How to create or copy virtual paddocks

This article explains how to create a new virtual paddock (VP) from scratch, how to copy an existing one to extend or modify a grazing area, and how to add an exclusion zone inside a virtual paddock to keep animals out of a specific area within the boundary.

Creating a virtual paddock

To create a new virtual paddock, open the VPs panel and tap the plus icon in the bottom toolbar.

Step 1. Give the VP a name. The panel shows Total Area, Grazing Area, and Watering Points. These update in real time as you draw.

Step 2. The drawing tool becomes active on the map. Click to drop your first fence post, then continue clicking to place additional points and draw the boundary of your paddock. You can overlay the virtual fence with an existing physical fence, matching it exactly or placing it slightly inside or outside depending on your needs.

Step 3. As you draw, if a corner is too sharp an ERRORS banner will appear warning that the IZ interior angle must be larger than 80°. Sharp corners can confuse animals, so adjust the point to smooth the corner and clear the error.

Step 4. Continue adjusting the shape until all errors are cleared. Move existing points or add new ones as needed. The grazing area updates with each change.

Step 5. Once you are happy with the boundary, review the area details in the panel. You can add or remove points to fine-tune the shape before saving.

Step 6. Tap the tick to save. A Success message will confirm the VP has been created and it will appear immediately in the VPs list.

Copying a virtual paddock

The Copy feature is particularly useful for rotational grazing. It lets you take an existing paddock and extend or modify it to progressively allow animals access to more pasture. It is also used for back fencing, where you copy the current paddock, extend it to a new grazing area, and exclude already-grazed sections from the new boundary.

To copy a VP, select it in the list and tap the Copy icon in the bottom toolbar.

Step 7. The VP name is auto-generated. The copy is loaded into the editor with the original shape ready to modify.

Step 8. Extend the boundary by moving or adding points to include new grazing area. The area breakdown updates in real time as you expand the shape.

Step 9. As you extend, the Fresh Allocation in the Area Breakdown grows to reflect the new pasture being added beyond the source paddock boundary.

Step 10. If the new shape creates a sharp angle, the error banner will appear again. The new area is shown in green on the map. Adjust the boundary to keep all angles above 80° before saving.

Step 11. Tap the tick to save. A Success confirmation will appear and the new VP will be added to your list ready for activation.

Creating an exclusion zone inside a virtual paddock (inclusion zone)

An exclusion zone (EZ) is an area inside a virtual paddock that animals are kept out of. It sits within your paddock boundary, which is also called the inclusion zone (IZ). Use it to keep stock away from a hazard like a dam or a boggy patch, without having to draw around it in your main paddock shape.

At its core, an exclusion zone is just another VP shape, drawn inside the first one. The same rules around corner angles and boundaries apply to both.

This assumes you already have a virtual paddock (inclusion zone) created. If you haven't done this yet, see Creating a virtual paddock above.

Step 1. Once your IZ is closed, the EZ icon in the left-side toolbar becomes active, but you still need to tap it to switch the drawing tool into exclusion zone mode. Once selected, click to place points and start drawing the boundary of the area you want to exclude inside the VP (IZ).

Step 2. Continue placing points until the exclusion zone boundary covers the area you want to keep animals out of.

Step 3. Continue adjusting the boundary, moving or adding points as needed.

Step 4. If you go back to fine-tune the exclusion zone after saving, the same corner-angle rules still apply. A sharp corner will trigger the same error, so adjust the point to clear it before saving again.

Step 5. Once you're happy with both the IZ and EZ shapes, tap the tick to save. A confirmation banner appears and its saved.

Step 6. The VP appears in your list with the exclusion zone applied. The area breakdown reflects the reduced grazing area once the excluded zone is taken out.

Note: You are currently limited to a single exclusion zone within each inclusion zone.

Practical tips

• Avoid sharp corners. The system flags angles below 80°. Smooth corners make movement easier for animals and prevent containment issues. This applies to both the IZ boundary and any exclusion zone drawn inside it.
• Laneways to watering points should be wide enough for easy navigation. You can narrow these over time as animals become familiar with the area.
• Back fencing. When copying a paddock to extend grazing, you can exclude already-grazed areas from the new shape to prevent animals returning to rested pasture. Narrow corridors can be left in to allow access to watering points.
• Area breakdown. When copying, use the Fresh Allocation figure to confirm how much new pasture is being added beyond the source paddock. When adding an exclusion zone, the same panel shows how much grazing area has been removed.
• Exclusion zones. Use these to keep animals away from hazards like dams or boggy ground sitting inside an otherwise usable paddock, rather than drawing around them in the main IZ boundary.
• You may read the General Rules by clicking the information icon on the lower left corner.

Summary

This guide covers how to create virtual paddocks from scratch using the drawing tool, how to use the Copy feature to extend grazing areas for rotational grazing and back fencing, and how to add an exclusion zone inside a virtual paddock to keep animals out of a specific area. For information on activating virtual paddocks for a mob, see the related article on turning VPs on and off.

v1.0, 7/2026

Updated on: 30/07/2026