Dexter winter fencing, electric

Dirtslinger · #1 02/19/08, 12:28 AM

I'm not sure how cattle react to fencing once the snow falls.

We get 2-3 feet of snow. I bought those 4' step-in portable plastic fence posts and the thin electric tape to go through the posts. Planned to rotate a small (4-6) herd of dexters that way.

I think the weight of cattle will keep them near ground level. But... do hot wires ground out in snow?
Is there a trick to reminding the cattle where the fencing is? Or will the even walk through it if snow is piling up?
I could simply walk around the perimeter on either side of the fence to flatten the snow for basic visual reminder.

I gather my question wasn't very clear, hopefully it makes sense.
Thanks if you have any ideas!

Dexter_Cattle · #2 02/19/08, 02:22 PM

Ours get shorted out when the snow falls too hard, but ours don't test it during the winter because there is nothing to eat on the other side.

Dirtslinger · #3 02/19/08, 06:45 PM

That would be nice! Maybe just raising the wires after snow flies will help.

myminifarm · #4 02/19/08, 07:03 PM

I'm having that problem now. I put in the step in post with the intellitwine electric fencing & with all the snow & ice the fence wasn't working. Snow was up to almost the third wire up. The calves decided to check if it was working & led the others out with them. There was nothing for them to eat on the other side since there was over 14" of snow but they still decided to venture over toward the neighbors. Luckily someone put them back for me while I was at work. So I've been trying to rethink what kind of fencing to do also for the winter. The cows & the goat could just about walk over the top of the fence with all the snow!!