Fitting collars

To make sure the collar is comfortable for the animal, it is important to fit the collar properly. A collar too loose can bang against the animal’s neck, and there can also be a danger of the animal getting a foot stuck between the collar and the neck, or that it gets stuck on something. On the other hand, a tight collar can be uncomfortable for the animal, and lead to chafing.

Take a look at the videos below to see how we recommend the collars to be fitted.

Observe how the collar is hanging when the animal is grazing and walking around, and adjust the collar if needed. If your animals are less tame, it can be easier to use two people when fitting the collars.

It is also essential to check that the chain is in contact with the animal’s neck. Especially on small animals the neck can be too small in relation to the length of the neck strap, the chains will come too far down, and the animal may not feel the electric pulse. Efficient delivery of the electric pulse ensures that the animals learn how the system works and to respect the Nofence boundary.

Fitting collars on smaller animals
Calves, lambs and goat kids have to be big enough before they start using Nofence. Two factors have to be taken into account:

• The animal is sufficiently mentally developed to understand and master the connection between the audio warning and its own behavior
• The animal has sufficient physique and size to carry the collar without it inhibiting the animal’s behavior
  

There is great variation between each individual, breed and species. Nofence does not have a basis for giving an exact limit on when the animals are big and old enough. When animals start using Nofence for the first time, it is important that the owner observes the animals, to ensure that they understand the system and that it does not affect their natural behaviour. It is also important to observe and follow up throughout the grazing season.

!Remember that young animals can grow quite a lot during a grazing season. Therefore, include checking the fitting as part of the routine when you are checking on the herd. Animals with a lot of wool should be checked closely, as the wool can make it difficult to actually determine how tight the collar is fitted.

*Recommendations for sheep: Some individuals may get wounds on the underside of the jaw if the collar is too loose, as the collar will then hit the jaw on the wrong place when the animal is grazing. Therefore, ensure that the collar is properly fitted (see the video), and feel free to leave some of the wool under the jaw when you are cutting the wool off the sheep.