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Agriculture · head to head

Connecterra vs Gallagher eShepherd

Connecterra logo

Connecterra

Agriculture

Sensor-agnostic dairy data platform, billed on average yearly herd size rather than per sensor

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gallagher eShepherd logo

Gallagher eShepherd

Agriculture

Virtual fencing where you own the solar collars outright and pay only a small monthly connectivity fee

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Connecterra nothing is published as a number: billing is on average yearly herd size but no rate is given at any tier, so a farm cannot estimate the cost before entering a sales process.; Gallagher eShepherd gallagher does not publish neckband prices, quoting instead by herd size, region and connectivity type, so the ownership-versus-lease advantage over subscription rivals cannot be verified without a sales conversation.
  • They diverge on capability: Connecterra covers Analytics, Gallagher eShepherd covers Map-drawn virtual paddocks.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Connecterra and Gallagher eShepherd actually diverge.

Attributes where Connecterra and Gallagher eShepherd differ
AttributeConnecterraGallagher eShepherd

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Agriculture).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Connecterra

  • Analytics
  • Copilot
  • Decision support
  • Advisor collaboration
  • Data integration
  • Data API
  • Emissions and sustainability reporting
  • Multi-farm benchmarking

Only in Gallagher eShepherd

  • Map-drawn virtual paddocks
  • Audio cue then pulse
  • Solar neckband
  • Cellular or LoRa connectivity
  • Animal location tracking
  • Grazing rotation management
  • Exclusion zones
  • Behaviour alerts

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Connecterra

  • A dairy that already owns activity collars and wants better analysis without replacing 400 collarsnot Gallagher eShepherd
  • A nutritionist who needs one view across a dozen client herds instead of a dozen vendor loginsnot Gallagher eShepherd
  • A processor or co-operative pulling herd emissions data through an API for supply-chain reportingnot Gallagher eShepherd
  • A farm running a Lely robot and a separate feeding system that wants one combined cow picturenot Gallagher eShepherd

Gallagher eShepherd

  • A ranch subdividing a 2,000 acre paddock for rotational grazing without buying a mile of wirenot Connecterra
  • A grazier fencing cattle out of a creek line for a stewardship scheme without building riparian fencenot Connecterra
  • An operation on leased ground where permanent fencing is not permitted or not recoverablenot Connecterra
  • A farm short of labour that needs paddock moves done from a phone rather than a quad bikenot Connecterra

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Connecterra

  • Nothing is published as a number: billing is on average yearly herd size but no rate is given at any tier, so a farm cannot estimate the cost before entering a sales process.
  • Connecterra depends entirely on other companies’ data: if a milking or feeding manufacturer restricts its API or prices access, the platform loses a data source it does not control and the farm loses part of its dashboard.
  • The company abandoned its own sensor hardware, which was the original product, so farms that bought Ida collars early found the strategy they invested in discontinued underneath them.
  • Billing on average yearly herd size means a farm that grows mid-contract is charged retrospectively on a number it did not agree at signing, which surprises operations in an expansion phase.
  • It is a small venture-backed Dutch company in a market where the deep-pocketed incumbents are equipment makers who can bundle analytics free with hardware, so the independent layer is structurally the easiest line for a farm to cut.

Gallagher eShepherd

  • Gallagher does not publish neckband prices, quoting instead by herd size, region and connectivity type, so the ownership-versus-lease advantage over subscription rivals cannot be verified without a sales conversation.
  • A minimum of about 20 animals is needed to train a mob, which rules out smallholders and makes the system awkward for operations that run many small separate groups.
  • It is cattle only: sheep, goats and deer are not supported, so a mixed grazing enterprise still needs conventional fencing for everything else.
  • The connectivity fee is per active neckband and continues indefinitely, so the collars are yours but the system stops fencing if you stop paying, which is the same dependency as a subscription with a different label.
  • Virtual fencing is regulated inconsistently: some jurisdictions restrict or have not yet ruled on aversive-stimulus containment, and welfare-scheme or organic certifier acceptance varies, so eligibility should be checked locally before ordering.

Pricing, plan by plan

Connecterra

On request
  • Farmer$undefined/year
    • Billed on average yearly herd size
    • Analytics, Copilot and decision support
    • No custom integration fee charged to farmers
  • Farm Advisor$undefined/year
    • For nutritionists, vets and consultants
    • Multi-farm view across clients
    • Custom pricing for organisations with 10 or more staff
  • Referral$undefined/year
    • Free advisor access to up to 3 connected farms
    • Intended as a route in for consultants
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Data API access
    • Aggregated herd data for agribusiness
    • Customised contract

Gallagher eShepherd

On request
  • eShepherd neckband$undefined/year
    • Neckbands purchased outright, not leased per head
    • Small fixed monthly connectivity fee per active neckband
    • Fees charged only on active bands

Which should you pick?

Choose Connecterra if

  • You need analytics.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want copilot.
Connecterra review

Choose Gallagher eShepherd if

  • You need map-drawn virtual paddocks.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want audio cue then pulse.
Gallagher eShepherd review

Questions people ask

Is Connecterra or Gallagher eShepherd better?
Neither clearly leads. Connecterra starts at On request and Gallagher eShepherd at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Connecterra or Gallagher eShepherd?
Connecterra starts at On request and Gallagher eShepherd at On request.
Does Connecterra or Gallagher eShepherd run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Connecterra best used for?
Connecterra is most often used for a dairy that already owns activity collars and wants better analysis without replacing 400 collars, a nutritionist who needs one view across a dozen client herds instead of a dozen vendor logins, a processor or co-operative pulling herd emissions data through an api for supply-chain reporting, a farm running a lely robot and a separate feeding system that wants one combined cow picture. Of those, a dairy that already owns activity collars and wants better analysis without replacing 400 collars and a nutritionist who needs one view across a dozen client herds instead of a dozen vendor logins are not what Gallagher eShepherd is typically brought in for.
What can Connecterra do that Gallagher eShepherd cannot?
Connecterra covers Analytics, Copilot, Decision support, Advisor collaboration. Gallagher eShepherd covers Map-drawn virtual paddocks, Audio cue then pulse, Solar neckband, Cellular or LoRa connectivity.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Connecterra: Do I need to buy Connecterra sensors?

No. The company discontinued its own collars and now reads data from sensors and systems you already have.

Gallagher eShepherd: Do I lease the collars or own them?

You buy them outright. The ongoing cost is a small monthly connectivity fee per active neckband, not a per-head lease.

Connecterra: How is it priced?

On average yearly herd size, quoted rather than published, with separate farmer, advisor and enterprise tiers.

Gallagher eShepherd: Do I need base stations?

Not with the cellular version, which uses existing mobile networks. The LoRa version needs small on-property base stations and suits areas with poor coverage.

Connecterra: Is there a free option?

Only the referral tier for advisors covering up to three connected farms. There is no free farmer tier.

Gallagher eShepherd: How many cattle do I need?

At least 20 to train a mob, after which groups can be split into smaller mobs as long as each contains leaders and followers.

Connecterra: What happened to Ida?

Ida was the original collar and app. The hardware was dropped and the intelligence became the platform sold today.

Gallagher eShepherd: Does it work for sheep?

No. eShepherd is a cattle system.

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