It makes perfect fence: How virtual fencing is changing the way Ireland grazes

Agriland

5 days ago

As land use pressures grow and farming practices evolve, virtual fencing is emerging as a practical solution to meet environmental and operational demands.
In Ireland, where much of the agricultural landscape is fragmented, publicly accessible or difficult to fence, Nofence's technology is helping unlock land that might otherwise go unused.
On the Howth Peninsula just outside Dublin, conservation grazing is now being carried out without physical barriers – thanks to Nofence's GPS-enabled collars and easy-to-use app.
In partnership with Fingal County Council and Old Irish Goat Society, local goat herder Melissa Jeuken is using Nofence to manage a herd of native Old Irish Goats for wildfire prevention and biodiversity protection in this popular public space.
Infrastructure-free grazing in complex environments
Howth is a highly trafficked site with narrow firebreak strips, steep gradients and open access to walkers, dog walkers, and cyclists.
Physical fencing was ruled out early on to preserve both aesthetics and public access.
Jeuken said: 'The land is open to everyone, and fencing wasn't an option. That's what led us to Nofence. We needed a system that kept animals safe but left the landscape untouched.'
The Old Irish Goats herd with their Nofence collars. Source: Nofence
Each animal wears a GPS-enabled collar that is connected to a user-friendly app through cellular networks, allowing farmers to create, adjust, or remove grazing boundaries in real time.
Livestock are guided by audio cues that gradually increase in pitch as they approach a virtual boundary, with a mild electric pulse – half the intensity of traditional electric fences – used only as a last resort.
Most animals quickly adapt to the system and rarely receive the electric pulse after the initial training phase, with around 96% of interactions resulting in the animal stopping and or turning around.
Grazing with biodiversity in mind
With virtual fencing, Jeuken can carefully manage how and where her herd moves and grazes, which is essential in areas where biodiversity needs to be protected.
Through the app, she can adjust boundaries in real time to exclude sensitive habitats and adapt grazing plans to seasonal changes.
'You can graze any site and map any site accordingly,' Jeuken said.
'I use exclusion zones to protect shrubs and flowers, or to keep the goats away from steeper slopes during certain times of year. It's incredibly flexible.'
This type of adaptive, low-impact grazing supports a conservation-first approach.
Jeuken's herd helps reduce fuel load in fire-prone areas while preserving sensitive ecosystems.
The collars make it possible to carry out targeted, responsive land management without disturbing the scenic landscape or disrupting public access.
Managing public land with animal welfare in mind
Jeuken works in a uniquely public setting, so the safety and wellbeing of her animals is a top priority.
With dog walkers, hikers and other disturbances nearby, she relies on the GPS system to monitor herd location and behaviour in real time.
'The GPS has been massive for keeping an eye on stock,' she explained.
'It helps me know if animals are unsettled. You can tell a lot from their grazing behaviour.'
Goat herder Melissa Jeuken using the Nofence app to check on her herd of Old Irish Goats on the Howth Peninsula, Co Dublin. Source: Nofence
Through the app, Jeuken receives alerts if an animal's movement stops or if a collar comes loose, allowing her to intervene quickly.
As a hands-on stock manager, she checks her animals daily and says that proper training is critical to success.
'You don't just put the collar on and hope for the best. Training is your number one. Once the animals understand the system, they really respect the sound.'
Over time, her goats have learned to anticipate the boundary tones and adjust their movement, even using the system to cheekily 'grab a few extra bites' before turning back.
Unlocking access to underused and unfenced land
Although Jeuken's work is focused on conservation, her experience reflects a broader opportunity for land managers and farmers across Ireland.
For those managing small parcels of land or operating in areas without physical infrastructure, virtual fencing opens the door to new forms of land use.
Jeuken said: 'There are a lot of farmers here with land that just became unviable to manage.
'With Nofence, they can start using that ground again, not just for grazing, but to access schemes or even just to carry on a tradition.'
For public authorities and contractors, the technology offers a new way to manage livestock professionally without altering the landscape.
It enables land to be grazed responsibly, safely, and without the need for permanent fencing, making it ideal for shared, sensitive or transitional sites, and benefitting local wildlife in the process.
Low-impact infrastructure for modern farming
Jeuken's work on the Howth Peninsula shows what is possible when technology meets thoughtful land stewardship.
With Nofence, she is able to deliver a public-facing conservation service that is animal-centred, environmentally responsive, and visually unobtrusive, all while managing over 100 goats with just her phone.
As Ireland continues to pursue nature restoration, wildfire prevention and sustainable land use, virtual fencing is proving to be more than just a technological solution.
It is a flexible, scalable infrastructure that supports the evolving needs of Irish farming and helps keep animals on the land, safely and sustainably.