Evaluation of herd instinct tags on cattle behavior in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas

Abstract

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  Managed grazing systems strive to improve rangeland health and forage utilization.
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  Novel grazing technologies are enabling managed grazing to be more effectively applied to rangeland systems.
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  Herd instinct tags are a new technology that aim to promote migratory grazing and increased stocking density with lesser technical knowledge and management inputs than virtual fencing applications.
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  Herd instinct tags maintained animals at a higher stock density but did not affect animal behavior or fecal cortisol levels.
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  Evaluation of animal performance and ecological health is needed to determine suitability in production scenarios.