You might remember Vence, a startup we highlighted last year. Well, big things have brought them back into the spotlight. Vence’s virtual fencing for next-generation rotational grazing has attracted the eyes (and dollars) of some major organizations—namely Shell and Merck Animal Health.
How Vence works: Through the use of wearable collars and GPS technology, Vence aims to give livestock farmers a new way to facilitate rotational grazing without breaking their bank (and back) installing traditional fencing.
As an animal approaches a virtual boundary set by the farmer, the device will give an audio cue. If the animal doesn’t respond to the sound by returning to the correct area, a shock equivalent to an electric fence will be applied.
Rotational grazing provides a myriad of environmental benefits that have raised investors’ eyebrows.
Soundbite: “Our technology eases the adoption of rotational grazing for ranchers. The main challenge of adopting rotational grazing techniques is the additional expense for fencing and additional labor, which is about 30% of total costs for a livestock farm.” – Vence CEO Frank Wooten
The back$tory:
- Shell is looking to further its nature-based solutions investing. As the company aims to reach a carbon neutral position by 2050, Shell is investing in projects that “protect, transform, or restore land.”
- Merck Animal Health already has a significant investment in the livestock tracking space with their acquisition of Allflex, the world’s largest animal tracking business.