# eShepherd > eShepherd is a Gallagher virtual fencing system for cattle: a solar-powered GPS neckband, a base station, and a web + mobile app that let producers draw paddocks on a map and move stock without physical fences. This site is the marketing surface at eshepherd.com. A companion full-text corpus lives at https://eshepherd.com/llms-full.txt with every article, story and use-case body inlined for deep retrieval. ## At a glance - **Built by:** [Gallagher Animal Management](https://am.gallagher.com/en-NZ), with 88+ years of farm fencing engineering. eShepherd is part of the Gallagher Next family. - **Animal scope:** Cattle only. There is no sheep, goat or other-species offering. - **Sold in:** Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland. Operating on farms in 20+ countries today, with the platform supporting 70+ countries and 150+ carrier networks. - **Hardware:** ES1 neckband: solar-charged, multi-year battery life, GPS-enabled. Two connectivity configurations: - **Direct-to-cellular** (LTE-M / Cat-M1): no base station required where carrier coverage exists. - **LoRa via base station**: eShepherd-supplied base station serves up to ~100 head; choose this where cellular coverage is patchy. - **GPS update cadence:** Live animal positions refreshed every 15 minutes. - **Apps:** Web app (desktop browser) for planning; iOS + Android mobile apps for in-paddock control. Both render the same animals and the same boundaries: change a fence on one, the other updates. - **Welfare protocol:** Audio-first training. The animal hears a sequence of escalating audio cues as it approaches the virtual fence; only if it pushes through every cue does it receive a brief low-energy electrical pulse. Cattle typically learn the system in under a week, after which audio cues do almost all of the work and the pulse is rarely triggered. Training methodology and welfare outcomes are the subject of long-running CSIRO research; the system is certified for use in every market it ships in. - **Pricing model:** Buy the hardware + pay a small monthly connectivity charge per neckband for the data connection. There is no recurring software fee on top of the connectivity charge. Indicative volume-tiered neckband pricing (per head, in regional currency, hardware-only): - US: $350 (4–19) · $300 (20–59) · $250 (60+) - AU: A$480 · A$415 · A$350 - NZ: NZ$480 · NZ$415 · NZ$350 - UK: £300 (20–59) · £250 (60+) - EU: €348 (20–59) · €290 (60+) - Base station (LoRa configurations): ~A$/NZ$6,000 international, ~US$5,000 North America. - Monthly connectivity charge per neckband: LoRa US$1.50–2.50 · Cellular US$2.00–3.00 (regional currency, indicative). - Live, region-aware quote: . Payback model: . - **Not a subscription:** Hardware ownership stays with the buyer. The monthly connectivity charge covers data connectivity + platform access, not device rental. - **Localisation:** Pages render in English at the root; nine UI locales (`en`, `es`, `fr`, `pt`, `de`, `it`, `el`, `sv`, `da`) live under `//`. Long-form bodies (articles, stories, FAQ) stay English regardless of locale; UI chrome is translated. - **Recognition:** Good Design Award 2023 (Australia). ## Product - [Neckband](https://eshepherd.com/neckband): The solar-powered GPS collar: hardware, configurations, comparison to other systems, how it works on the animal. - [Virtual fencing: how it works](https://eshepherd.com/virtual-fencing): The audio-first training loop, the four welfare pillars, CSIRO research, certifications. - [The App](https://eshepherd.com/platform/apps): The operating and intelligence system of your farm. eShepherd on web (desktop browser) and mobile (iOS / Android), unified into one platform. - [Pasture (early access)](https://eshepherd.com/pasture): Satellite + ground pasture monitoring add-on. Currently a teaser with early-tester signup; pricing tiers shown for reference. - [Vision Weigh (early access)](https://eshepherd.com/vision-weigh): Camera-based liveweight tracking add-on (touchless weighing at the water point, ±2% accuracy target). Teaser with early-tester signup. - [Water (early access)](https://eshepherd.com/water): Trough and tank monitoring add-on. Teaser with early-tester signup. - [Gallagher Next](https://eshepherd.com/gallagher-next): Context on Gallagher's connected-farm platform and where eShepherd fits inside it. ## Pricing & buying - [Get a quote](https://eshepherd.com/quote): Five-step builder that prices neckbands, base stations and the connectivity charge by region and head count, then emails a PDF. - [ROI calculator](https://eshepherd.com/roi): Estimates payback from extra stocking capacity or daily liveweight gain, using the same per-region pricing as the quote builder. Includes US NRCS cost-share modelling (50% / 75%). - [Compare to other systems](https://eshepherd.com/compare): Switching-intent landing for producers reviewing a competing virtual-fencing collar; routes to a "let's chat" lead form. - [Reorder](https://eshepherd.com/reorder): Existing-customer reorder flow. - [Replacements](https://eshepherd.com/replacements): Existing-customer replacement-parts flow. - [Contact](https://eshepherd.com/contact): Regional sales and support teams in NZ, AU, North America, UK & Ireland. ## Compared with other virtual fencing systems eShepherd is one of several virtual fencing collar systems available for commercial cattle operations. Points of difference worth knowing: solar-charged neckbands built