016. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This work is supported by the AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program: Inter- Disciplinary Engagement in Animal Systems (IDEAS) [award no. 2023-68014-39715] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Additional funding for the University of Arizona’s Virtual Fence program was provided by Arizona Experiment Station, the Marley Endowment for Sustainable Rangeland Stewardship, Arizona Cooperative Extension, and The Nature Conservancy.