Leading developer of virtual fencing technology, Agersens, is now part of Gallagher Group under a strategic change of ownership that will allow us to further improve the solution and accelerate commercial expansion across Australian and international markets.
Agersens, which was founded by Ian Reilly, designed and developed the eShepherd platform to allow graziers to control the location and movement of cattle using a web application and an intelligent, solar-powered neckband connected to the internet via a base station. Testing, including a fully-subscribed beta trial programme, shows the technology is proving effective in rotational grazing and protection of riparian zones.
Leading the Agersens team over the past two years is Jason Chaffey, who said Agersens and Gallagher shared a common vision for farm automation, expansion into global markets and partnering with industry to provide tools that facilitate data-driven decision making.
“Gallagher’s long and respected history in livestock management, international reach and vision, not only for virtual fencing but for promoting a more efficient, productive and sustainable grazing industry, means it is ideally placed to provide a strong foundation for the future growth of eShepherd,” Jason said.
“Agersens and Gallagher will work closely to maximise synergies and grow commercialisation of eShepherd, a technology we are confident will be a game-changer for livestock production.
“eShepherd is performing well at our test sites across Australia and New Zealand and the acquisition by Gallagher will accelerate growth and development of the product, to move towards providing producers in multiple markets with access to this tool which can genuinely improve the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of grazing businesses,” Jason added.
Gallagher Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director Kahl Betham says the company is delighted to add this new technology to the Gallagher lineup.
“For over 80 years, Gallagher has led the way in the agricultural industry. This acquisition further cements our commitment to investing in new ways of farming that will support customers with smarter, simpler solutions that make farm life easier and more profitable.
“We are thrilled to be adding further talent to the Gallagher family and are excited about what we can achieve together through our combined passion for innovation and customer experience,” Kahl added.
We first began investing in eShepherd in 2016. The acquisition will be finalised by 21 June 2021 at which time the current Agersens team of around 35 people will transition to Gallagher, under the overall leadership of Lisbeth Jacobs, Global General Manager for Animal Management.
Find out more about eShepherd here.
For more than 20 years, we have led the way in the development of solar powered energizers. And there are no signs of it slowing down.
Gone are the days of relying on heavy battery powered energizers to keep stock where they should be. Lugging 12-volt batteries around the farm that need to be regularly checked and replaced is a thing of the past.
Solar technology has changed the way farmers power up their fences and given them a truly self-sufficient source of power they can rely on.
As one of the first to introduce solar powered energizers to New Zealand in the mid-1990s with the S17, our Global Marketing Manager Mark Harris explains: “The S17 was about the size of a 10-litre bucket and was powered using a basic gel cell battery,” he says. “A solar panel harnessed the sun’s power needed to run the unit, but even the panel had to be large to capture the energy needed to discharge it.
“It was a very simple product. It used a basic circuit that would slow the battery down when the power was getting low. But it was really hard on the batteries, which could only be recharged a few times before they needed replacing.”
Since the move away from external battery powered units, solar has gone from strength to strength as technology has advanced. Solar panels have become smaller and more efficient, and battery technology has improved.
In 2014 we launched our second generation of Gallagher solar energizers, the S10, S16 and S20 family.
“We scaled up the technology and built-in micro-processor control circuits to track the solar energy coming in and operate the units in the most efficient way, even in low sunlight,” says Mark.
“We also managed to reduce the size of the energizers by half, so they were much smaller and lighter than the S17, but still incredibly robust.”
Fast forward to 2021 and we have taken solar-powered portable electric fencing to the next level with the launch of the S12 Lithium Solar Fence Energizer.
By embracing the latest battery technology, we have replaced heavy lead-acid batteries with lightweight lithium iron phosphate to create an even more powerful solar electric fence energizer.
“The S12 Lithium is half the size of where we started with the S17,” says Mark. “It performs even better with a lithium battery and built-in smarts to adjust output voltage when battery is running low to protect the longevity of fence performance.