for years of unattended battery life; hardware you own outright with a small monthly connectivity charge, rather than a per-head hardware lease; and the ability to mix cellular and LoRa connectivity on a single property. - See how eShepherd compares: [Compare to other systems](https://eshepherd.com/compare). ## Use cases (long-form articles) Hub: https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for - [Disaster recovery](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/after-the-disaster): Bushfire, flood, cyclone, drought. When the fencing's gone or the country's changed, eShepherd holds the boundaries while the rebuild happens. - [Rotational grazing](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/rotational-grazing): How rotational graziers use eShepherd to double their paddock count without doubling their fencing cost. Recovery clocks against cover, not against the calendar. - [Rough country](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/rough-country): How operations on steep, broken, and remote country use eShepherd to manage cattle where physical fencing is impractical to build, maintain, or reach. - [Conservation grazing](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/conservation-grazing): How land managers, agencies, and operators are using eShepherd to deploy cattle as a targeted ecological tool — fire-fuel reduction, weed control, corridor management, biodiversity restoration. - [Crop grazing](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/crop-grazing): How cropping operations use eShepherd to graze stubbles, cover crops, and dual-purpose crops without rolling out temporary fencing across fields the size of small towns. - [More acres, less infrastructure](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/extensive-operations): How extensive beef operations use eShepherd to subdivide country without barbed wire. Labour saved, infrastructure capex avoided, stocking-rate flex without booking a contractor. - [Winter grazing](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/winter-grazing): How cold-climate graziers and winter-crop operators use eShepherd to extend the grazing season, manage break-feeding without temporary fencing, and bring the spring muster home in a single ride. - [Fence the lease, not the land](https://eshepherd.com/use-it-for/leased-and-public-land): How operations on agistment, short-term leases, and pastoral leases use eShepherd to graze country they don't own, without infrastructure they can't recover at lease-end. ## Editorial articles - [World’s first virtual fencing code of conduct released (external)](https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/technology/worlds-first-virtual-fencing-code-of-conduct-released/): Despite being applied to hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide, the development and use of VFT remains largely unregulated from an animal welfare perspective. - [Manufactured in New Zealand, trusted on farms worldwide](https://eshepherd.com/articles/manufactured-in-new-zealand): Every eShepherd neckband is designed and built at Gallagher's home in Hamilton, New Zealand. Here's the story behind the gear on your cattle, and why a recent expansion means more of it, sooner. - [How to fund virtual fencing with subsidies and carbon credits](https://eshepherd.com/articles/funding-virtual-fencing-subsidies-and-carbon-credits): Virtual fencing is a long-term investment. Government conservation programs, cost-share grants and carbon schemes can help pay for it. Here is how the main funding levers work for cattle producers in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, with links to every official program. - [Virtual fencing for cattle: A complete guide for producers](https://eshepherd.com/articles/virtual-fencing-cattle-guide): How eShepherd virtual fencing works, what it costs, and why producers are using it to manage cattle and pasture. - [Virtual fencing is now legal in New South Wales](https://eshepherd.com/articles/virtual-fencing-now-legal-nsw): New South Wales has legalised virtual fencing for cattle. Here is what the December 11 decision means for producers, and why eShepherd expects demand to climb. - [Victoria opens the gate to virtual fencing](https://eshepherd.com/articles/virtual-fencing-approved-victoria): Victoria has approved virtual fencing for commercial use, and Gallagher eShepherd is set to be among the first products through the gate. Here is what the new rules mean for cattle producers, and how to get started. - [Beyond the spreadsheet: rethinking ROI for virtual fencing](https://eshepherd.com/articles/virtual-fencing-roi): There isn't one number that captures what virtual fencing is worth. The real return shows up in time, flexibility, pasture, and stock that's easier to manage, and it tends to surprise the people who adopt it. Here's a more useful way to think about the question. - [Virtual fencing after bushfire: a faster path to recovery](https://eshepherd.com/articles/virtual-fencing-fire-recovery): When fire takes the fences, the rebuild is slow and the herd doesn't wait. Virtual fencing puts boundaries back up the day the fire is out, so cattle are managed from day one and the country recovers at its own pace. ## Customer stories - [Stories index](https://eshepherd.com/stories): Bento grid of farmer / rancher case studies with country, operation type and scale filters. - [Gravenhof Farms (Worthington, Minnesota)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/gravenhof-farm-minnesota): Cow calf production, cropping, and sheep. All managed with a strong eye toward stewardship, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. - [Dion Kilmister (Wairarapa, NZ)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/kilmister-wairarapa): eShepherd controls where cattle graze. The Auto Weigher measures how they respond. Together — a real-time feedback loop on every grazing decision. - [Nettleton Limousin Stud (South West, WA, Australia)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/kevin-nettleton-wa): Limousin breeding stud running cattle, chickens and regenerative pastures in WA's south west. - [Nick Kunec (Bonnyville, Alberta, Canada)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/nick-kunec-alberta): Ultra-high-density rotational grazing on dry Alberta country — 300 animal units, four moves a day, half-acre paddocks. - [George Hardwick-Smith (Taranaki, NZ)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/hardwick-smith-taranaki): Turning a hard-to-manage 30 ha river flat into a streamlined, high-performing bull beef block. - [Chilwell Farms (Condingup, Esperance, WA, Australia)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/chilwell-farms-esperance): 50,000 hectares of cropping integrated with cattle and sheep — virtual fencing brought the rotation cattle never had. - [Nigel & Gina Gardner (South Canterbury, NZ)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/gardner-south-canterbury): Intensive heifer grazing across 350 ha — Nigel used to move twenty break fences a day. Now he moves zero. - [Strathalbyn Station (Burdekin River catchment, QLD, Australia)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/strathalbyn-station): Eliminating fencing infrastructure to protect waterways flowing to the Great Barrier Reef. - [Mangatarata Station (Hawkes Bay, NZ)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/mangatarata-station): Precision bull grazing at scale on Hawkes Bay hill country. - [Las Islas Ranch (Texas, USA)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/las-islas-ranch): Freeing up labour to graze more intensively across Texas country. - [Jorgensen Land & Cattle (South Dakota, USA)](https://eshepherd.com/stories/jorgensen-land-cattle): Rotational grazing at scale across 15,000 acres of native prairie. - [Barrington Ranch Ltd · Crater Mountain (Keremeos, BC, Canada) (external)](https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Penticton/517453/A-win-for-the-industry-Keremeos-ranch-pairs-up-with-TRU-student-to-be-among-first-in-Canada-to-utilize-digital-fencing): Castanet Kamloops covers Barrington Ranch's partnership with a TRU student to be among the first in Canada to roll out eShepherd virtual fencing. ## Regional landing pages - [Virtual fencing for cattle in Australia](https://eshepherd.com/virtual-fencing-for/australia): Regional positioning, Australia-specific pricing, carrier coverage and on-the-ground operations running eShepherd today. - [Virtual fencing for cattle in New Zealand](https://eshepherd.com/virtual-fencing-for/new-zealand): Regional positioning, New Zealand-specific pricing, carrier coverage and on-the-ground operations running eShepherd today. - [Virtual fencing for cattle in United States](https://eshepherd.com/virtual-fencing-for/united-states): Regional positioning, United States-specific pricing, carrier coverage and on-the-ground operations running eShepherd today. - [Virtual fencing for cattle in Canada](https://eshepherd.com/virtual-fencing-for/canada): Regional positioning, Canada-specific pricing, carrier coverage and on-the-ground operations running eShepherd today. - [Virtual fencing for cattle in United Kingdom](https://eshepherd.com/virtual-fencing-for/united-kingdom): Regional positioning, United Kingdom-specific pricing, carrier coverage and on-the-ground operations running eShepherd today. - [Virtual fencing for cattle in Ireland](https://eshepherd.com/virtual-fencing-for/ireland): Regional positioning, Ireland-specific pricing, carrier coverage and on-the-ground operations running eShepherd today. ## Webinars and vision - [Webinars](https://eshepherd.com/webinars): Bento grid of past episodes plus the next monthly live session on Microsoft Teams. - [Our vision (Sarah Adams essay)](https://eshepherd.com/vision): Long-form essay from Sarah Adams (Gallagher GM, Global Strategy & New Ventures) on where eShepherd is going. ## Company - [About](https://eshepherd.com/about): Company narrative. - [Values](https://eshepherd.com/values): What we stand for. - [Careers](https://eshepherd.com/careers): Open roles. - [Partners](https://eshepherd.com/partners): Reseller and distribution partners. - [FAQ](https://eshepherd.com/faq): Frequently asked questions across getting started, hardware, welfare, grazing and support. ## Optional - [Full text corpus](https://eshepherd.com/llms-full.txt): Every article, story and use-case body inlined as plain text, for deep retrieval and citation. - [Sitemap](https://eshepherd.com/sitemap.xml): Full XML sitemap. - [Search index (JSON)](https://eshepherd.com/search-index.json): The flat record list backing the site's ⌘K search modal: pages, FAQ items, articles, stories, use-cases and webinars. - [Help Centre](https://help.eshepherd.com): Customer-facing how-to articles and release notes (separate domain, written by Gallagher Animal Management support).