Electric fencing
Probably one of the most important purchases you will make for your farm, smallholding or equine yard is the electric fencing energiser and electric fencing equipment that goes with it.
Electric fencing energiser
Starting with the electric fencing energiser.
The electric fencing energiser is the heart of any electric fence so buying the correct electric fencing energiser is quite important. Electric fencing energisers come in many capabilities and formats which include mains, battery an solar powered options.
What do I require from my electric fence?
Whatever your electric fencing requirements are it is important to select a good quality energiser with the correct ratings to maintain an effective barrier for livestock.
We would never recommend purchasing an electric fencing energiser on cost alone. Beware the cheap offers from big chain stores offering an own brand electric fencing energiser at a to good to miss price (if it seems to good to be true it probably is).
we would also advise against going into a farm supplies store and picking the cheapest electric fencing energiser on the shelf.
Why? because you might have just wasted £80.00 or £90.00 on an energiser which isn’t up to the job and these cheaper energisers are mass produced skimping on quality and they just do not last. Always ask advice from staff who should be happy and willing to help talk you through the technical differences between each different product.
Electric fencing brands we would recommend are Gallagher first (they pretty much invented the electric fencing energiser) with PEL being quite close behind (which we used to sell), both manufactured in new Zealand for the extreme conditions of new Zealand farming.
And at a push Hotline or Rutland energisers,but that is really a last resort an example of you get what you pay for, it’ll do the job but for how long?.
Own branded electric fencing equipment, just walk away.
Electric fencing energiser usage.
Strip grazing :- Solar energisers are great for this purpose and we really would recommend a solar electric fencing unit for this purpose.
Gone are the days when you had a separate energiser with a separate solar panel (more often than not was quite cumbersome) which are needed to be moved every time you move the fence. The Gallagher range of solar electric fencing energiser are probably the best available on the market.
Battery fencing energisers are also ideal but they can be a problem when batteries keep running out (with regular inspections required) unless you choose an electric fencing energiser with a solar option, which can extend the battery life considerably and with day night capabilities the energiser runs at a reduced power during night time.
If your electric fence is required to run around the perimeter of your farm or smallholding and everything in between, then a mains electric fencing energiser would be ideal with monitoring capabilities and a remote option for fault finding.
Using one of the Gallagher I series electric fencing energiser you can configure your fencing energiser to alert you by sms or an alarm and strobe lights to alert of faults in your fence (all are optional extras) and would create the ultimate electric fencing system.
Check back for advice on electric fencing accessories…..
The information about electric fencing energisers is mostly based on our own opinions based on experience from our own farm.