“The small compact design provides lightweight portability, yet heavyweight performance. It is easy to transfer power around the farm and give farmers peace of mind knowing their livestock are where they are meant to be.
“The icing on the cake is that the S12 Lithium uses half the plastic required by its predecessor the S10 - saving 28 tonnes of plastic each year*.”
S12 Lithium was 18 months in the making, with more than 300 farmers having input into the initial product concept.
“You can’t put a price on involving farmers in a product’s development,” says Mark. “After all, they’re the ones using it out on farm so they know what works and what the issues are. Many of the features of the S12, like its built-in earthing lead, were included to resolve issues farmers told us they were having.”
Today, solar technology is a core part of Gallagher’s product offering and there is still room to grow.
“With more than two decades of development behind us, our team have a reputation for being the best in the business. But they are not resting on their laurels. New ideas are always in the pipeline and we will keep working with farmers to make sure they have the technology they need to run a profitable, sustainable business.”
* * Based on S12 annual sales forecast
What do you use to enclose four cute and furry Cheetah that can reach land speeds of up to 130km/h and jump up to three metres high in the air? A Gallagher fencing system.
When Hamilton Zoo needed to upgrade its cheetah enclosure to prepare for the arrival of their four young cheetah boys, Radi, Bomani, Manni and Denzel, they decided to use Gallagher products.
Hamilton Zoo Asset Manager, Jesse Golden, says the zoo transferred the boys from Taronga Dubbo Western Plains Zoo, in Australia, but their journey to Hamilton is only one small part of the story. Hamilton Zoo staff worked for nearly 12 months beforehand to create the perfect enclosure for them.
“There was a really detailed design process we went through which involved seeing what has been learned in the past and what other zoos are doing with their cheetah. We also knew we wanted a closer experience for our visitors,” says Jesse.
The boys arrived in Hamilton in early April and have settled in well to their new home. Denzel, Radi and Bomani are brothers, while Manni was born one month earlier at Monarto in South Australia.
“The boys have settled in beautifully. They were happy to be reunited after the flight and there was plenty of purring, yelps, barks and grooming each other,” says Jesse.
Jesse says Hamilton Zoo settled on a Gallagher fencing system as they were confident it could safely contain their four young cheetah, while still offering a great viewing experience for their visitors.
“We added more viewing windows to the enclosure to create a closer experience for visitors, but we also used a black mesh fence which is easier to see through and easier for visitors to take photos through,” says Jesse.
The cheetah fence was installed by Barakat Contractors.
Owner Dale Barakat says about 1km of Gallagher High Conductive Lead Out Wire and Gallagher Double Insulated Cable was used in the project which saw them add three offset electrified wires around the enclosure.
“We used the Gallagher Wood Post Live Tip Offset at the top of the fence, through the middle and at the bottom and Gallagher Double Insulated Cable to set it all up. It’s electrified using a Gallagher MBS800 Multi Powered Energizer,” says Dale.
The job also involved digging a trench around the enclosure and filling it with rock and installing wooden boards to the bottom of the fence and digging them into the ground so the boys can’t dig themselves out of the enclosure.
Right beside the boys’ new home are the Giraffe, Zebra, Goats and Deer, says Jesse.
“The boys are in their enclosure and they can see through to their neighbours. They have been really interested in the Zebra and looking at them a lot.”
Jesse says the new fence looks stunning.
“The boys are very happy in their new environment and we are very happy with the new fence that we know is keeping them safe,” says Jesse.
Whether you’re managing wildlife intruders in the snowy Swiss mountains or rearing cattle in the hot Australian outback, our Gallagher energizers are made to withstand the most extreme conditions, and we’ve got eight decades of loyal customers to prove it.
But great products don’t just appear overnight. Behind the scenes, from concept to farm, there are hundreds of people making sure nothing but the best gets to your farms.
