A versatile product which can be used in-line or at the end of a fence, with built in over-stretch protection.

The tension spring offsets the expansion and shrinkage of wire caused by temperature fluctuations and keeps fence wire evenly tensioned during summer and winter.

Maintaining the tension on fence wires also prevents excessive strain on end or corner posts - reducing maintenance costs.

Any horse owner’s worst nightmare is finding their trusted mount tangled in a fence, cut, bleeding or maybe even dead from an encounter with a fence that has proven far from suitable for keeping them safe and contained.

No-one is more familiar with the risk of injury than Vicki, Kelly and Amanda Wilson.

Well known for their work taming wild horses around the world, the sisters are New Zealand’s most prominent equine siblings and have gained a public following both in New Zealand and internationally. They also have an enviable show jumping record, claiming many wins at the sport’s highest levels.

Over the years, thousands of horses have been through the Wilson Sisters property in Northland during camps and clinics, as well as their own team of performance horses.

While accidents are few and far between, the sisters have seen and experienced first-hand far too many encounters with typical high tensile farm fences, as well as accidents in gates and from post and rail fencing. These have included legs caught in fences, wire cuts and scratches and catching hooves in gates. They are injuries often requiring weeks of intensive nursing to get right.

Thanks to their relationship with Gallagher, the sisters were given the opportunity to have their property re-fenced with Gallagher equine fencing systems, including Equine Fence Wire, insulators and gates all designed specifically with horse’s needs and challenges in mind.

“We did a lot of research on different fencing options before choosing the Gallagher Equine Fence Wire. It ticked all the boxes for us,” says Kelly.

Working with Gallagher and the Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand, the sisters pulled out the old standard farm fencing around the property and commenced a fencing makeover that has exceeded their original expectations.

“We wouldn’t have considered our original fencing to be that bad, and thought it was pretty typical. Sure we had the occasional injuries but so does every horse owner. When Gallagher pointed out room for improvement, we saw huge potential to eliminate many of the issues we’d been struggling with over the years. Now we look back and see so many injuries that could have been prevented if we’d put safer fencing in earlier.”

The Gallagher Equine Fence Wire used is a unique electrified polymer design with a wide diameter and smooth coating, reducing the risk of the wire entangling the horse or becoming caught in them.

“Some of the worst accidents we’ve seen are when the wire (either on a fence or gate) gets caught between the hoof and shoe. It’s even worse when the wire is electrified and the horse can’t get loose.”

Since installing the Gallagher wire eight months ago they haven’t had any injuries in the newly fenced paddocks and couldn’t be happier.

With a huge storm in the region last month, followed by Guy Fawkes, the Wilson Sisters’ local vets tended to a number of fence related accidents. One equine property had three injured and one dead.

“Our horses came through just fine, not a scratch on them. It’s a huge relief being able to go to bed at night, or away to shows on the weekend, and know the horses will be in their paddocks when we return and safer than ever before.”

The makeover also included complete replacement of the property’s gates.

“We had never been able to find a gate that was truly horse friendly. We have had some bad experiences, including a horse getting a hoof caught in the acute angle of a diagonal brace, after pulling the gate off the hinges. The horse did a lot of damage to its hoof and shoulders which took a long time to recover. If we can reduce the risk of potential injury not only are we able to keep our horses safer and sounder, but we also save a huge amount in vet bills and the loss of value in horses no longer able to perform.”

With its solid steel grid pattern there is no risk of horses getting their feet caught and the Wilson sisters were relieved to see the end of the haphazard collection of gates they replaced. With the grid mesh welded to the gate frame there is also no risk of the mesh separating from the frame which again reduces the chance of hooves getting stuck.

The fence system comprises largely of outriggers to prevent horses talking to each other over the fence, which can be a major cause of injuries with horses previously striking out through the wire. Below this are one or two hot wires.

Since installation the integrity of the fence system has been pushed to its limits when tasked with containing the sisters’ wild horses they have been training.

“Before we changed to Gallagher there wasn’t a paddock we could keep them in, they would go under, through or over any of the fences we had.”

However with the new system the paddocks effectively have an invisible barrier that horses are respecting.

“The Equine Wire is highly visible compared to usual fencing wire. There is far less risk that they will canter into it.”

But it is not only the safety of their wild horses that gives peace of mind to the sisters. They have recently taken on some high value show jumping horses, ultimately intended for Olympic campaigns.

“Their owners need to know they are well looked after and safe, and the Gallagher fence system ensures that.”

The Wilsons have had a number of equine colleagues come to look over the fencing, and leave convinced it is the best they have seen for containing horses.

“As a horse owner, the most important thing is keeping our equine partners safe, since changing to Gallagher we’ve noticed the difference and only wish we’d changed sooner” says Vicki.

