Animal welfare is at the heart of Nofence

At Nofence, animal welfare isn’t just a feature - it’s a foundation. Our virtual fencing system is designed to put animals first, creating a stress-free, safe and natural environment for livestock, while supporting the farmers who care for them.

Discover more about how our values and commitment to animal welfare shape our approach.

Traditional fencing can cause injury, impede natural behaviours, and increase stress for both animals and farmers. With Nofence, livestock learn to respond to escalating audio cues rather than physical barriers. If the cues are ignored, a mild electric pulse - half the intensity of a traditional electric fence - is issued, and only as a last resort.

Once the carefully designed training is over, the overwhelming  majority of interactions with a virtual boundary (96%) are resolved without a pulse.

This allows animals to graze in a more relaxed environment, reducing stress levels.

See how farmers have successfully implemented Nofence’s virtual fencing system.

Our training protocol is purposefully gentle and predictable. Animals are introduced to the collars gradually, first wearing them unactivated, to allow them to get used to the feeling, then encountering a single virtual boundary in a pasture enclosed on three sides by physical fences​. 

By maintaining three physical barriers, animals are naturally guided toward engaging with the virtual fence in a controlled, predictable setting, reducing the likelihood of confusion or distress.

The key of this process is the ‘teach mode’: in this mode even slight movements, like turning around, immediately stop the audio cues. This helps animals associate the sound with the need to change direction, creating a predictable learning environment.

This training phase typically takes between 5 to 10 days and requires each animal to interact positively, by turning away upon hearing the audio cues, at least 20 times.

Multiple independent studies confirm that Nofence promotes animal well-being by fostering low-stress environments.

In particular, analyses of physiological indicators of stress, such as faecal and hair cortisol levels, in animals using virtual fencing,  show that the concentration is comparable to those kept in traditional electric fencing.

Moreover, the predictable nature of our virtual fencing system helps reduce anxiety while grazing, compared to the unpredictability of electric fencing, which animals end up interacting with inadvertently. 

Explore the science behind Nofence’s virtual fencing system.

Nofence isn’t just about boundaries. With live GPS tracking and real-time alerts, farmers can monitor livestock 24/7.

In particular, the data collected by the collars enables early detection of illness at the individual level through movement data and behaviour analysis, which is benchmarked across the whole herd. Identifying sick animals sooner saves time and money on veterinary costs and medicines, while reducing the overall use of antibiotics - contributing to the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Moreover, if an animal crosses the boundary, its exact location is relayed in real time, allowing farmers to intervene quickly ensuring the animal’s health and safety. This not only prevents prolonged distress but also minimises the risk of injuries common with physical fences, such as entanglements or abrasions. Additionally, virtual fencing allows animals to escape predators freely, preventing them from becoming trapped in physical barriers and preventing serious injury or even death.

This proactive approach reduces health risks, improves response times, and ensures no animal is left behind. It also gives animals the freedom to escape predators if needed - something traditional fences simply can’t offer.

By replacing rigid, reactive barriers with adaptive, intuitive boundaries, Nofence enables livestock to graze freely, safely, and sustainably.
We believe in a future where farming is both efficient and compassionate – and it starts with treating animals with the respect and care they deserve.