Keep track of your highest value animals
For as little as $10/mo
Costs for GPS cattle ear tags include: a Ceres tag, satellite service, and Terra Optics software subscription. On sixty Gen6 tags that works out to $9.32 per animal per month in the first year and $5.99 after it. Every number is broken down in detail below.
Full GPS cattle ear tag cost breakdown.
Where your money actually goes
When you put a GPS tag on an animal, you're paying three separate line items. Ceres Tags (the hardware), Ceres Satellite connection service, and Terra Optics Software platform. Here's what each piece actually does and what each one costs.
The GPS ear tag
Manufactured by Ceres Tag
A solar-powered GPS ear tag built by Ceres Tag, developed in collaboration with CSIRO — Australia's national science agency and one of the world's largest research organizations. These tags are built for Satellite GPS, not cellular — so they work on BLM allotments, open range, and anywhere cattle can roam.
Sold in boxes of 10. Bulk pricing available on larger orders.
Shop Ceres Tags arrow_forwardSatellite service
Paid directly to Ceres Tag
Every tag streams GPS coordinates and activity telemetry directly to a satellite constellation overhead. That connection cost is a recurring per-tag fee paid directly to Ceres. Think of this service like your cell phone bill, but with satellites.
4 GPS positions per day plus behavioral and health telemetry.
Register your tags with Ceres arrow_forwardThe ranch app
Terra Optics — that's us
We pull your tag data from the Ceres feed, map it onto your ranch boundaries, and turn raw data into something you can actually use on your operation. Animal locations, performance data, and important alerts like calving and estrus signals are all available on our platform.
Phone + desktop.
Get started free arrow_forward
Get started with GPS cattle tags
In three easy steps
Set up your tags
Buy Ceres tags from our shop or any authorized retailer. Once they arrive register them with Ceres for satellite access and charge them in the sun.
Shop Ceres tags arrow_forwardSet up your ranch
Sign up for a Pro account on Terra Optics and link it with Ceres to import your tags. Draw field boundaries on the map and create the animals you want to track.
Register your tags with Ceres arrow_forwardSet up your animals
Tag your animals at the chute and assign the tag to the associated animal in the platform. Move the animal into its designated geofence area and wait for the data to start flowing in.
Sign up with Terra Optics arrow_forwardGPS cattle tag investment calculator
Adjust your herd size to see how a Satellite GPS system could benefit your bottom line with tags on just 20% of your herd.
First year cost
Estimated value recovered
Scenario comparison with 20% of herd tagged with Ceres Tags
| Herd size | Annual cost | Est. value recovered | Net gain | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 head | $2,477 | $3,700 | +$1,223 | 1.5× |
| 500 head | $10,947 | $18,500 | +$7,553 | 1.7× |
| 1,000 head | $21,534 | $37,000 | +$15,466 | 1.7× |
| 2,500 head | $53,295 | $92,500 | +$39,205 | 1.7× |
| 5,000 head | $106,230 | $185,000 | +$78,770 | 1.7× |
info Estimates built from real deployments across working ranches. Actual results vary by operation size, region, and management practices. Tag counts assume 20% of herd covered (bulls + select cows).
Terra Optics
Subscription overview.
Free 30 day trial, no credit card needed:
Start your free trial →Starter
- check_circle Thanks for contacting us. We'll get back to you as soon as we can!Full herd records up to 100 head
- check_circle Custom ranch protocols
- check_circle Geofence mapping
- check_circle CSV import and export
- check_circle Phone + desktop
Professional
- check_circle Ceres Tag data access
- check_circle Full herd records with no head limit
- check_circle GPS positions 4x daily
- check_circle Behavioral activity data
- check_circle Health & calving alerts
- check_circle Geofence monitoring
Enterprise
- check_circle Custom onboarding
- check_circle Designated account rep
- check_circle Bulk tag discounts
- check_circle New feature early access
- check_circle Private consulting and data analysis
Frequently asked questions
How much do GPS cattle tags cost?
Three line items. The tag is a one-time purchase — $34.99 for a Ceres Gen5, $39.99 for a Gen6 — bought from us or any authorized Ceres retailer. Satellite service is $4.49 or $4.99 per tag per month, paid to Ceres. The Terra Optics app is free up to 100 head, or $29.99 a month plus $0.50 per linked tag on Pro. A 100-head outfit tagging 20% of the herd — twenty tags on bulls and select cows — comes to about $2,477 in the first year and about $1,677 a year after that, once the tags are bought. The calculator above works it out for your herd size.
How do GPS cattle tags work?
The Ceres tag is a solar-powered GPS ear tag with a satellite radio built in — no cell towers, no base stations, no Wi-Fi. Four times a day, each tag beams its GPS position and behavioral telemetry up to a satellite constellation overhead. Ceres collects the data from the satellites, and Terra Optics pulls it off their feed and maps it onto your ranch — showing you where every tagged animal is, flagging geofence exits and health anomalies, and sending alerts to your phone. Three separate services working together: Ceres makes the hardware, Ceres runs the satellite connection, and we turn the raw data into a ranch dashboard you can actually use.
Do I need GPS tags to use Terra Optics?
No. The app can be used for free as a stand alone ranch management tool. GPS tags are optional, but we highly recommend them.
Can I switch from another app?
Absolutely. You can import your existing herd data via CSV. If you are already a Ceres Tag customer we can also help you backdate your tag data onto specific animals.
How do I start a free trial?
Three ways. Click "Start 30-Day Free Trial" on the Pro tier above. Inside the app, tap "Start 30-Day Free Trial" when you go to use a Pro feature (like linking a GPS tag). Or, if you're creating a new Terra Optics account from inside the Ceres portal, your trial activates automatically as part of signup. All three give you 30 days of full Pro features. No credit card required.
What happens when my free trial ends?
Your records stay put and we never auto-bill you. What stops is the tag data: without a Pro subscription we stop pulling your Ceres feed, so new positions, performance grades and alerts stop arriving. Your animals, boundaries and history stay on the free Starter plan, and the data starts flowing again when you subscribe.
I already use another platform with my Ceres tags. Can I switch to Terra Optics?
Yes. Your tag hardware and satellite service stay the same — both are Ceres services regardless of which software you're using. From inside your Ceres portal, select Terra Optics as your software partner and your tags will start streaming to your Terra Optics account. Worth knowing: your animal records and ranch boundaries from the old platform won't transfer automatically — you'll rebuild those in Terra Optics. Once your animals are set up we can backfill your existing Ceres tag history onto them. The free trial covers your setup time.
How long until I see GPS data after I link my tags?
Ceres tags transmit on their own schedule — up to about 4 times a day, roughly every 4 to 6 hours — not on demand. After you link your tags, expect the first GPS positions to land within 24 to 48 hours as the tags settle into a regular reporting pattern.
Ready to tag your herd?
Want to discuss your options?
Tell us about your operation and we'll get back to you.
Direct contact
hank@terraoptics.io
Common questions
Check our pricing FAQ