Dry Vegetation

There is a misconception that dry vegetation touching an electric fence can cause fires – this is extremely unlikely. In order to create a short, vegetation needs to be damp or green so therefore the vegetation will not ignite. Once vegetation dries out it becomes non-conductive meaning any short created disappears.

The only conceivable but still very unlikely scenario where an electric fence could start a fire is when a wire shorts to an earthed metal object, such as a steel post or wire where insulators have broken, in the presence of abundant dry vegetation. This scenario is very unlikely to occur in practice, and even less so on a well-maintained fence. Farmers with fences on steel posts or using earthed wires are advised to ensure the livewires are well insulated and the fence is clear of vegetation. If these factors are of concern then on days of severe or above fire risk, consider switching the energiser off.

Earthing

In dry conditions, the earth system attached to your Energizer will become less effective. Typically, dry conditions lead to higher fence voltages, low fence load (as vegetation is non-conductive when dry) and fences that do not create as good a shock as normal (depending on the quality of the earth system). If your electric fences are not controlling stock effectively in dry conditions, solutions such as Gallagher Super Earth Kits are available to improve your earth system. Gallagher i Series Fence Energizers also have an adjustable output target voltage, so can be turned down in dry conditions to reduce higher fence voltages. We also recommend a return earth fence design for all permanent fences in Australia.

Induction

Induction is another problem that occurs in dry weather. A common scenario is getting a shock off a steel gate or a non-live wire in an electric fence. This happens when current flows down a wire alongside an adjacent, effectively insulated wire not directly coupled to the electric fence. A voltage is then induced in the adjacent wire. This is more likely in dry conditions because the posts the non-live wire is connected to become insulators when dry. The solution to this problem is to earth the offending wire or gate by pushing a wire into the ground and stapling this across the non-live wires at the strainer post. Induction is not considered a fire risk whatsoever. Vegetation conductive enough to cause a short will effectively earth the non-live wire and prevent induction from occurring.

If your electric fence is not working as well as it should, or you would like further explanation of the above, please contact your local Territory Manager or Tech Support team on 1800 425 524

Gallagher is leveraging decades of global agricultural experience to bring beef farmers a reliable and remote virtual fencing solution, eShepherd™. For the last 6 years, Gallagher has been partnering with beef farmers all over the world to trial eShepherd. The technology has proven particularly effective in helping farmers improve pasture management and protect riparian zones, despite farming on remote and vast landscapes.

“As margins get squeezed, farmers are focussed on getting the most from their pasture and growing animals faster with less inputs,” says Gallagher Global Strategy & New Ventures Manager Sarah Adams.

“For many beef farmers, this includes finding ways to access remote areas of their farms that are difficult to fence and utilise pasture that is currently being wasted. The way they farm also means they manage animals with less human interaction. Insights from our customer research are telling. Farmers are crying out for cost-effective ways to better utilise their pastures and permanently exclude animals from dangerous or environmentally sensitive areas, without the significant associated expenses of physical fencing. With rising fencing costs, skills shortages and long lead times for fencing materials, farmers are looking for alternative solutions that can save them time and money long-term,” says Sarah. “We have a list of loyal customers who have followed our eShepherd journey over the last few years. They are eager to get their hands on this technology because they know it will be a gamechanger for their operation.”

Gallagher has been in business for 85 years and works with farmers around the world. Sarah says her team knows from experience that partnering closely with them to develop the right solutions is crucial.

“That’s why we have spent time in the field trialling eShepherd and putting the technology and the hardware through its paces before bringing it to market. It was important for us to get farmer feedback throughout the process and tweak our design to make sure we give farmers a solution they can rely on. The result is a tried and tested virtual fencing solution that farmers can be confident will improve pasture management, help them meet environmental regulations and save them money on traditional fencing – all while achieving sound animal welfare outcomes.”
eShepherd was originally developed by virtual fencing technology developer Agersens. Gallagher first began investing in eShepherd in 2016 before it acquired Agersens in 2021.

“Our team are some of the best in the business and we understand farming. We are tapping into Gallagher’s decades of experience in developing animal management solutions for farmers around the world to bring eShepherd to the market. Gallagher is a global leader in agri-tech. We have a responsibility to deliver our loyal farmer customers a virtual fencing solution they can trust and have complete confidence in. Getting it right takes time, commitment and expertise. We are proud to be bringing the benefits of this exciting new technology to the beef industry and educating them about how virtual fencing can help them run more profitable and productive business.”

Gallagher is now in the final stages of its BETA trials with specific beef operations in Australia and North America and getting ready to make this technology available for farmers to purchase. Farmers interested in learning more can register their interest here.

A fully digitised electric fencing system is saving Canterbury dairy farmers Ben and Allie King time and money, managing their herd and access to their farm all from their mobile phones. 

