Custom LoRaWAN Livestock Collar: 5 Key Factors for OEM & ODM Development

2026-08-30 09:07:53 · Views 73

A custom LoRaWAN livestock collar is not simply a GPS tracker with a different logo. For cattle, sheep, goats and other grazing livestock, the device needs to match the farm environment, LoRaWAN network, positioning frequency, battery-life target and management platform.

For farms, system integrators and IoT solution providers planning an OEM or ODM livestock tracking project, the following five factors should be confirmed before mass production.

1. LoRaWAN Frequency and Communication Architecture

The first customization factor is the LoRaWAN network.

Different countries and regions use different frequency plans, including:

EU868
US915
AU915
AS923
IN865
KR920
RU864
CN470

The collar hardware, antenna and firmware should therefore be designed according to the target market.

For large ranches, the complete system normally consists of:

Livestock Collar → LoRaWAN Gateway → Network Server → IoT Platform / APP

The collar collects GPS location and sensor information and sends the data through LoRaWAN to a gateway. Depending on the project, the gateway may use 4G, Ethernet or Wi-Fi for backhaul.

For areas outside LoRaWAN gateway coverage, a hybrid LoRaWAN + 4G communication design can also be considered.

2. GPS Positioning Interval and Battery Life

Battery life is one of the most important specifications of a livestock collar.

However, battery capacity alone does not determine operating time.

Power consumption is affected by:

GPS positioning interval
LoRaWAN transmission interval
GPS signal acquisition time
LoRaWAN spreading factor
sensor sampling frequency
movement detection strategy
sleep mode configuration
environmental temperature
battery chemistry

For example, a collar transmitting a GPS position every minute will consume significantly more energy than one uploading every 30 minutes.

A better OEM design uses dynamic tracking modes.

Typical configurations can include:

Normal Mode: positioning every 30–60 minutes.

Active Mode: increase positioning frequency when movement is detected.

Alarm Mode: faster positioning and reporting when the animal leaves a geofence.

Sleep Mode: reduce GPS and LoRaWAN activity when the animal remains inactive.

For long-term pasture deployments, solar-assisted charging can also be integrated.

3. Collar Housing, Waterproofing and Animal Adaptation

Livestock GPS devices operate in a much harsher environment than normal consumer trackers.

The enclosure must withstand:

rain
mud
dust
animal impact
high temperatures
low temperatures
UV exposure
long-term outdoor use

For this reason, an OEM livestock collar should consider IP67 or higher waterproof protection, reinforced housing and stable antenna placement.

The collar strap must also be adapted for the animal.

Different structures may be required for:

cattle
sheep
goats
horses
camels

Customization can include collar length, buckle structure, device weight, housing material, logo, product color and mounting method.

A good livestock tracker should achieve a balance between mechanical strength, comfort and communication performance.

4. Sensors, Geofence and Livestock Monitoring Functions

A modern LoRaWAN livestock collar can do much more than provide GPS coordinates.

Depending on the application, customized functions can include:

GPS / GNSS positioning
BeiDou positioning
activity monitoring
accelerometer
motion detection
abnormal inactivity alarm
geofence alarm
escape alert
collar removal detection
low-battery alarm
temperature monitoring
historical route
grazing-area statistics

The accelerometer can also be used to intelligently control GPS.

When an animal remains stationary, the system can reduce positioning frequency. When movement is detected, the device wakes up automatically.

This strategy can greatly extend battery life compared with continuous GPS operation.

5. Platform, APP, API and OEM Software Customization

For commercial livestock tracking projects, hardware is only one part of the system.

A complete solution should also include the management platform.

The platform may support:

real-time livestock location
ranch map
multiple geofences
animal ID management
collar management
battery monitoring
alarm management
historical track
gateway management
user permission management
Android / iOS APP
multilingual interface

For OEM customers, API integration is particularly important.

The collar data can be connected to an existing farm management system through HTTP API, MQTT or other IoT interfaces, depending on project requirements.

This allows integrators to combine livestock location with feeding records, vaccination records, breeding information and farm operations.

Technical Architecture of a Custom LoRaWAN Livestock Collar

A typical customized collar may contain:

GNSS Module
GPS / BeiDou / GLONASS / Galileo positioning according to project requirements.

LoRaWAN Module
Low-power long-range communication for large pasture environments.

MCU
Controls positioning, sensor acquisition, communication and low-power operation.

Motion Sensor
Used for activity analysis and intelligent wake-up.

Battery Management System
Supports battery monitoring, low-voltage protection and optional solar charging.

Waterproof Housing
Designed for long-term outdoor livestock use.

Cloud Platform
Receives device data and provides maps, geofences, alarms and device management.

What Should Be Confirmed Before OEM Production?

Before starting a custom LoRaWAN livestock collar project, buyers should clearly define:

Target country and LoRaWAN frequency.
Animal type and collar dimensions.
Required GPS reporting interval.
Expected battery life.
Platform, APP and API requirements.

Additional items such as solar charging, 4G backup, custom PCB, firmware, housing mold, logo and packaging can then be defined according to the project.

Shenzhen Jinshengchang Technology can provide OEM/ODM development for livestock positioning projects, including LoRaWAN collars, positioning hardware, firmware, gateways, communication protocols, APIs and livestock IoT platform integration.

For large ranch projects, the system can be designed as an integrated solution covering:

Collar + LoRaWAN Gateway + Cloud Platform + APP + API