When Bill Gallagher Senior came up with the first energizer concept to keep Joe the horse from rubbing up on the family car, things were a bit simpler. Eighty years later, we rigorously test every component that makes up our infamous energizers along the way, and then again once they’re fully assembled. They need to overcome challenges they’d come across in everyday farming before leaving the factory.
The testing process means our failure rate is minuscule, averaging around 0.5% globally! We operate on a Learning First basis, meaning we’re proactive, finding and fixing potential issues before they get to you.
Some of the tireless testing is manual and some are computerized. For example, our laboratory HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Test) testing means our energizers are exposed to some seriously extreme conditions, well below -20 degrees Celsius, right up to temperatures that exceed 55 degrees Celsius, to prove just how indestructible our energizers can be.
And it’s not just extremes in temperature involved in our testing procedures. We make sure you’re good to go by putting all our energizers through all kinds of harsh stress environmental tests including water, impact, and UV exposure before going to market to ensure unbeatable reliability, delivering outstanding performance day in and day out. Our energizers also have in-built lighting protection.
Our research and development team are tirelessly working and evolving to ensure design improvements and preventing faults of our already award-winning products. This means we’re constantly ahead of the game, and our reliability team are there to find the cause of failures on existing products.
We're so confident with our products, and we want you to be too, so all our energizers come with a three-year warranty for your peace of mind.
It's all part of our ongoing drive to provide the best products on the market. Our loyal customers stretch back generations, which speaks volumes about our commitment to quality.
Whether you’re managing wildlife intruders in the snowy Swiss mountains or rearing cattle in the hot Australian outback, our Gallagher energizers are made to withstand the most extreme conditions, and we’ve got eight decades of loyal customers to prove it.
But great products don’t just appear overnight. Behind the scenes, from concept to farm, there are hundreds of people making sure nothing but the best gets to your farms.
When Bill Gallagher Senior came up with the first energizer concept to keep Joe the horse from rubbing up on the family car, things were a bit simpler. Eighty years later, we rigorously test every component that makes up our infamous energizers along the way, and then again once they’re fully assembled. They need to overcome challenges they’d come across in everyday farming before leaving the factory.
The testing process means our failure rate is minuscule, averaging around 0.5% globally! We operate on a Learning First basis, meaning we’re proactive, finding and fixing potential issues before they get to you.
Some of the tireless testing is manual and some are computerized. For example, our laboratory HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Test) testing means our energizers are exposed to some seriously extreme conditions, well below -20 degrees Celsius, right up to temperatures that exceed 55 degrees Celsius, to prove just how indestructible our energizers can be.
And it’s not just extremes in temperature involved in our testing procedures. We make sure you’re good to go by putting all our energizers through all kinds of harsh stress environmental tests including water, impact, and UV exposure before going to market to ensure unbeatable reliability, delivering outstanding performance day in and day out. Our energizers also have in-built lighting protection.
Our research and development team are tirelessly working and evolving to ensure design improvements and preventing faults of our already award-winning products. This means we’re constantly ahead of the game, and our reliability team are there to find the cause of failures on existing products.
We're so confident with our products, and we want you to be too, so all our energizers come with a three-year warranty for your peace of mind.
It's all part of our ongoing drive to provide the best products on the market. Our loyal customers stretch back generations, which speaks volumes about our commitment to quality.
Across 475 hectares of some of New Zealand’s most scenic farmland in mid-Canterbury, a beef farming operation is successfully being run on a tight rotational grazing system, similar to a dairy farm.
A permanent electric fencing solution from Gallagher has been key to making it happen. The property is known as Glenview and is owned by former Anzco Foods founder Sir Graeme Harrison. Sir Graeme’s total farm area in the mid-Canterbury region covers over 2,300 hectares and encompasses properties at Mt Alford, Pudding Hill and Highbank. The most recent addition is Glenview, where the farm has been completely overhauled with a new fencing system from Gallagher. Farm manager Jack Dwyer says the fencing solution allows them to run a sharp rotational grazing system on the Glenview property, like that found on most New Zealand dairy farms.
