Permanent fencing fix for steep, coastal property

Cam Lourie is sheep and beef manager at Limestone Downs - a sprawling 3,214-hectare farm, 15km South of Port Waikato.

With an operational platform of 2,250 hectares, Limestone Downs is home to a sheep, beef and dairy unit, with 6,800 mixed aged ewes, 2,200 hoggets, and 1,000 R1 and R2 cattle.

Maintaining fencing infrastructure on such a large property is a significant undertaking, so Cam was looking for an effective, long-term solution.

“The old lines on the coastal side of the property needed replacing, so I was on the lookout for fencing that could handle the coastal conditions, where we struggle with rust and erosion from sea spray,” he says.

“I knew I wanted to move away from our current polyrod fencing, so after evaluating the options I decided to try out the Insulated Line Posts.”

The system includes a fully insulated polyethylene and fibreglass post for low cost, low maintenance, permanent electric fencing for sheep, cattle, deer and horses. It comes with pre-formed wire attachments with snap-on clips.

Since making that decision and installing the first blocks of posts over 2.5km, Cam has been impressed with the posts’ ease of use and straightforward installation.

“Traditional posts take a lot of effort to put in, and on the coast the staples eventually rust out. The Insulated Line Post system is simple to install and the nylon snap-on clips mean we don’t need any staples.

“If for any reason we need to replace the fence wire, we can easily run new wire through the posts without the hassle of pulling out staples.”

Being a steep property, Cam says it is not always practicable to get machinery and manpower in to dig holes and ram posts.

“The Insulated Line Post system is also a time-saver. You can put up a whole line of posts in one day by yourself.

“While the posts themselves might be a bit more of an investment, the time saved by not having to dig holes and the longevity they offer, make them an attractive option.”

Now Cam has his Insulated Line Posts installed, he has found that power is running through them really well and they have been effective at keeping stock where they should be.

Over time, he says he is keen to see how the posts perform out in the elements as well.

“We’ll continue to install the posts along the coast for the next year. We have kilometres and kilometres of fencing that is, or soon will be, due for replacement, so I’m hoping we’ve found our permanent fix.”

To learn more visit am.gallagher.com/en-NZ/Products/Insulated-Line-Post or speak to your local Territory Manager.