As a farmer, you have multiple operations to carry out and functions to perform every day. Whether you are catering to livestock barn structures or handling your equipment, you have to deal with numerous daily challenges, several of which cannot be controlled. However, some challenges, like being robbed, can easily be avoided. More than focusing on how to catch thieves, you should put your energy into protecting your cattle, tools, and vehicles.
Even though everything on your farm is insured, do you really wish to undergo the hassle and headache of suffering through a break-in? Filing the complaint, doing the paperwork, and replacing your livestock or equipment are likely to waste the precious time that you can devote to other essential tasks.
Hence, the best way to prevent a burglary is precaution. There are a range of tricks and strategies that you can adopt in order to safeguard your animals and tools from being stolen. This will not just make your life easier but will also make you feel at ease at all times.
Top 7 Strategies To Safeguard Farm Equipment And Livestock From Theft
GPS Tracking Device For Livestock
If you breed livestock, then you know that they like to wander in the field and graze with ease. Instead of keeping your animals within a single area to protect them from being stolen, you should invest in GPS tracking devices for your animals and let them roam in your farms.
While GPS devices are available in several forms, cattle collars can work the best. By making your animals wear these, you can easily locate them in the remotest of areas. New technologies are also making it possible for you to keep a constant check by sending you the location of your cattle every 15 minutes. They also allow you to set up geofences and will send you an alert whenever your animals move away from designated areas.
Smart Tech Installations
With the evolution of technology, enhancing safety has become hassle-free as things are easier to track and act on. There are several technological integrations that you can opt for to protect your equipment sheds and cattle shelter.
- Surveillance cameras: Strategically placing CCTV cameras at access points and across your farm is a great way to improve security. Nowadays, you can access the live footage of your camera to see what is happening at all times. You can also install these within the equipment and livestock shelter to keep track of those entering the structure.
- Fence gate alarms: These can easily be set up on your farm doors as well as fences and will notify you in case of any unauthorized access or movement. You can get real-time alerts in case of any perimeter breaches. Any damage to your fencing by thieves or pests will also be noted and communicated to you.
- Smart lighting: Smart lights are usually connected to your Wi-Fi through an application. They allow you to set specific timers for them to go off, like during the dark. You can also set up motion-sensor lights, which will go off when anyone shows up in the areas where they are installed. Some lights come with built-in speakers and cameras, allowing you to hear and see what is happening when your lights detect motion.
- Laser trippers: These are security devices that use laser beams to detect any motion in specific areas. You can set these up outside your barns or equipment sheds. They emit an invisible laser beam, and when it is interrupted, they trigger an alarm. You can switch them on at night to protect your farm from thieves.
Keeping Farm Equipment And Livestock Out Of View
Another great way to protect your livestock, farm vehicles, and precious equipment from being stolen is to keep them away from the road view. You should consider installing metal barns to offer complete protection to them. As these structures are strong and durable, they can easily be integrated with a range of security features.
Moreover, metal barns are highly safe for housing your animals as they can be insulated, ventilated, and customized in layout. In addition to offering comfort and protection to your cattle and equipment, these structures can also protect them from pests, termites, rust, and adverse weather conditions.
Equipment and livestock barns can also vary in dimensions, depending on your requirements and utility.
Check On Livestock At Irregular Time
You can start checking your livestock at random times. Following an irregular routine can also help in avoiding theft. Several farm robberies reveal that robbers first monitor the farm before carrying out a robbery. Checking your animals at odd times, like early morning or late at night, can help you deter thieves.
Overnight Equipment Storage
When storing your vehicles and equipment overnight, there are a few things that you can do for additional security:
- Withdrawing the motor, distributor cap, or battery of the vehicle or equipment.
- Installing a hidden second ignition switch.
- Tie the front wheels and back wheels of your equipment using chains.
- Chaining the equipment together to an anchored object like a tree or pole.
- Chaining the steering wheels so the movement of the vehicle is restricted.
Controlling Access Points
The main doors of your farms as well as livestock barns, should be adequately protected. In addition to massive padlocks, you should consider adding automated smart locks, which will make it nearly impossible for thieves to break in. The pins of these locks can easily be changed, and you can stop any employee from accessing the lock after they leave.
Security Personnel and Watchdogs
If you are really worried about rising robberies in your area, then you can also consider hiring a security service. They will do rounds on your farms and keep an eye out for any breaches. Along with providing additional security, they can also react quickly to any unforeseeable situations. Bigger farms with numerous animals, expensive vehicles, and heavy equipment can highly benefit from them.
Several farms also opt for watchdogs, as they can scare away thieves just by showing aggression. You can raise these dogs with your cattle to make them comfortable around them. You should house them closer to your cattle or equipment for better protection.
Comprehensive Protection: Strong Structures And Smart Technology
Offering holistic protection to your cattle and equipment matters a lot, especially when farms in the US are increasingly facing criminal activities. You can safeguard your animals from numerous elements, other than theft, with metal barns. Moreover, these structures can also house your equipment efficiently and effectively. However, do not forget the role that smart technology plays in keeping them safe. Utilize the strategies that work the best for you and enhance their safety today!