“It is an intensive operation, so we want to make it pay for itself,” says Jack. “To help us manage our animals effectively, we tore out almost all the fencing and re-fenced more than 60kms of the property using Gallagher’s electric fencing solution, including powering it up with Gallagher energizers.” Each paddock is about eight hectares in size, divided in the middle with a two-wire fence. This allows sheep to go underneath, but cattle to be effectively managed. There are water troughs one quarter and three quarters along the two-wire fence. It means each four-hectare half can be split into four one hectare or eight half hectare grazing strips.
“This set up means we can run short sharp rotational grazing where we get mobs of 40 to 50 cattle doing a 24-day rotation in one eight-hectare paddock if the growth is adequate,” says Jack. As the grazing rotation continues into summer, lambs are brought into the system and replace cattle in some paddocks. Mobs of between 800 and 1,400 lambs follow in the rotation and are given the full eight hectares to graze out.
“It’s been a system of trial and error. We’ve spent the last few years figuring out what works and what doesn’t, but the Gallagher system and gear has been absolutely key to helping us manage feed and maximise animal productivity,” says Jack. “The system also allows us to easily drop out halves of paddocks to be cut for supplementary feed.” A similar fencing set-up has also been recently installed at the Highbank property, which also grows supplementary feed for the rest of the operation.
Across all the farms, the operation runs a total of 2,700 Perrindale ewes, with plans to lift that number to about 4,000 over the next couple of years. They calved 500 Angus cows this season and last season raised 240 Angus steers to Five Star Beef and finished 830 Friesian bulls, and 4000 lambs, with hopes to see those numbers rise in the next few seasons. “It is a complex operation, but our Gallagher fencing solution gives us the peace of mind we need. We can use the technology as much or as little as we want to help us run an efficient and productive farm business.”
Jack and his team use an M10,000i and an M6000i energizer on Glenview, a M10,000i at Pudding Hill and an M10,000i at Mt Alford. They use Gallagher’s Ag Devices App to make sure everything runs smoothly, and stock are kept safe and where they should be. “The Ag Devices App allows us to see when the amps are coming off and you can see what’s normal and what’s not. It will throw up an alarm when there is a fault and if the power falls below a set level. Because the farm is divided into blocks you can use Fence Monitors to isolate and find the faults within 10 minutes, which is crucial for the size of the operation we’re running,” says Jack.
Jack says the Gallagher system also enables them to better manage cattle in the small rotational grazing areas. “When you have large numbers of cattle like we have and are running a tight rotational grazing system, we need to know the mobs stay where we put them. Gallagher’s electric fencing solutions are helping us do that.”
Ōpunake dairy farmer Angeleigh Young is saving hours of travel time and stress by controlling electric fences on her family’s farming operation with the tap of a button on her phone.
Angeleigh manages a 160-hectare dairy farm owned by her mother-in law, Adrienne. She installed a Gallagher i Series M6000i energizer to power up the property’s electric fence system, which she uses alongside Gallagher’s i Series App Gateway to control the farm’s entire electric fence system via her mobile phone. The Gateway enables Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection so Angeleigh can manage it all from the Gallagher Ag Devices App.
“It’s just so easy to use,” she says. “We set up the energizer in the pump shed which is about 800 metres from the cowshed and installed the i Series App Gateway with a Wi-Fi connection. We downloaded the App, connected to our WiFi network and it was ready to go.”
Before installing the system, turning the energizer on and off was a hassle. Angeleigh would have to travel back and forth between the pump shed and wherever she was moving stock or trying to fix electric fence faults. It was time consuming and frustrating.
With the i Series Energizer System, Angeleigh can control the power to her fences with the push of a button on her phone.
“The system will also alert me when there is a fault or if power isn’t getting to the fences. It gives you peace of mind the fences are always working, and our cows are where they are meant to be,” she says.
“You can turn the fence off, check one part of the fence and move to the next and turn it back on again when you’re done. No more travelling up and down the farm to switch the energizer on and off.”
