On the wide rangelands outside Terrebonne, rancher Ashanti Samuels still relies on horses and cowboys to manage cattle across thousands of acres. But in recent years, a new tool has joined the operation: virtual fencing. Samuels, owner of the Pitchfork T Ranch, has been using the technology for about three seasons. The system relies on GPS-enabled collars worn by cattle that connect to a smartphone app, allowing ranchers to draw digital boundaries and monitor the herd’s movements in real time. “It’s been a really good tool for us,” Samuels said. “Just understanding some of the whereabouts of cattle.” The technology does not replace riders on horseback, he said. Instead, it acts as an additional layer of information for ranchers working across large and often rugged landscapes. “We don’t use them to replace having people out on horseback and sticking with the cattle all the time,” Samuels said.…