Post lockdown price increases

Please note that while we are unable to work on installation and construction projects during lockdown, we can still assist with quotes and planning for your projects so that these can take place as soon as we are permitted to work again.  

If you are planning on purchasing new equipment such as energisers, please get your orders to us as soon as possible.  We are expecting prices of imported goods to increase substantially due to the recent decline in the value of the Rand and would therefore like to get you your equipment at the current prices where possible.  Gallagher power fencing and animal management equipment, Stafix electric fencing products and JVA fence products will be affected.  At this stage,we are not anticipating price increases on locally produced items such as Bonnox and Veldspan mesh, nettingwire, fencing wire or any of the Mittal products such as Y-standards and fencing droppers.  We do however expect there to be delays on somewww.tnhwildlife.com items due to lower / no production over the last month.  While we will only be able to deliver post-lockdown, we are able to fix pricing on confirmed orders.  

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK RWANDA

Work has finally started on the fencing of the Akagera National Park boundary.  This project was awarded to TNH Fencing together with our partners EME from Kigali.  It has taken a long time to get the project underway as a large number of stakeholders are involved in the park and they together with private landowners along the boundary had to be satisfied with the planned fence and its placement before work could commence.

 Akagera National Park is situated in eastern Rwanda and covers an area of 1200km².  Akagera was founded in 1934, but large areas of the park were resettled by returning refugees in the late 1990’s following the Rwandan civil war.  The western boundary of the park was regazetted in 1997 as a result, reducing the park size by more than half.  The reserve consists of savanna, mountains and wetlands as well as a series of lakes including Lake Ihema.  Akagera is home to large numbers of animals including elephant, buffalo, leopard and roan.  There are plans to introduce black rhino and lion to the reserve.  The park is being managed by the Akagera Management Company which is a partnership between African Parks Network and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).  The fencing of the reserve forms part of the US$ 10 million expenditure planned for Akagera.

The boundary is to be fenced using a prefabricated hinge-joint field fence and will be electrified using offset brackets (outriggers).  Additional electrical wires will be added to the top of the fence to discourage climbing.  The electric fence will be powered by Stafix B18 cyclic wave energisers made by Tru-test of New Zealand.  These 18 Joule output energisers are the largest battery powered units available and are ideal for controlling the movement of wildlife across the reserve boundaries.  Each energiser will be equipped with monocrystalline solar panels delivering 250 Watts.  With fencing teams now on the ground and construction underway, the 110km electrified game fence should finally be completed by mid 2012.

An Introduction and the advantages of Electric Fencing

An electric fence is a psychological and physical barrier that keeps wildlife or farm animals in and unwanted animals and vermin out - even over long distances. There is nothing new about using electricity to control animals. For over seventy years farmers have been using electric fences to control their livestock and as long ago as 1952 records show that Uganda State Forestry department used electric fences to protect young seedlings from being damaged by African wildlife. The mechanical "tick tock” high internal impedance type energisers used back then were however unable to overcome much competition from vegetation and thus could only power relatively short lengths of fence line. The technological advancements in solid state electronics during the 1970's resulted in the development of the modern low internal impedance high powered energisers in use today. These modern energisers are capable of powering many kilometres of multi strand electric fencing and the electric fence has now become a truly effective management tool that is being used successfully around the world to control all species of wildlife. Today very few conservation organisations do not incorporate electric fencing in their wildlife management programs. However, despite the successes achieved in Africa and elsewhere around the world, electric fencing still has its detractors. While most people swear by it there are still a few who do not believe it works effectively. The reason for this is simple. Those who understand and apply the basic principles of electric fencing when constructing their electric fences will reap the benefits of electric fencing, while those who do not apply these principles will never get their fence to work effectively. Finally. while economics will obviously be an important consideration when planning any electric fencing project, guard against being too thrifty and of basing major decisions on price considerations alone.

ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRIC FENCING

Electric fencing offers the following benefits:

1. Low cost

An electric fence can perform the same task as a conventional fence using much less material.

2. Easy to build

Lower wire strains and generally lighter construction make much quicker and easier construction, especially in difficult terrain.

3. Durability

Electric fences are not subjected to the same physical pressure from animals, and can therefore be expected to have a greatly extended service life. The life of old fences can be considerably extended using electric fencing.

4. Universal application

Electric fencing will contain all types of animals. Educated stock develop greater respect for electric fencing than for any other type of fence.

5. Flexibility

There is no quicker or easier way to effectively subdivide a paddock for controlled grazing than with an electric fence.

6. Low maintenance

Once your fence is properly installed and your stock are trained, the maintenance requirements of electric fencing are little different from conventional fences.

7. Less stock damage

The shock from your electric fence causes no physical damage to hides and pelts. If your stock is forced through the fence by bushfires or dogs, they are at less risk than with a conventional fence.

STAFIX TO RELEASE 63 JOULE ENERGISER

STAFIX TO RELEASE 63 JOULE ENERGISER



While other industry players may be content with their current products, Stafix have been continually updating their energiser range over the last few years. Remote capability was followed by the unigiser range and now the M63R. With 63 Joules of output energy, the Stafix M63R will be the most powerful energiser in the world when released next month. Gallagher previously held these boasting rights with the SmartPower MX7500 (57 Joule output) and PowerPlus MR6000 (48 Joule output) being substantially larger than the Stafix M36R and Pel 835R. To date Gallagher and Tru-test are the only companies to produce large energisers with manufacturers such as Pakton, Nemtek and MEPS not attempting to do so. The price at which the M63R energisers are marketed will determine whether they have more than a very limited application. These units boast the usual features of the Stafix range including a cyclic wave pulse, remote control and bi-polar capabilities. While Stafix make the claim that they will be able to power up to 630 km of fence line, it is doubtful whether this will be achievable under African conditions. They will however be able to power through significantly more vegetation to give higher voltage and energy further down the fence line. This will make them an indispensable animal management tool in challenging conditions, where vegetation growth and other shorts on the fence line are a constant factor.

STAFIX RELEASES X12i UNIGIZER

Stafix has finally released the long awaited X12i Unigizer. The X12i is the latest addition to the Unigizer range, following on the X1, X2, X3, X6 and X6i. This range of energisers are the new generation of Stafix energisers and can operate off mains electricity or a 12 volt battery (for battery or solar set-ups). Each energiser in this range is supplied with a power adapter and set of battery leads, either of which can be plugged into the unit making these the most versatile energisers on the market. The X12i, which has an output energy of 12 Joules is the most powerful Unigizer in the range. By making use of Stafix’s patented cyclic wave technology, the X12i supplies a clean, powerful fence pulse, maximising the energy travelling down the fence. As with other Stafix energisers, the X12i is fitted with a row of indicator lights which show output voltage and battery condition. It is equipped with a day / night sensor and power output and pulse speed are adjustable for battery conservation. The LCD screen displays the output voltage, battery voltage and earth voltage giving the user easy access to all the information required to optimally manage the fence. The X12i can also be controlled using a Stafix remote fence compass allowing the user to turn the unit on and off from any position on the fence. While Stafix claim (together with the usual qualifying statement / disclaimer) that these energisers can power up to 120km of fenceline, in African conditions, they will reliably power 6km of multiwire fence for wildlife or livestock control. The X12i will only be available in South Africa later in the year, but will be a welcome addition to the Stafix range. We trust that the R&D department at Tru-test have already started working on the X18.