The farm supplies Fonterra and Angeleigh milks 280 cows at peak, producing about 115,000 kg/MS per season. She also breeds all their herd replacements and has young stock both on the home farm and two adjacent runoff blocks that connect to the milking platform.
“The next step for us is to install i Series Fence Monitors at our runoff blocks so we can monitor the entire electric fence operation in zones. Doing that will mean I will be able to monitor individual zones without having to travel the entire farm looking for fence faults” says Angeleigh.
When Angeleigh’s husband Kieran is helping out on the farm, he can also control the fences from the App on his own phone.
“Kieran doesn’t work on the farm every day, but sometimes he helps. For example, he manages our oxidation ponds which are surrounded by fences. He has the App on his phone, and it means he can drop the fences himself to manage the ponds without have to drive back to the energizer or call me, asking me to do it.”
Angeleigh also knows when her mother-in-law Adrienne is out working on the fences, because she receives an alert on her phone when the fences are powered off.
“I’ve also had contractors come and do maintenance work on the farm or deliver things when I’ve been busy. I can let them through by powering off the fences without even being on site. The system is such a time saver,” says Angeleigh.
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.
For South Canterbury dairy graziers Nigel and Gina Gardner spending hours moving break fences every day is a thing of the past thanks to Gallagher’s virtual fencing solution, eShepherd™.
The couple operates an intensive grazing operation across 350 hectares, running up to 800 dairy heifers, raising 150 jersey bulls for breeding and maintaining a small herd of 90 beef steers.
Efficient pasture management is at the heart of their operation. They need to effectively manage pasture residuals to keep their grass growing year-round and optimise their grazing to get the best animal growth rates possible for their clients.
“We have more fences than the average grazier because we run our dairy grazers in smaller mobs so we can focus on getting great growth rates for our clients,” says Gina.
“I used to be a dairy farmer, so I know where heifer weights need to be and I don't want to be sending anything back that I'm not happy with,” says Nigel.
However, their approach saw Nigel moving up to 20 break fences a day, so they started searching for a better way. They discovered eShepherd, which they started using on 150 grazing heifers in October 2023.
eShepherd trains cattle to remain within a virtual fencing barrier, which Nigel has set up on his laptop ready to activates from an app on his phone. It allows him to move and contain the livestock anywhere on the farm. The system also provides 24/7 insights and data on animal health and performance.
“It was amazing to see how easily and quickly the cows adapted. The biggest job was actually unpacking all the neckbands, activating each one and getting them turned on. As far as putting them on the animals and getting the virtual fencing working, within half a day, the heifers knew what was going on,” says Nigel.
Pasture is the backbone of the Gardner’s business. While they have had some good seasons recently, Nigel says the seasons are changing and becoming drier, which will present challenges for them.
“How we manage our pasture is key,” says Nigel. “I can't have mobs free-ranging and burning up pasture because then I end up needing a lot more supplement, which can be costly. Home-grown pasture is the most efficient feed, so we need to be smart about how we use it.”
The couple says Gallagher has been with them every step of the way on their eShepherd journey with after-sales advice and support. Nigel and Gina believe eShepherd has transformed part of their operation and given them better work-life balance.
“I'm not out there winding up electric fences or moving electric fences every day,” says Nigel. “In the eShepherd app, I remove, add and create breaks several days in advance and activate them daily or as necessary at the touch of a button. It’s that easy.”
Nigel and Gina wanted to put the system to the test, so Nigel programmed the breaks before they left for a long weekend. Rather than ask his farm manager to shift the mobs he activated the fence movements himself from their holiday location.
“It worked perfectly. I checked with my farm manager and the mobs had moved onto the new breaks no issues at all,” says Nigel.
He says eShepherd has made grass management so much easier.
“Using eShepherd means I can move mobs at any time of the day or night depending on the feed that’s available,” says Nigel.
