Evaluation of different global navigation satellite tracking systems and analyses of movement patterns of cattle on alpine pastures

Abstract

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as one of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have been applied in many studies especially focusing on wildlife but there are very few studies using GPS on domesticated animals under extensive conditions combined with extreme relief such as in the Alps. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to test, evaluate and support the development of new tracking systems based on GNSS- and GSM- technology. Furthermore, movement patterns of cattle and the workload of herdsman were analysed for a possible optimization of the management of grazing animals in mountainous areas. Two newly developed prototypes of companies GNSS_L and GNSS_M and two commercially available systems GNSS_H and GNSS_T were tested on several alpine farms (AF) over the pasture season of the year 2012 and 2013. The evaluation of GNSS devices focused on position accuracy, battery life, smartphone applications as well as availability of supportive functions and application of geo-fencing. Also a standardized dynamic accuracy test of a GPS data logger and four different tracking systems was conducted. Movement pattern analyses focused on distances walked by cattle from sequenced GNSS fixes and autocorrelation of recorded information. Parallel to the previous aims the workload management of different alpine farms was analysed to support the evaluation of advantages of using GNSS tracking systems in mountainous areas. Based on the results of a comparison of the tested tracking systems we can conclude that devices GNSS_M and GNSS_T performed better under the alpine conditions compared with GNSS_L and GNSS_H, when GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) reception was available. The standardized dynamic accuracy test showed significant differences (P≤0.001) among most of the tested GNSS collars and the GPS data logger, except between the prototypes GNSS_L and GNSS_M (P≥0.05). On average 62% of information on the distance walked by cattle were lost when GNSS fix intervals increased from 5 to 20 minutes. Finally, based on analyses of the workload of herdsmen this study showed potential of using GNSS tracking systems to reduce labour time requirement and workload for farming in mountainous regions.