The couple are 50/50 sharemilking 650 cows on 180 hectares in Rotherham. They installed Gallagher’s M6000i iSeries Energizer, which they use along with Gallagher’s iSeries Fence Monitors. This splits the farm into two fencing zones. The couple and their team use the Gallagher Ag Devices App on their mobile phones to control the entire system. They also all have Gallagher iSeries Energizer Remote and Fault Finder, which makes finding faults quick and easy. 

Since arriving at the farm in June last year, Allie explains that the farm owners have made a considerable investment in the farm’s infrastructure, including fencing. 

“There has been a lot of work going on which has meant fences needed to be moved and wires cut so diggers could do prep work for installing irrigation. Our electric fence system has constantly needed to be turned on and off.” 

“The Gallagher M6000i iSeries Energizer, which pairs with Gallagher’s Ag Devices App on our mobile phones, has been an incredible time saver. 

“If we have a fault that’s 2km from the unit, we can turn it on and off from our phones right on the spot. Or if we need to turn the fence off to let a digger through or shift a fence, we don’t have to travel all the way back to the unit.” 

The couple has split the farm into two zones using the iSeries Fence Monitor. This helps them isolate the farm into two areas and better identify where the faults are. 

“It makes it really easy to see if the fault is on one side of the farm and saves time in finding it.” 

 Ben and Allie employ two full time farm staff and employ casual staff during busy periods like calving. They all have fault finders, which they carry in their pockets. 

“The fault finders are another essential piece of kit. I’m not sure how you’d find faults without it. You’d just be running blind. You just put it on the fence, it tells you the kilovolts and amps running through the fence and then points you in the direction where amps are high,” says Allie.  

“Follow the fence in the direction it points, and you’ll find what’s causing the fault. It’s that simple.” 

With all staff having access to the Gallagher Ag Devices App, each member of the team can see what’s happening with the fencing system at any time by looking at their phones.  

The system also has an amp setting and a voltage setting. If the amps go higher than the setting or the voltage goes lower, it will trigger an alarm and send an alert to their phones. It means Ben, Allie and their team always know exactly what’s happening with their fences and can fix any issues immediately. 

“It’s so much more than a normal fence power unit. It has a digital screen, and you can connect it to your phone using Wi-Fi or with a cellular hot spot to give you total peace of mind,” says Allie. 

The Gallagher M6000i iSeries Energizer unit allows Ben and Allie to see how much power is coming out of the unit and know immediately if there is an issue with their fencing that could risk stock getting out.  

“It’s super handy for things like when you have cows on crops, and you need to know quickly if they break out day or night.” 

Allie says adding the iSeries Fence Monitor and Gateways to the system has also been a game changer. 

“From our phones we can see if there is a problem with the system and we can see what zone it’s in, saving the hassle and time of searching entire fence lines looking for the issue,” says Allie. 

She says they don’t have Wi-Fi available on the farm, so they use a data card to control the system. 

“It’s so simple, you just put the data card in and away you go.” 

“It’s very cool to have something so digitised and automated. When farmers’ days are already busy enough, it gives us with such valuable peace of mind and one less thing to worry about.”

Learn more about the iSeries system here.

Gallagher, in partnership with Landcare Australia, is excited to announce the recipients of the Gallagher Landcare Electric Fencing Grants for 2023. 

Our partnership with Landcare Australia has been invaluable to supporting landowners to care for the land through improved environmental conservation activities. Gallagher made a pledge with Landcare Australia to have 150 fencing grant projects completed by 2026, which we are on track to achieve.

The Gallagher Landcare Electric Fencing Grant has continued to grow year after year. 2023 marks the fourth year of our partnership with Landcare, inspired by a commitment to supporting local communities and the environment.

We're excited to announce that this year we have awarded 22 grants, to the total value of $176,000 (ex. GST). With an overwhelming number of applications this year, we had a very competitive field. Those receiving grants submitted high-quality applications outlining their ongoing intention for conservation and protection.

The projects were chosen with a focus on conservation exclusion and inclusion permanent fencing, riparian protection, and farm dam restoration. We believe the recipients have a genuine passion and commitment to long-term landcare and conservation activities. 

Introducing the 2023 recipients of the Gallagher Landcare Electric Fencing Grant:

Recipients receive funding for individual electric fencing project grants valued at up to $8,000 (ex. GST) for fencing materials to support projects, with costs determined in consultation with the local Gallagher Territory Manager.

Read more about the Gallagher Landcare Grant here.

One of the most beautiful sights for Clarence Valley grazier Marg Gillespie is the river of mist she sees early in the morning from the homestead of her property, JARA.

It's a sign that, after having survived through the recent drought in the region, she is comforted by. "It's wonderful to sit here on the back verandah and see that water go up through the valley ready to come back down again - the daily water cycle," she said.

