IoT and Satellite Connectivity: The future of Livestock Monitoring
TagoIO team
The livestock industry, a cornerstone of many economies worldwide, has traditionally relied on labor-intensive methods for monitoring and managing animals. Older technologies such as manual inspections and terrestrial GPS systems have been helpful but often lack the capabilities to address the challenges of vast or remote farming areas. Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) devices with satellite connectivity offers a promising solution, bringing efficiency, coverage, and affordability to livestock management.
The limitations of cellular data
GPS collars connected to cellular networks enable tracking but require reliable cellular coverage. These systems need to deliver consistent performance in remote areas where connectivity is sparse or nonexistent. Additionally, the high cost of cellular systems can be a barrier for small-scale farmers.
Satellite connectivity as alternative
IoT-enabled devices, such as smart collars and sensors integrated with satellite connectivity, address the limitations of older systems. Companies like Kineis and Myriota leverage satellite networks to provide near-global coverage, ensuring livestock in remote areas can be tracked and monitored effectively. While satellite data transmission currently occurs every few hours, advancements in satellite technology promise to scale up this frequency significantly in the coming years as the number of satellites grows.
Use cases for Livestock Monitoring using IoT
Health Monitoring in Free-Range Cattle
Cattle farmers have implemented satellite-connected IoT collars to monitor grazing patterns and detect signs of illness. By measuring activity levels and body temperature, farmers can detect issues early, reducing losses by up to 20%.
Geo-fencing for Sheep Herding
In remote savannas, sheep herders use satellite IoT systems to create virtual boundaries (geo-fencing). Alerts notify farmers when animals stray beyond set limits, helping to prevent theft and reduce labor costs.
Behavioral Analysis for Dairy Farms
Dairy farms utilize IoT collars to track movement patterns and predict calving times. Behavioral anomalies, such as reduced movement, indicate health issues, enabling timely intervention and improving milk production efficiency.
IoT sensors available for Livestock Monitoring
IoT devices now incorporate various sensors that expand beyond location tracking:
Temperature Sensors: Detect health issues like fever or environmental stress.
Heart Rate Monitors: Provide insights into stress levels or physical exertion.
Activity Trackers: Analyze movement patterns to detect abnormalities, including calving or illness.
Satellite connectivity costs are increasingly accessible
Technological advancements and the rise of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites have made satellite connectivity more affordable. Depending on the provider, Farmers can deploy IoT systems for as little as $1–$5 per device per month. Combined with IoT’s modular deployment, these solutions are increasingly accessible to small and medium-scale operations.
Challenges to Making Satellite Applications Profitable for Farmers
While satellite-based livestock monitoring shows promise, it still faces obstacles. The initial investment in IoT devices, sensors, and subscriptions can be a significant barrier for many farmers. Subsidies, financing programs, or cost-sharing models could help increase adoption.
Small-scale farmers may find the ROI unclear in the short term. Tailored solutions and case studies demonstrating tangible benefits can encourage adoption. IoT systems generate vast amounts of data, which can overwhelm farmers without technical expertise. Platforms with user-friendly dashboards and simplified insights are critical.
IoT hardware must withstand harsh outdoor conditions and rough handling by livestock. Durable, low-maintenance equipment is essential for long-term success.
TagoIO: Simplifying IoT Deployments for Livestock Monitoring
TagoIO streamlines the deployment and management of IoT-based livestock monitoring systems. As an all-in-one IoT platform, TagoIO enables farmers to efficiently collect, store, analyze, and visualize data from IoT devices. With its user-friendly interface, scalability, and integration capabilities, TagoIO offers tools like Dashboard Templates and Kickstarter to facilitate seamless deployment.
TagoIO supports data integration from a wide range of IoT devices and communication technologies, including those connected via satellite networks. This flexibility allows farmers to adopt diverse hardware solutions for tasks such as location tracking, health monitoring, and behavior analysis. By centralizing data from smart collars, sensors, and other devices, the platform ensures easy access to critical information.
Farmers can set up alerts and notifications for critical events, such as a sudden drop in movement activity (potential illness), an animal straying beyond a predefined boundary (geo-fencing), or temperature anomalies indicating health issues or environmental risks. These insights empower farmers to respond quickly, minimizing losses and boosting productivity.
The Future of Livestock Monitoring
With satellites expanding their capabilities and IoT platforms like TagoIO simplifying deployment, livestock monitoring is entering a new era. As companies like Myriota and Kineis scale up their networks, satellite connectivity will become even more frequent and reliable, further enhancing the value of IoT systems for farmers worldwide.
Check out our webinar with Myriota for more on integrating satellite devices with TagoIO. Together, IoT and satellite technology are making livestock farming smarter, more sustainable, and more accessible to all.
