GNSS livestock tracking at the University of Sydney

The extensive livestock industries are becoming increasingly interested in the application of remote sensing technologies for monitoring livestock and measuring biometric data without the need to interfere with the animal by mustering and yarding. Universities have the important role in facilitating the education and training of young animal scientists of the future in the application of such remote sensing technologies for livestock management. To help achieve this objective, the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney is working with the Precision Agriculture Research Group at the University of New England to develop scientific and technical expertise to incorporate the application of remote sensing technology in the curriculum of animal science students. At the University of Sydney in 2010, a lecture / tutorial and a practical class were presented in the Third Year Animal and Veterinary Bioscience Unit of Study 'Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science' on the use of remote sensing devices such as GNSS tracking. In the lecture / tutorial, the students were informed on how the technology is currently being used by the livestock industry and how researchers at the Precision Agriculture Research Group are using the technology to improve understanding of the interaction between livestock and their environment, contributing to improved management of both livestock and pasture. In the practical class, students worked with GPS data from experiments on sheep, to introduce students to the possibilities for using remote sensing technology to aid the study of animal behaviour and to contribute to improved management of livestock and the resources in their environment.