Gallagher eShepherd™ Explained
How virtual fencing and eShepherd work
Short, plain answers for anyone who wants to understand virtual fencing, the eShepherd neckband and what happens on the farm. No account needed.
Three steps, every time
Draw
The farmer draws a virtual paddock on a map in the eShepherd app and assigns it to a mob.
Send
Neckbands pick up the new boundary over the mobile network, or through a base station where there is no coverage.
Cue
At the line the neckband plays a tone. If the cow turns back, that is it. If she keeps going, a mild pulse follows.
The basics
What is virtual fencing?
A virtual fence is a boundary you draw on a map. A solar GPS neckband on each animal plays a tone at the line, and cattle learn to turn back on the sound alone.
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How eShepherd works: draw, send, cue
You draw a paddock in the app and assign it to a mob. The neckbands receive the boundary over the network. At the line, a tone plays first and a mild pulse follows only if needed.
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What's in the kit: neckband, app, base station and pause device
Four parts. A solar GPS neckband on each animal and the app on your phone do the work. A base station is only for farms without coverage, and the Emergency Pause Device is for emergencies.
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Is eShepherd right for my farm?
It fits if you run cattle from 200 kg (bulls included), want to move or exclude them more easily, have coverage or room for a base station, and keep sound boundary fences.
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Cattle and training
How cattle learn a virtual fence
In a simple training paddock, cattle learn that the tone means turn back. Most mobs get there in 7 to 10 days, and the app shows a graduation hat when they do.
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Sound first, pulse rarely: the cues and the welfare safeguards
A tone always comes first. A mild pulse follows only if a cow keeps walking. Cues stop if she panics and runs, and the top strap breaks away at 350 kg if she gets caught.
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Connectivity and power
Mobile network or base station?
Where there is mobile coverage, neckbands use it and you need no extra gear. Where there isn't, a base station on the farm connects them over LoRa radio. A coverage test tells you which.
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Powered by the sun: how neckbands stay charged
Each neckband charges from two solar panels and needs about 4 hours of direct sun a day. New neckbands arrive almost flat, so they sit in the sun for several days before anything else.
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How accurate is the GPS, and what happens when the network drops?
GPS is most accurate near a virtual fence, about ±1 m within 20 m of the line. If the network drops, neckbands hold the current paddock for a set period, then stop until they reconnect.
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Grazing with eShepherd
Rotational and strip grazing with a fence that moves
Draw the rotation once and the mob shifts at the times you set. For a steady release of feed, Moving Fence advances on its own, with an optional Back Fence to protect regrowth.
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Keeping cattle out: waterways, crops and hazards
Draw an exclusion zone inside a virtual paddock and cattle are cued to stay out of it, just as they are cued to stay in. It protects waterways, crops and hazards without temporary fence.
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Getting started
From quote to first fence: what getting started looks like
Build a quote, confirm coverage, book an onboarding call, charge and fit the neckbands, then train the mob over 7 to 10 days. The eShepherd team supports each step.
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Where next?
Build an indicative quote in a few steps, or talk to the eShepherd team about your farm.