The livestock industry, a cornerstone of many economies worldwide, has traditionally relied on labor-intensive methods for monitoring and managing animals. Older technologies such as manual inspections and terrestrial GPS systems have been helpful but often lack the capabilities to address the challenges of vast or remote farming areas. Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) devices with satellite connectivity offers a promising solution, bringing efficiency, coverage, and affordability to livestock management.
The limitations of cellular data
GPS collars connected to cellular networks enable tracking but require reliable cellular coverage. These systems need to deliver consistent performance in remote areas where connectivity is sparse or nonexistent. Additionally, the high cost of cellular systems can be a barrier for small-scale farmers.
Satellite connectivity as alternative
IoT-enabled devices, such as smart collars and sensors integrated with satellite connectivity, address the limitations of older systems. Companies like Kineis and Myriota leverage satellite networks to provide near-global coverage, ensuring livestock in remote areas can be tracked and monitored effectively. While satellite data transmission currently occurs every few hours, advancements in satellite technology promise to scale up this frequency significantly in the coming years as the number of satellites grows.
Use cases for Livestock Monitoring using IoT
Health Monitoring in Free-Range Cattle
Cattle farmers have implemented satellite-connected IoT collars to monitor grazing patterns and detect signs of illness. By measuring activity levels and body temperature, farmers can detect issues early, reducing losses by up to 20%.
Geo-fencing for Sheep Herding
In remote savannas, sheep herders use satellite IoT systems to create virtual boundaries (geo-fencing). Alerts notify farmers when animals stray beyond set limits, helping to prevent theft and reduce labor costs.
Behavioral Analysis for Dairy Farms
Dairy farms utilize IoT collars to track movement patterns and predict calving times. Behavioral anomalies, such as reduced movement, indicate health issues, enabling timely intervention and improving milk production efficiency.
IoT sensors available for Livestock Monitoring
IoT devices now incorporate various sensors that expand beyond location tracking:
Temperature Sensors: Detect health issues like fever or environmental stress.
Heart Rate Monitors: Provide insights into stress levels or physical exertion.
Activity Trackers: Analyze movement patterns to detect abnormalities, including calving or illness.
Satellite connectivity costs are increasingly accessible
Technological advancements and the rise of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites have made satellite connectivity more affordable. Depending on the provider, Farmers can deploy IoT systems for as little as $1–$5 per device per month. Combined with IoT’s modular deployment, these solutions are increasingly accessible to small and medium-scale operations.
Challenges to Making Satellite Applications Profitable for Farmers
While satellite-based livestock monitoring shows promise, it still faces obstacles. The initial investment in IoT devices, sensors, and subscriptions can be a significant barrier for many farmers. Subsidies, financing programs, or cost-sharing models could help increase adoption.
Small-scale farmers may find the ROI unclear in the short term. Tailored solutions and case studies demonstrating tangible benefits can encourage adoption. IoT systems generate vast amounts of data, which can overwhelm farmers without technical expertise. Platforms with user-friendly dashboards and simplified insights are critical.
IoT hardware must withstand harsh outdoor conditions and rough handling by livestock. Durable, low-maintenance equipment is essential for long-term success.
TagoIO: Simplifying IoT Deployments for Livestock Monitoring
TagoIO streamlines the deployment and management of IoT-based livestock monitoring systems. As an all-in-one IoT platform, TagoIO enables farmers to efficiently collect, store, analyze, and visualize data from IoT devices. With its user-friendly interface, scalability, and integration capabilities, TagoIO offers tools like Dashboard Templates and Kickstarter to facilitate seamless deployment.
TagoIO supports data integration from a wide range of IoT devices and communication technologies, including those connected via satellite networks. This flexibility allows farmers to adopt diverse hardware solutions for tasks such as location tracking, health monitoring, and behavior analysis. By centralizing data from smart collars, sensors, and other devices, the platform ensures easy access to critical information.
Farmers can set up alerts and notifications for critical events, such as a sudden drop in movement activity (potential illness), an animal straying beyond a predefined boundary (geo-fencing), or temperature anomalies indicating health issues or environmental risks. These insights empower farmers to respond quickly, minimizing losses and boosting productivity.
The Future of Livestock Monitoring
With satellites expanding their capabilities and IoT platforms like TagoIO simplifying deployment, livestock monitoring is entering a new era. As companies like Myriota and Kineis scale up their networks, satellite connectivity will become even more frequent and reliable, further enhancing the value of IoT systems for farmers worldwide.
Check out our webinar with Myriota for more on integrating satellite devices with TagoIO. Together, IoT and satellite technology are making livestock farming smarter, more sustainable, and more accessible to all.
