This week on the Cattle Conversations Podcast, Shaye Wanner interviews fifth-generation North Central Montana rancher, Tyrel Obrecht, about using Vence’s virtual fence system on their replacement yearling heifers (mid-May to mid-September) for the past three years.
Tyrel explains choosing heifers over the main cow herd due to cost and better water development on deeded ground, and securing initial cost share through World Wildlife Fund’s RSVP program to install towers and trial the collars. He demonstrates the software for drawing fences, training cattle near barbed wire before moving to invisible lines, and using heat maps to evaluate grazing patterns around water and minerals.
Benefits include tighter grazing control in prairie potholes and creek pastures, freeing BLM pastures, supporting conception rates, and better rest distribution; challenges included early collar retention issues fixed by improved attachments and occasional updates/weather-related breaches.
Learn more about Vence here: https://bit.ly/4kfWrCG
Catch more conversations like this one and learn more at https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/
01:11 Meet Tyrel Obrecht
01:27 Ranch Background Setup
03:05 Why Try Vence
04:09 Starting With Heifers
05:44 Cost Share Funding
07:50 Benefits In Grazing
09:06 Software Fence Drawing
11:22 Training The Cattle
14:01 Moves Updates Reality
17:25 Heat Maps Insights
19:02 Nutrition Planning Data
20:45 Challenges Collar Retention
22:27 Is Vence Worth It?
