Halter is pushing virtual fencing further into the wild with satellite connected cattle collars that link directly to space based networks. The new system removes the need for cellular coverage or on site infrastructure, opening up vast, previously unreachable grazing land.

For eeNews Europe readers, this highlights how satellite connectivity and IoT are converging in agriculture, creating new design opportunities in low power hardware, remote sensing, and large scale asset tracking.

Satellite connected cattle collars remove infrastructure limits

The Colorado based agtech company has introduced what it calls a world first direct to satellite capability in its collars, using Starlink to maintain connectivity anywhere with a clear view of the sky. That shift eliminates the need for traditional long range radio towers previously required to run the system.

The collars themselves are solar powered and GPS enabled, combining location tracking with virtual fencing that guides cattle without physical barriers. With satellite connectivity, ranchers can now deploy the system across millions of acres of rugged terrain where cellular networks simply do not exist.

Halter estimates that this upgrade expands its addressable US beef cattle market by 2.5 times, largely by unlocking remote operations that were previously out of reach.

“Connectivity has been the final barrier to bringing virtual fencing across remote and expansive ranches,” said Craig Piggott, CEO and founder of Halter. “Direct-to-satellite allows ranchers to manage hundreds of thousands of acres in the most remote terrain on the planet. Combined with our new suite of product features, these ranchers can be even more productive.”

Adding data driven herd management

Beyond connectivity, the company is rolling out a major product update aimed at improving herd productivity and operational efficiency. The new features include heat detection tools for breeding, behavioral monitoring that tracks grazing and rumination, and satellite based pasture insights.

This adds another layer of intelligence to the collars, turning them into continuous data sources for animal health and land management. Ranchers can create grazing plans, monitor forage availability, and track animal demand in near real time.

Early adopters are already seeing the impact. At High Lonesome Ranch in Colorado, the system is being deployed across 225,000 acres of complex terrain.

“Halter has changed the game completely,” said Lloyd Calvert, livestock and agriculture manager at High Lonesome Ranch. “Satellite unlocks the ability to run very remote country while still seeing what the cattle are doing, without needing someone with them all the time. We call ourselves Halter junkies now because we can check to see where the cows are anytime of day, no matter where I am. It gives me a great deal of assurance and that’s irreplaceable.”

The direct to satellite collars are now available in the US and New Zealand, with Australia and Canada expected to follow, marking another step in the growing role of satellite IoT in agriculture.