Maintaining a farm is a great responsibility. There are various precautions to be taken from the beginning to ensure the ongoing success of a farm. Apart from all the other hard work, assuring that the farm is completely secure is the move of a smart farmer. Amongst many potential strategies, the usage of farm gate cameras is a very effective strategy considering both the cost and safety factors......
Why should you use farm gate cameras?
Maintaining a farm is a great responsibility. There are various precautions to be taken from the beginning to ensure the ongoing success of a farm. Apart from all the other hard work, assuring that the farm is completely secure is the move of a smart farmer. Amongst many potential strategies, the usage of farm gate cameras is a very effective strategy considering both the cost and safety factors.
Over the past few years, technology has helped a lot with the development of farm gate cameras. As a result of that, modern farm gate cameras are capable of assuring the maximum security for farms no matter if they are agricultural or livestock; in general, livestock farms require more security compared to agricultural farms though.
General features of modern farm gate cameras
Before listing the uses of these farm gate cameras, it is important to have a basic idea about their features. Basically, a farm gate camera is a trail camera that can be mounted on a piece of timber, a pole, a fence or any other appropriate place. These cameras, in general, are placed in a way that is hard to notice by a stranger (it is a hidden camera that does the work of a surveillance system).
- Usually, these cameras (even the most basic ones nowadays) come with infrared feature. With infrared, these cameras are capable of capturing images even during night time. This infrared feature is designed to be ‘no-glow’ in order to keep the camera discreet. Motion capture is another fundamental feature of farm gate cameras (it is the most sought-after feature of a farm gate camera by all the farm owners).
- Since these cameras are generally mounted outdoors, they must be able to tolerate bad weather conditions. They should perform perfectly even under bad weather conditions, like heavy rains and snowfalls, without any disruption.
- At least a 0.5 second trigger speed is recommended for a farm gate camera to deliver the best results. Although there are cheaper cameras with slower trigger speeds, it is wiser to spend a couple of extra bucks, and purchase a camera with better trigger speed for optimal results.
- Most, if not all, modern farm gate cameras feature superb image quality. High resolution HD images and video footages have become common nowadays, thanks to the technology available. All these cameras come with a memory chip (at least 8GB); the user doesn’t have to purchase it separately. Other than that, in terms of data transfer, these cameras are compatible with the latest WiFi technology, too.
Farm gate cameras as an effective security precaution
As already discussed, handling a farm is quite a responsible task. There is lot to protect; from equipment to livestock.
Basically, there are two types of intruders: animals and humans. Usually, farm gate cameras are camouflaged and, therefore, they are hardly ever identified even by human intruders.
Because of this camouflaged characteristic, the usage of farm gate cameras is a very effective way to protect farms from potential intruders. When it comes to livestock farming, it is important to keep all the intruders (both animals and humans) away as much as possible. When the cameras are fixed, especially at the main entrance and other vulnerable areas, farm owners can observe the potential threats that come in various forms.
Since these cameras are capable of covering a large field of view (exceeding 500 in most occasions), intruders hardly have any chance to enter the farm without being noticed. By concealing these cameras at strategic locations (in addition to the entrance gate) as a precaution, farm owners can avoid various types of risks.
Best strategic locations to place cameras
Considering the vulnerability to threats, it is better to cover the below mentioned areas with an effective set of cameras.
- Fuel storage tanks
Most of the farms (especially medium- and large-scale farms) have their own fuel storage tanks. It is a wise move to conceal cameras to cover these fuel storage tanks due to two main reasons: to avoid disasters and to be aware of the fuel usage. Since most of the modern cameras are capable of sending real-time updates to smartphones via WiFi technology, farmers can act immediately upon an emergency.
- Inside the sheds
One of the best ways to see what is happening inside the sheds during the absence of farm staff is to place cameras that can feature live feedbacks. No matter if it is a problem caused by an intruder or some other problem related to the livestock, the staff can take immediate actions to avoid potential disasters.
- On machinery
Modern farms depend on lots of machinery. So, it is important to keep an ‘eye’ on them to guarantee a smooth operation. By placing cameras on the machinery, farm keepers can notice if and when something unusual takes place with the machinery. This strategy helps farm keepers to keep uninvited guests away from the machinery, too.
- To look after the pasture & stock
As a responsible farmer, it is exceptionally important to have a good eye on the pasture and the stock all the time. This is another occasion where farmers can make the maximum use of the cameras. These cameras help farmers to observe if the pasture and stock have been accessed by uninvited guests.
- To photograph vehicles
Yes, farms are accessed by many vehicles due to various reasons. As a security precaution, it is a smart move to keep a comprehensive record of all the vehicle moves in and out of the farm. By placing the cameras prominently at the vehicle’s entrance, farmers can capture the images of all the vehicles perfectly (even with the number plate and a visual of the driver inside).
Setting up
Setting up the cameras should be done discreetly for optimal results. Usually, these cameras come with camouflaged casings to support the concealed installation. Generally, these cameras are easy to install; they don’t require any expert knowledge. Most of them are plug and play devices that are compatible with modern smartphones with the help of a downloadable app.
Connectivity
Modern farm gate cameras come with multiple features to retrieve data. Thanks to WiFi technology, captured images can be transferred (either in real-time or after-shot) to smartphones quite easily. Apart from that, cameras come with standard memory chips to transfer bulk images and videos manually to devices (PCs, laptops, etc.) on scheduled intervals (daily, weekly, etc.). Usually these chips (8GB) are capable of storing more than 5,000 images per cycle. Apart from that, these cameras come with Bluetooth technology as a value-add addition. “Motion detection mode” captures all the movements within the field of view while “time lapse mode” records everything during a scheduled time. Most of the modern farm cameras come with both of these options for the convenience of the users.
Considering all these facts, farm gate cameras have become a standard requirement of all the modern farms regardless of its size. Depending on the scale and the type of the farm, the required amount of units may vary. Although it may cost a little money at the beginning, on a long-term basis, the installation of farm cameras are a fruitful investment for any result-oriented farm.
