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Most pastoral farmers will know the feeling. One minute you are happily cruising across the paddock with your electric fencing reels and standards stacked tidily on the back of the motorbike or ute. Next minute: you hit a bump and fencing equipment goes everywhere.

But Gallagher have come up with an ingenious solution to this common and frustrating problem – the Geared Reel Transport Lock.

An improvement available on new Gallagher medium geared electric fencing reels, the insulated Transport Lock is designed to stop fencing reels ‘jumping off’ during transportation or falling off a permanent fence.

Gallagher Product Manager Graham Johns says the Transport Lock is a very simple and easy to use device that enables the fencing reel to be securely latched to the transport tray of a farm bike or other vehicle. Made from impact-resistant glass-fibre nylon, it can also be used to lock the reel onto the wire of a permanent fence. This will stop the reel falling over when the temporary fence is being reeled out.

Graham says portable fences are a vital part of the pastoral farmer’s tool kit and are used virtually every day during the cold winter months when feed is being rationed.

He says Gallagher’s on-farm research shows that fencing reels falling from farm bikes and other vehicles is a very common problem that often leads to significant damage to the reels.

“We also know that many farmers put up their portable fences by hanging the reel on a permanent fence, and then walking across the paddock while pulling out the wire or tape and carrying and placing standards in the ground. If the reel falls from the fence during this process it can cause considerable frustration and time loss.”

Graham says Gallagher solved this problem by adding an insulated swivel latch that closes across the loop of the main reel hook, preventing the reel from dislodging from the wire or bar it is hanging from.

“The Transport Lock offers major benefits for farmers because it saves time and eliminates a lot of the hassle of putting up electric fencing. It also protects the reel from damage and greatly extends its working life.”

Designed for real farm conditions, the patented Transport Lock is incredibly tough and has been thoroughly tested. It is also very easy to engage, even when gloves are worn.

A secondary catch prevents the lock accidentally disengaging. The wire or tape on the reel can still be electrified by wrapping the wire around the product’s existing steel hook.