‘’We believe Triple X is the future of fencing, the speed of erection is outstanding and is the main advantage on such big scale farming. Only two fencers on the estate, if we used timber, we would need more staff to have the same output’’. Jim Mclure, Balcaskie, Farm & Estate Maintenance
Balcaskie Estate in Scotland has been very busy whilst the rest of thecountry was in lockdown installing over 20,000m of fencing choosing the multi award winning Triple X fencing system.
18 miles South of the home of golf, St Andrews, lies Balcaskie Estate covering 2000 ha from the coastline at St Monans to Kellie Law and into the hills , of which 750ha are farmed organically.
The Estate’s aim is to operate efficiently to high standards within the clear framework of farming as part of a sustainable environment. They farm over 250 Highland X Shorthorn Sucklers, 650 Scotch Greyface mules and recently some Tamworth pigs have been introduced. The Estate is also shared by wild roe deer which need to be managed.
The Balcaskie Estate is situated in East Neuk of Fife, source to some of the best ingredients in Scotland, with its rich fertile volcanic soil, bounded on three sides by the sea. The severe weather conditions of the coastal location meant serious consideration had to be given to the type of fencing chosen. In response to past poor-quality timber used on the Estate which had not lasted over 10 years, the Estate chose to trial a section of the Triple X fencing system in 2019, which proved very successful, even with the slight reservation of its industrial look. These fears were soon dismissed as the hot dip galvanised finish dulled down and the slim post profile blended into the landscape.
‘’We would highly recommend it, the cost of Triple X fencing it is no more expensive than timber, when you take your time into it you are making a saving on a fence that will last for generations’’. Jim Mclure, Balcaskie, Farm & Estate Maintenance
Wire of choice – Lamb friendly Xfence the ultimate in livestock safety and durability, reducing abrasion, head entrapment and tag loss. This popular style of netting had been proven effective by McVeigh Parker for over 10 years. Couple the mesh pattern with the Zinc/alu coating which will last three to four times longer than heavy galvanised wire, especially suitable for coastal locations, made this wire the only choice.
Clipex intermediate stakes along with Triple X Strainers were used which offered a very good return on the initial investment with their longevity but also enabled the Estate team to install the product quickly and easily. Jim said they can put up 800m of posts in under an hour and they save days not having to staple. Forward planning is the key, getting the strainers in using a tractor mounted knocker in good weather, the net and Clipex are run out on custom made bike trailers and a petrol post driver used. The bikes make virtually no mess, saving on ground compaction.
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