BY Jeff Tribe

Jamie Visser’s personalized beef-farming “reality TV” has become a valued virtual component of his operation.
Theft at a second, distanced property put security cameras on the Oxford County-based farmer’s radar. But it’s the real-time visual connection to increasingly valuable animals inside his barn which has placed their feed at the top of his watch list.
“Animal welfare and bio-security has for sure now become the main benefit for me.”
Visser runs a 100-member cow-calf herd – “lot of limo cross, some chars” – supplemented by between 250 and 300 stockers combined with a seasonal hay-straw business and excavating operation. Like many agri-business people, he has too much to do, too many places to be and not enough time to cover everything. The home farm is located east of Norwich, a second, housing beef animals, a 45-minute drive away.
The addition of renters in the residence on the second property did put a physical presence there, belying some of his security concerns. However, the literal tipping point for his decision to install video cameras came via a 400-pound stocker pushed into a feeder on its back, with predictably unfavourable results.
“That’s a $2,000 calf … gone.”
No farmer likes to lose any animal for many reasons. But as Visser points out, today’s beef industry is economically removed from a time dairy farmers would give calves away. “They are getting $1,100-$1,300 for…” a second reminder of the $21,000 cheque he recently wrote to a neighbour for seven stockers.
“If we’d had a camera, we would have saved that calf,” he said. “One hundred per cent.”
Security is a rising concern in rural life. Fuel tanks, tools inside shops and sheds, highly-valuable machinery and livestock are vulnerable to theft. Farmers may also be concerned about trespass, including from those styling themselves as animal rights activists.
“You don’t know who’s snooping around your farm,” said Visser.
Oxford County mink farmer Jeff Mitchell considered security cameras a virtual necessity.
“It’s an option I pretty much had to do.”
Recently, says Mitchell, 6,000 mink were illegally released from a farm in Ohio, with similar occurrences previously in Canada. He did not face that issue when actively farming mink, however protesters once assembled along the road allowance in front of his property. Mitchell kept his distance, essentially ignoring their presence, however his cameras provided deterrence against trespass and a record of his non-action.
“It’s a shame you have to do it,” he said, pointing to considerable expense.
Mitchell’s security system alerts him to trespass and records incidents. One individual was videotaped, ironically while videotaping mink pens. 
“I have an 11-minute video,” said Mitchell, who subsequently found a large pair of bolt cutters near a hole in his security fence.
The mink are now gone but security cameras remain. Mitchell has video of one bold fuel thief wearing a balaclava, however feels that a chainsaw, for example, behind a locked door monitored by a camera has a better chance of being where he left it when he needs it.
“If they know the cameras are there, it still is a deterrent.”
There are many levels of video security, beginning with “do-it-yourself” options on the Internet, ranging up through companies installing, maintaining and servicing customized systems. 
Word of mouth combined with desire to support a young, motivated, local entrepreneur led Visser to Cornish Tech Solutions. The year-old and quickly-growing residential and business application security endeavour is owned and operated by Ethan Cornish. An electrical apprentice introduced to camera networking during a co-op work term, he tailors custom systems to individual needs.
When dealing with rural applications, Internet speed and router capacity often have to be upgraded to effectively handle video, says Cornish. Satellite service can be an option for areas without enough speed. Cameras are connected most preferably via cable (limited to 328 feet) to battery-backed-up dual eight-terabyte hard drives for redundancy, ideally in a secure location.
Camera resolution and features are a significant differentiator in system cost, $200 at the lower end for example, considerably cheaper than a 4K model with optical zoom’s $700 price tag.
“But you can read a license plate (with the latter),” said Cornish.
Hard drives maintain privacy over cloud storage, account and password-controlled smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer access providing real-time viewing or the ability to quickly search through recorded material.
Many choose basic settings, however programmable options allow for, for example, notifications sent upon every vehicle entering a viewing area, priority on vehicular or human subjects or “time of day” settings, eliminating notifications when residents are home. Doorbell options can be linked to phones, chiming when activated, allowing for remote visuals and verbal or text communication. 
“It’s an evolved world,” said Cornish, marveling at technological innovation which does carry a price tag, but provides access unimaginable a decade ago. “There is something for everything anyone wants.”
“Peace of mind” is the primary reason people consider security systems, says Cornish. Cameras will not prevent theft, he cautions, however apart from deterrence potential, they provide material for law enforcement.
“The better the quality the better the chance of a positive outcome.”
Video also provided Visser an appreciated record for an insurance adjuster following an accidental fire in a hay-storage barn.
“The camera told that story.”
However, while security was the initial reason for his investment, he now views it as an added bonus to livestock monitoring.
“We live busy lives, you can’t stand in the barn and watch them all day, and we don’t have $10 labour like we used to when I was a kid.”
The Saturday previous, Visser hauled out of bed at 11:30 p.m. and made the 45-minute drive to assist with a calving that phone connectivity raised concerns about.
“Maybe it would have been okay, or maybe I would have gone down at 8:30 in the morning to find a dead calf or cow or both.”
He also likes to monitor newborns’ drinking patterns, live or by toggling back through recorded video. Animals can be secretive and not drinking is a serious problem, while worrying they aren’t getting enough milk can also lead to unnecessary supplemental bottles.
“Next thing you know you’ve got a calf scouring because you’re overfeeding it.”
Security systems are an expense, says Visser, who believes there is a payback in terms of emergency response, herd health and savings in time and fuel. Instead of having to drive 45 minutes to check his cows, he constantly does so on his phone whether from his pickup or family cottage north of Sudbury. 
    “I can literally be sitting at the table and watch everything going on at home,” he said, laughing that he and wife Stephanie’s sons Brady and Owen might get tired of remote reminders to “check a feeder or cow.”
    In conclusion, Visser regards remote connection as part of the evolution of farming, be that for busy full-time operators or those having to work off-farm. 
    “The biggest thing for me is I just don’t have time,” he concluded.     “This has allowed me to get a handle on an important part of my business again.” ◊