It’s hard for farmers to protect their property, because animals and machinery are often located away from the yard.

Niall Guinevan is the chief executive of OutdoorSecurity.ie, which specialises in equipment that specifically addresses these issues.

Speaking to farmers at a security demonstration in Littleton, Co Tipperary, he showcased different ways to secure gates, machinery, and farmyards.

The Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper is designed to prevent the theft of livestock and the unauthorised opening of gates. A cable is coiled around the gate and post, with a circuit running through it. The box is mounted on a galvanised stake and placed discretely in a field. A key fob is mounted on the gatepost for arming/disarming the unit. A connection is made to cables running through the gate.

When the system is armed, any break in connection results in an audible alarm and sends texts and calls to up to five numbers. When authorised entry is required, the unit is easily disarmed with a key fob. The unit can be dismantled in a few minutes and moved to another location.

The Gatekeeper Minibox control unit (inset) is similar in size to a mobile electric fencer, and can be hidden from view in a hedge. It is alarmed, so any attempt to tamper with it will trigger an alarm, and it contains a tracer in case it is stolen itself. It is priced at €925 including VAT.

Minibox Agriplus

This device can protect machines and groups of machines in the open. It is mounted on one machine and up to six machines can be connected to it. The system is armed using a unique keyfob.

Breaking any connection on the device results in triggering the 110db alarm and texts and phone calls to up to five numbers. Removal of the Minibox will also trigger the alarm. It reacts to movement, vibration and tilting. Tampering with the Minibox itself or opening it without correct access will also result in activation of the alarm.

An additional cable may be looped through, for example, toolboxes, oil drums, etc, allowing it to protect, for example, an outlying fleet. The same box can be used to protect sheds when not needed elsewhere. An entire silage unit can be protected in such a loop from a single minibox – ideal when leaving equipment in a field or strange yard overnight. A Minibox Agriplus protecting two machines equipment costs €840 including VAT, with the cable and connections for each extra machine costing €74 including VAT.

Roboguard

Roboguard systems are based on a sensor that can be sited on the entrance to the farmyard. To allow legitimate visitors enter the yard, the system can be set up so that during the day, when triggered, the sensor sends a signal to the portable base station, which emits a beep and flashes the appropriate zone light. This alerts the property owner that someone has entered the property and from which direction.

At night, or when the yard is unattended, the system can be set up to not only alert the owner on the base station but to also activate a loud siren, floodlights and text and call up to five phone numbers. Up to eight sensors can be used with each base station.

The Roboguard system with one sensor, base station, light and siren costs €890 including VAT. Each extra sensor costs €435 including VAT. A Roboguard system with one sensor, base station, GSM transmitter, light and siren, as pictured here, costs €1,160 including VAT. Fossland Services of Littleton, Co Tipperary, are the Irish dealer for these systems.

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