“While I’m having breakfast, I use my phone to move the two mobs that have eShepherd neckbands. When I'm out moving those that are behind a traditional electric fence, I quickly check on my eShepherd mobs to make sure they have moved themselves and they're happy. Over time as we get used to using the new technology, I won’t feel the need to do that anymore.”
Gina says eShepherd is saving them time and freeing up brain space to be able to oversee their business in a different way.
“We have been away a couple of times since introducing eShepherd and Nigel's been able to see what's happening on farm, even though he's not here. It gives us real peace of mind,” says Gina.
The Gardners can see the potential to share data from eShepherd with heifer owners to reassure them about their animals’ progress while they are off farm for grazing.
After seeing the benefits of eShepherd over the last five months, Nigel and Gina now plan to expand the use of the virtual fencing solution across their operation, as investment allows.
“We’ve had so much positive feedback from our business partners, clients, and the farming community about the results we’re getting with eShepherd,” says Gina. “There is so much potential for technology to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of our farm we would be silly not to consider rolling it out further.”
Karapiro dairy farmer Trent Paterson is mastering his pasture management and getting more from every square meter of grass thanks to the power and reliability of Gallagher’s Lithium Solar Energizer technology. Trent milks 300 Jersey cows once a day, runs 350 deer for velvet, and grows around 100 jersey bulls on his 230-hectare farm in the Waikato.
The farm's landscape has rolling hills and valleys, presenting plenty of challenges with power and accessibility. About half of the farm is fenced with two or three wire electric fences and the balance is traditionally Deer fencing. Trent also grows 12 Ha of maize silage every year and harvests 80 tonnes of grass silage. “Managing my grazing round length has become key to the business. I don’t break feed the deer but everything else is break fed. I don’t measure pasture by plate meter, but I do look at my residuals and have trained my farm manager to look at residuals too,” says Trent. “For me, that’s the key to growing quality pasture and lots of it!”
Trent uses a Gallagher Lithium Solar Fence Energizer to power up his break fences, solving his issues with power and accessibility and keeping his mobs where he needs them to ensure they efficiently graze every paddock. “Making sure we're getting good power to the back of the farm can be quite difficult at times. Using an off-grid, Lithium Solar Energizer ensures plenty of power on my break fencing without an issue,” says Trent. Managing his pasture efficiently means ensuring mobs are fully eating down their breaks to target residuals. “The feed you leave in a paddock is more important than the new grass you’re shifting your mobs onto. If you’re moving mobs too quickly and they’re not eating the pasture down far enough, the pasture is going to be poor when they come back for the next round because they’ve left too big a residual,” says Trent.
The length of his rounds change depending on the season. “In the spring you're going into a good period of growth, and you can speed up your rounds. Then coming into late summer when you dry off, you push the round out. Then I use my supplementary feed to fill any gaps,” says Trent. His herd produces an average of 85,000 kgMS milking once a day. “I don't target high per cow production or even high production per hectare. The kind of country we farm on is just not meant for that. However, more effectively managing our pasture and making the most from every square meter with the help of portable fencing and break feeding has definitely helped us boost grass growth,” says Trent.
With the Lithium Solar Energizer range up to 53% lighter than previous lead-acid models with a 300% faster charging and longer lasting battery, it’s more so much more efficient. Its smaller size and the lightweight design makes it easy to transport. The energizer also delivers a consistent 7,000 to 8,000 volts on Trents fencing, in all weather, providing a reliable deterrent for livestock. “The Lithium Solar Energizers pretty much ready to use straight out of the box. After only a few hours sitting in the sun you’ve got incredible battery longevity and reliability, even on cloudy days. It’s an ideal, self-sufficient power solution for us,” says Trent.
Maintaining the integrity of his fences is crucial to preventing mobs breaking over and disrupting his carefully planned round lengths, reliable power on these portable fences are crucial. “The Lithium Solar Energizer keeps my mobs where they need to be and helps me execute my pasture management strategy with ease, making every blade of grass count toward my bottom line” says Trent.