Rehydration of the landscape has been a priority for Mrs Gillespie and her husband Dave since they bought the 1754 acre property in cattle country near Tabulam in 2013 with plans to establish a cattle breeding operation and put in place the sustainable, regenerative land management practices they were passionate about.

They first saw the property in 2011 on one of their many road trips looking for the perfect place. "Dave pointed across the road as we were driving along and said, 'That's the kind of country I'd like'," said Mrs Gillespie.

The property came up for sale in April 2013 and in the following December the Gillespies moved there permanently from South East Queensland, where they owned a vineyard.

"I'd lived all my childhood and adulthood on farms, my parents had a Hereford stud, and Dave was a mechanic by trade but had worked on properties so farming wasn't new to us," said Mrs Gillespie.

"My great love is cattle, I love the industry and I wanted to get back on a farm. Our plan was to look after the country and produce the best beef cattle we could. We were so lucky to find this property. It's a special place."

Protecting for future generations

Since buying the property - which they named JARA using the initials of their four children - the Gillespies have worked to establish their Santa Hereford Angus breeding operation while applying the kinds of land management strategies inspired by natural sequence farming champions like Australia's Peter Andrews.

"We're in our 60s now and our aim is to leave the property in better condition than when we found it, for future generations," Mrs Gillespie said.

"It's important to us because we have always been very conscious of the environment and looking after it - we want to do things as sustainably and regeneratively as possible. Plus it's a working property so it has to be profitable and if you're not looking after the land you're not going to be profitable."

The undulating property has the Clarence River on one of its boundaries and also incorporates two creek systems - Bottle Creek and Tunglebung Creek. Around 1100 acres of the property is used for grazing and the rest is native forest.

One of the Gillespies' first steps was to divide the property into more paddocks to allow for controlled grazing, strategically rotating cattle to allow the land to stabilise and to improve soil.

In January 2019, with drought conditions in the region, the Gillespies decided to destock. They reduced down to a core breeding herd and focused in on their land management work with increased determination to build JARA's ability to make use of available water and be more drought tolerant.

"We continued to destock as the feed diminished; we were ultra aware of not over grazing the paddocks so that when it did rain again the property would quickly recover, which it did when the drought broke for us (in December 2020 with just over 300 mls)," Mrs Gillespie said.

"That experience really made the rehydration of our landscape a major priority for Dave and me."

Fencing grant supports projects

The Gillespies' work on their property was recently recognised and given an extra boost when two of the projects key to their land management and drought tolerance strategies were selected as recipients in the annual Gallagher Landcare Electric Fencing Grants program.

The program aims to support improved grazing management and conservation across the nation providing a combination of Gallagher Electric Fencing and monetary support to facilitate projects.

The Gillespies' projects included the rehabilitation of a deep erosion incision that cuts through the property, and the protection of an intact "chain of ponds" - an environmentally-valuable natural feature that comprises a series of ponds linked by shallow waterways.

The chain of ponds is a part of the property the Gillespies are particularly proud of and passionate about.

"It's a unique example of the old Australian landscape you don't see many of any more. We feel very lucky to have one on our property," she said.

"It's about a six acre area that is a small flood plain before the country rises up on either side; it's basically a chain with steps between the ponds and the water flowing down.

"It has natural reed beds and marshy grasses that trap the fertile sediment coming down through the system and that benefits your frogs, water lizards, birds and other wildlife that live in this environment. It's a really exciting area - the grandkids especially love it!"

The Gillespies have used the Gallagher Electric Fencing they received to restrict cattle from the area as part of their ongoing work to protect the fragile system. They constructed more than 2.5 kilometres of fencing using Gallagher's Mega Anchor Post Kits and Insulated Line Posts, a fast and easy-to-install permanent fencing solution.

"This chain of ponds system does need to be maintained, protected from the cattle and looked after - we've been planting it out with trees and lomandras to help slow the flow, which holds the fertility and adds to the soil," Mrs Gillespie said.

The deep erosion incision in a paddock on the other side of the property is next in line to be fenced thanks to the support from Gallagher and will exclude cattle, allowing vegetation to stabilise and develop.

"This has been a plan since we first came here but it was never going to be a cheap exercise, so getting the grant was fantastic," said Mrs Gillespie. "The only way to rehabilitate it is to fence it off so you haven't got cattle trampling through it and continuing to make it worse.

"By planting on the floor of the erosion and the sides we'll be able to stop the sides from collapsing and stop water from rushing down there when it rains which causes more incisions and affects your fertility, taking your top soil with it down into the Clarence River and out to sea at Yamba.

"Slowing the flow means more water is going into the soil, staying longer and doing its job so you might be better able to cope with the next drought. Our Gallagher Landcare grant has been a great contribution towards achieving our goals."