Electric strand fencing

[Dogspoint]

Hi evreyone, I have been a long time reader of the forum, but I just finally took the plunge and made an account, and already I have a question. I have a couple overgrown acres that I need to fence, the good news is all the posts are already in (wooden posts every 8') but the bad news is I rent so I'm not looking to put up woven wire or anything that would be a donation to my landlord. So I was hoping 6 or 7 strand electric would work, the fence needs to be able to keep in goats to clear up the land, and also my german pointer who has gotten in the habit of exploring the neighbors property. Do you guys think a electric strand fence will do the job? (With a 2 or more joule output)

[fishhead]

It should work for the goats and dogs if you train them to respect it. I use an electric fence to contain my two springers. They know exactly where the fence is and avoid it even though they could easily jump over it or now with the deep snow walk over it in one place.

[Little Quacker in OR]

Hi! I am no expert here but my 2 acres is fenced with solar powered electric wires on neighbors side which is a pasture. The fence keeps his livestock out of my meadow. I have run field fencing just inside that for my dogs to be sure and keep them in. Is yours going to be solar powered? This one is.

The problem with these fences is high maintenance. If you can keep a close eye on them then you are OK. You must spray weed killer all around the perimeter under the lowest wires on a regular basis(here in OR it needs doing twice during the growning season)or grasses and weeds grow up, contact the wire and the fence shorts out. It only takes one blade of grass! And of course no brush or low hanging branches can touch it.

On the other hand these systems are TOUGH taking a lot of wear and tear and are easily repaired.

Wish you luck and good fortune. LQ

[Lucky S Ranch]

I have been learning about goats for the past few weeks.

I saw on a video that goats will need about 6000 volts to be effective. I guess that is a lot more than cows need?

[sammyd]

We have kept goats behind three strands of hot wire with orange plastic snow fence on the outside of that.

[Dogspoint]

Thanks for the replies, I don't plan on using solar because where I am in western wa the sun is hard to count on

I looked at the charger I plan on buying is says 12500 volt output no load, is that what you mean?

Is the orange snow fence just for a visibility or does it help hold them in?

[Allen W]

I.ve always liked the parmac chargers. http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.h...3-704e05969aef

[watcher]

Personally I would NEVER rely on electric fence alone to keep live stock confined. There are too many things which can go wrong. The power can go out, something can fall across the fence shorting it out (or breaking it) and a panicked critter can easily charge through it (BTDT).

Its works for keeping critters off/away from the real fencing and subdividing areas but that's about all.

[Allen W]

Originally Posted by watcher

Personally I would NEVER rely on electric fence alone to keep live stock confined. There are too many things which can go wrong. The power can go out, something can fall across the fence shorting it out (or breaking it) and a panicked critter can easily charge through it (BTDT).

Its works for keeping critters off/away from the real fencing and subdividing areas but that's about all.

All that can and does happen to a regular fence also, except the power going out.

[mrs whodunit]

I prefer a charger that puts out a steady whatever compared to a pulsating charger.

I find that an animal touches the fence nothing is happening and then here comes the pulse and they then charge forward. If its steady then they touch the fence and back up.

[Maura]

Animals are reluctant to jump two fences. So, if your inside fence is electric, the outside fence doesn't need to be. The goats know they can't charge the fence, and the orange fence keeps them from trying to jump over.

[watcher]

Originally Posted by Allen W

All that can and does happen to a regular fence also, except the power going out.

True but it takes a LOT more to get it done with a 'real' fence.

I've never had a critter run through a fence. I've had some run into fences and do damage to it and themselves (which could be a pro for electric only) but never rip the fence down allowing every other critter in the field to escape.

I had exactly one time when a tree fell on my 'real' fence which could have allowed an escape but the way it fell the limbs created an effective barrier to prevent it. I've had probably dozens of times when small trees and large limbs have fallen on fences and do nothing bend it and/or pop some staples out.

On the other hand I have seen three times had critters break through electric fences and allow the entire lot to get away. One was when I put my horses out to mow the yard and had nothing but a hot wire across the drive way. The others were other people trying to keep their critters confined using nothing but electric.

I have had too many times to count when things, usually tree limbs, fell on my electric fence and either broke it or shorted it out to the point it was nothing but a psychological barrier.

Of course I also wear a belt AND suspenders.

[sammyd]

Is the orange snow fence just for a visibility or does it help hold them in?

I think it gives the goats an idea of where the fence is since it is easier to see kinda looks like a solid barrier and if they stop to investigate and poke the hot wire they learn.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

4 strands keep my goats in nicely. Use a BIG properly grounded fence charger. Train them well in a secure area, and don't let them get too terribly hungry trying to make them clear off the last little bits of brush.

[Alice In TX/MO]

6 joules for goats. Non solar.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by mrs whodunit

I prefer a charger that puts out a steady whatever compared to a pulsating charger.

I find that an animal touches the fence nothing is happening and then here comes the pulse and they then charge forward. If its steady then they touch the fence and back up.

I think that is illegal or otherwise just wrong.

A steady shock can lock up a muscle and freeze a critter or human on the wire, causing serious problems.

What you want, what is good, what is considerate, what works, is a very very high voltage at very low micro amps in a pulse that gets any critters attention but pulsates so that they can get away from the wire.

I hope I am misunderstanding what you wrote, because what I think you said is wrong on several levels?

Paul

[Alice In TX/MO]

No, not illegal. You can get dog fence chargers that are constant, not pulse. Just not much zap to it, either.

I fenced in goats with a regular electric fence that was 5 strands . In several years I had two escapees . One happened when a fighter jet on a training mission flew very low overhead & startled her . She was facing the fence & fairly close to it . She jumped straight through & didn't hurt herself or the fence .
The second time I had let the grass under the fence get too tall & I had unhooked the bottom strand . Eventually another doe figured out that bottom strand wasn't hot & started getting down on her knees & sticking her head under the fence to reach grass on the other side . There was plenty on her side but goats are goats .
We saw her doing that several times & my wife kept telling me she was going to get out & I said she would hit the next strand up before she got out & wouldn't . One day she was outside the fence .
I put her back in , weedeated under the fence & hooked the bottom strand back up hot . From a distance I watched to see her get her surprise but she just moseyed around nonchalent as could be . I got tired of waiting & turned & started back to the house . I hadn't gone 50 feet till I heard her squall . I turned around & she was back up in her field standing at attention . I knew exactly what had happened as soon as I turned my back & she knew I wasn't watching .
No dogs or anything else ever got in their field & those were the only two times any of them ever got out .
Goats are smarter than you think & interesting characters .

[Dogspoint]

The charger I was planing on getting was the zebra 50 mile 2 joule charger. Would that not be strong enough? The parmac charger Allen posted is for 30 miles and says 6 joules on one website and another website says it is between 1.1 and 4.9 joules.... Now I'm confused

[Alice In TX/MO]

For goats, you need the most joules you can afford.

Their website says 6 joules.

http://www.parmakusa.com/product_details.php?PId=7