The simplest ideas are the best, even for livestock protection solutions.
The concept of a collar that scares
wolves away and thus protects livestock.
brezzler® is a herd protection solution developed by brainflash GmbH. The protective collar is designed to solve the wolf problem quickly and easily in the future using smart electronics.
Function
Since 2020, brainflash GmbH has been working on a smart solution to prevent wolves from attacking farm animals. Michael Eder is an ornithologist and zoologist. Based on his expertise, he developed a clever solution that is easy to implement in agriculture and can counteract the controversial culling of wolves. To further develop his already patented idea, he brought the expertise of the East Tyrolean high-tech company Micado into the team. Micado has been involved in product development, automation technology, tool and fixture construction for decades.
The basic, patented function of the brezzler® defence collar is based on the behaviour and learning ability of predators that kill by biting the throat. These include wolves, bears, lynxes and golden jackals. The pressure of the stranglehold triggers an electric shock in the defence collar; the voltage is comparable to that of an electric fence. This impulse causes the attacker to let go of the domestic or farm animal. As a result, the wolf is supposed to learn from this electric shock, making further attacks on grazing animals unlikely.
In addition to defence electronics, these collars also feature highly sensitive pressure detectors that intelligently analyse the natural movements of the sheep, their behaviour and any possible attacks by wolves. The aim of the data collected is to achieve an ideal balance between early triggering and optimum battery performance for the final series model. The function of brezzler® can be easily and simply adapted to different sizes, making it suitable for all breeds of livestock. The collar is harmless to livestock, humans and wolves.
A field test in 2022 provided valuable results on how to optimise and improve the first pre-series prototypes. The invention has now been protected and the patent has been granted. Due to the current political dynamics in efforts to lower the protection status of some predators, further development to series production has currently been paused.