A cost-effective, highly visible tape for safely containing horses behind shorter lengths of portable or semi-permanent fencing.

The ultra-white colour and 1½” width is highly visible to both people and animals, discouraging horses from engaging the fence. 

1½” Poly Tape can also be used to construct electric tape gates.

1½” wide Poly Tape consists of 15 conductive stainless-steel strands to provide standard levels of conductivity with 2,400 Ohms/km of resistance*. To maintain enough power on fence lines longer than 656ft, Gallagher recommends using Turbo Tape for reliable animal control.

Hobbits don't like sheep in their gardens. But how do you keep sheep out of a Hobbit's garden without using conventional fencing?

That was the problem faced by the Gallagher crew when asked to provide a fencing solution for the Hobbiton Movie Set near Matamata, New Zealand. Part of the Alexander family's sheep and beef farm, the set was a key location for the Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit movies. The rebuilt set, complete with hobbit holes, gardens, an inn and café, is now a popular tourist attraction.

Russell Alexander, General Manager of Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, says a crucial stage of the rebuilding project was stock-proofing Hobbiton's boundary to prevent sheep on the farm from entering the site and damaging the landscaping. The rustic post and rail fences favored by Hobbits were far from sheep-proof, so a key challenge was to secure the boundary fencing while preserving the character of the site.

Russell says Gallagher was asked to design a fencing system that was effective yet visually subtle. It was far from a typical job for Gallagher Territory Manager Martin Kinney.  He says the challenge was to incorporate a modern electric fencing solution that would completely blend in with the unique landscape on the film set. While measuring up the boundary he was conscious that treading damage to the long grass would be very noticeable. "I had to step very carefully so I didn't leave footsteps."

The fencing solution included attaching two hot wires to the rustic post and rail fence, with a third offset-mounted electric wire providing additional security. Gallagher was able to source camouflage-colored offsets that blended in with the timber fence.

Two Gallagher Energizers provided ample power to the fencing system which also features high tensile electric fence wire from Gallagher. Russell Alexander is pleased with the finished result. The fencing is completely cattle-proof and its visual appeal has been preserved. Gallagher has had a long association with the Alexander family and a significant amount of Gallagher technology is used on the farm.

"We use Gallagher products because Gallagher is a long-established and trusted company," says Russell. He says the fencing project on Hobbiton was a challenging task, "but we knew Gallagher would listen to us and understand what we wanted". 

KANSAS CITY, MO - Electric fencing is taking another giant step forward with the launch of Gallagher's i Series Fence Energizer Systems in North America. Featuring advanced fence monitoring technology, the i Series Energizers are another world-first for Gallagher and highlight ongoing commitment to solve the daily challenges of producers.

"These Energizers deliver so much more information into the hands of the producer. It's like having six people out on your farm constantly measuring the current and voltage of your fence and reporting the information back to you," said Gallagher spokesperson Mark Harris.

Available in three models - M1200i, M1800i and M2800i - these new 110V Energizers are yet another example of Gallagher's technology that is both practical and innovative.

Each model comes with an Energizer Controller that enables the user to monitor the condition of the fence and performance of the Energizer. This controller can be used to turn the Energizer on or off, set alarm thresholds, and make adjustments to the target output voltage. The ability to locate the controller away from the Energizer – up to 160' away, is a major bonus.

Fence chargers are often hidden away in the back of a shed where they are not easily monitored and this can lead to uncertainty about whether saved pastures are safe or one stock class is being kept away from another. But a key advantage of an i Series Energizer is that the controller can be positioned in a separate more conveniently-accessed location where it is easy to view.

Incorporating high efficiency components that deliver outstanding performance and livestock control, i Series Fence Energizers make it easy for producers to find and fix faults quickly and efficiently. Fence monitors compatible with the M1800i and M2800i units can be placed in strategic locations along the fence line, dividing a fence system into zones to make it quicker and easier to locate a fence fault.

To improve functionality even further, i Series Energizers will soon have a large range of optional features, including an SMS Energizer Controller module that enables fence performance to be monitored and controlled from anywhere with cell coverage. This means if a serious problem with a fence is detected; the producer is notified immediately via a text message to their Smartphone.

The ability to control the M1800i & M2800i Energizer remotely with a Remote and Fault Finder means producers don't have to waste time returning to the Energizer to turn it on or off when they want to fix a fault. If you are at the back of your property fixing a fault, the last thing you want to do is drive all the way to the front of the farm just to turn the Energizer off.

The i Series Energizers will give producers peace of mind that their fences are being constantly monitored for optimal performance.

As well as ensuring consistent and high quality fence performance, the new Energizers will also have applications for property security. When connected to the optional alarm controller and SMS accessory products, if someone opens up an electrified gate or section of fence, the system will notify you straight away, even if you are away from your property. The i Series Energizers give producers confidence in the performance of their electric fencing systems.

Good electric fencing is critical to the successful operation of any operation, so the whole aim of i Series Fence Energizer Systems is to give producers the assurance that their fences are doing the job they were put there to do.

Learn more about what the i Series Fence Energizer System can do for you!

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.

Gallagher is leveraging decades of global agricultural experience to bring to beef farmers a reliable and virtual fencing solution, eShepherd™.

For the last 6 years, Gallagher has been partnering with New Zealand and Australian beef farmers 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 focused 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 permanently exclude animals from dangerous areas, and from waterways and protected areas to comply with environmental regulations. This is a significant challenge that virtual fencing can help farmers tackle.” 

New freshwater regulations in New Zealand mean that by July 2025, all stock must be excluded from wetlands and waterways. 

“This could potentially cost some beef farmers millions of dollars in traditional fencing,” says Sarah. “With rising fencing costs, skills shortages and long lead times for fencing materials, they are desperately looking for alternative solutions that can save them time and money long term.

“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 New Zealand 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 around New Zealand and getting ready to make this technology available for farmers to purchase. Farmers interested in learning more can register their interest here.

Gallagher is also inviting farmers to its Fieldays site D72 to see eShepherd in action and talk to its team of experts about the benefits the technology could have for their farm business. 

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.