How ORBCOMM and Ranchbot are delivering time, cost savings and peace of mind for progressive ranchers

The challenge

Water is often the most overlooked resource, and yet the most critical to a rancher’s operation. Whether they manage hundreds of acres or hundreds of thousands of acres, ranchers are facing rising social and economic pressures and environmental extremes that threaten the health of their livestock and the longterm sustainability of their ranch. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA,) there are over 700,000 cattle ranches across the United States, and it’s estimated that around 40% of those are in arid or semi-arid environments where water related risks like reduced water availability and decreased groundwater replenishment rates continue to pose a growing threat.

Traditionally, these water sources for livestock are checked manually, often taking ranchers hours to drive hundreds of miles on rough roads just to access them. Not to mention the significant costs associated with manually checking water: fuel consumption, vehicle wear and tear, infrastructure repair, labor, and the ultimate cost of losing valuable livestock if a water source fails without a prompt solution. Water management is a critical concern and cost for ranchers, according to Andrew Coppin, Founder and CEO of Ranchbot, and Co-Founder and Managing Director of Farmbot. Things like delayed inspections, water leaks, equipment failure and poor water flow and pressure can all lead to wasted water or a lack of availability of water for livestock.

“With a single head of cattle valued at approximately $1,500 USD, losing even one animal represents a significant avoidable cost for ranchers,” says Coppin. “Perhaps more importantly, we found that over 500,000 ranchers and farmers across North America drive to check water sources every day that 95% of the time don’t need checking for the 5% of times that they do, such is the criticality of water supply. That’s a lot of time, money and effort that could be used to have a more positive impact on their operations.”

The solution

Through ORBCOMM satellite IoT technology, Ranchbot enables ranchers to check their water anytime, anywhere, regardless of their property’s cellular coverage. “Not only can ranchers see their water availability and check for issues in near realtime,” Coppin says, “they can now actuate or shut off water supplies, open or close valves and start or stop generators and pumps—all remotely.

“They can rest assured the water supply for their livestock is operating properly and know if they have an issue, when they have an issue.”

The integration of ORBCOMM satellite IoT modems into Ranchbot products ensures reliable 24/7/365 communications regardless of how remote or dispersed a rancher’s water resources may be.

It also allows Ranchbot to act as a hub for other connected agricultural applications and solutions, particularly in areas with limited or non-existent cellular coverage.

“Ranchbot leverages ORBCOMM’s satellite modems for the low latency and excellent data transmission performance they provide. Two-way communication means water assets can be monitored, managed, and controlled remotely, which is a huge relief for ranchers who have water sources in faraway, hard-toreach places,” Coppin says. “Integrating ORBCOMM’s technology into our own has been easy since it autoprovisions and connects to the satellite network. It isn’t necessary to send technicians into the field to help deploy our solutions. This all makes Ranchbot a preferred solution for ranchers around the globe.”