Italian cows are being watched by satellite to make sure they stay in their fields and come to no harm in their stalls.
Milan University has teamed up with farmers' association Coldiretti in a pilot scheme where GPS tags have been attached to three cows near Milan.
"Keeping a satellite eye on the animals isn't just important for stopping them straying," said Coldiretti beef quality control chief Ernesto Beretta.
"It's also essential for monitoring what happens in the stalls. If a cow or a calf is moving too much or too little it means something's wrong".
The test scheme is aimed primarily at ensuring the tags are reliable.
If all goes well Coldiretti plans to extend the programme to sheep and goats.
