Fencing

cjb · #1 04/17/08, 04:43 PM

Our Jersey "Violet" has been great about staying behind our electric fencing. Her bull calf "Stewart" was a real brat about getting out but she would always call him back. One day a few weeks back, Violet decided that she could just walk through the fencing herself. We would find her on the front lawn etc, than put her back. Well, overnight, she and Stewart decided to get out and take a loooong walk. We found them two properties away in a neighbor's field.

I was out of town when this happened so I had the boys put them up in a stall. Since then, Stewart went to live with someone else but VIolet is still in the stall.

Do you keep your cows behind an electric fence? Is she more or less likely to get out and wander with her calf gone? She has just gotten over the wild calling after him all night long so maybe she won't break out and look for him?

I'm really hoping that I don't have to redo all of my fencing just to keep the cow.

jode · #2 04/17/08, 05:08 PM

Have you got a fencing tester to measure the strength of the shock? Maybe you have a weak ground so you aren't zapping them as much as you could?

cjb · #3 04/17/08, 05:13 PM

The shock is definitely on the weak side and I just don't know why. Just wondering why it was enough before than suddenly not. Maybe I need to add another grounding rod but I doubt that's the problem. It is very wet up here and there's already a 6' rod connected.

jode · #4 04/17/08, 05:20 PM

A weak shock would hold an animal who never tested the fence due to training. A weak fence would not hold an animal that learned from a friend (or son) that the fence is no barrier. Therefore a weak shock would not hold them. They say you need three good ground rods for the best shock.

Mare Owner · #5 04/17/08, 07:15 PM

I thought the amt of ground rods depended on the size of the area you are trying to fence (and size of charger than also?).

I would walk the fence and be sure nothing is touching it, sticks or taller weeds, insulators missing, etc. Check w/a fence tester at different points on the fence also. We always do that first and 99 out of 100 times, taking care of these "little" things fixes it.

grimm_mojo · #6 04/17/08, 10:55 PM

i was reading in a book i have that the ground is pretty ineffective if the ground drys up around it that it needs to stay damp or well the fence dont bite

agmantoo · #7 04/18/08, 12:29 PM

The price paid for a good charger should have started at above $200 if you want a hot fence. You cannot put any confidence in the printed description of the chargers, they all seem to lie. Having a good designed unit with a high output is your best guaranty for keeping an animal contained.

cjb · #8 04/18/08, 08:36 PM

Thanks for the input!

Christiaan · #9 04/19/08, 02:15 AM

Even with wet soil you need about 18feet of ground, or 3 rods. Once you get the voltage up, you might hang some lures on the fence to retrain her to the painful effects of touching it.

CatherineE · #10 04/20/08, 11:33 AM

Lol...yes, a feed bucket "accidentally" left on the other side of a hot fence does wonders for convincing cattle they DON'T want to touch that wire!!! (wicked wink). I've also heard a few dollops of peanut butter on the wire will train both your cows, AND local deer to avoid the fence!