The cost of raising, breeding, and feeding cattle has significantly risen over the past year. With prices rising, every dollar counts on ranching operations. Added to this with the cost of individual cattle rising to an all-time high, attention to cattle is of utmost importance.
In this environment, ranchers are reaching out for alternative strategies to reduce costs, improve animal health, and streamline the functionalities behind day-to-day tasks.
Agricultural technology (AgTech) is gaining momentum amongst ranchers and farmers in Colorado. AgTech companies are emerging to help ranchers better manage their operations and infrastructure. One of the largest tasks ranchers face is manually checking water.
Whether the cattle’s source of water is a trough or a reservoir, it’s the rancher’s responsibility to physically check water levels for cattle consumption.
Cattle consume up to 35 gallons a day. At that rate, the water provided needs to be checked daily when the temperature is soaring and the heat index is hitting over 100.
Remote Water Monitoring
New technology, like remote water monitoring, is allowing ranchers to have the option to see water levels not by physically checking them, but by viewing them on what we all have in our pocket, a phone.
It starts with installing a water monitor at the water source. A probe is used to measure water levels by detecting the water pressure of the area. This new technology is so advanced that it can detect water level changes with up to ½” accuracy.
With real-time detection, the water levels are submitted to your phone, where you can receive updates about how much your cattle are drinking or spot sudden drops that could signal a leak.
Cost
As cost is a large issue for ranchers, an untimely disaster could mean thousands of dollars lost. When cattle lose 10% of their body’s water mass, they perish. A pasture with a herd of cows and no water in the Colorado heat can be detrimental to a ranch operation.
One of the most cost-effective ways to prevent a disaster is to have a remote water monitoring solution alert you before that happens. With the introduction of remote water monitoring technology, the device sends the rancher an alert as soon as a water-related event occurs. Companies like Ranchbot help with practical solutions that are efficient for ranchers.
AgTech is becoming the future of ranching, and an adaptive way to modernize traditional ways of agriculture. As Colorado ranchers tighten budgets, they look towards a future where they have control of their water, time gets put back in their day, and they gain peace of mind knowing their cattle are safe and healthy.
Contact us today to save money, and gain a peace of mind for all of your water monitoring needs.
Colorado Business Development Manager
Peyton Ward
CO, UT, WY
970-628-3816
peyton.ward@ranch-bot.com