pasture fence question

[stifflej]

I want to use portable electric fence for my pasture next spring, looking for suggestions on what to use. I plan on getting a good controller, for heavy weed control so I don't have to worry about weeds. I was looking at TSC and they have 3 different types of wire that I could use, the standard bare wire, tape and a braided wire. What would be the best to use for a for ever moving pasture?

Thanks, Jay.

BTW, I get my 2 Angus Heifers on Saturday, can't wait.

[agmantoo]

Will this be your perimeter fence or just for partition fencing?

[stifflej]

Parameter fence.

[agmantoo]

Temporary fencing is inadequate for a perimeter fence. You are opening yourself up to legal liabilities.

[stifflej]

I will only have 2, at most 3 cattle, with no intention of ever having a bull. I thought I would use 2 strands. Also, the 2 I am getting this weekend, have been contained by 1 strand since birth. (after seeing the fence that held them in, I figured 2 strands will be more than enough).

Thanks.

[haypoint]

If this is the parameter fence, it won't be ever moving will it?
I'd suggest you fence the edges of your property with high tinsel wire. It requires solid corner posts, but it lasts and lasts. Once you get that taken care of you can focus on your moveable fencing. Better to only worry that the cows got into a section of grass you wanted to wait a few weeks on, than to be road kill.
You can use barbed wire for an electric fence. It doesn't move well, so I don't think you want that for an ever moving pasture. It is generally soft steel so will streach. If you keep tightening it, it will break. Keeping the insulators out of the barbs while tightening it a pain, too.
I don't think there is any "standard bare wire". The light weight cheap aluminum wire will keep chickens and calm older cows in, but too easy for a calf to simply rip thru it. There are several alloys of 7 and 9 guage wire. The soft stugg is easier to work with, easier to bend and will strech over time. High Tinsil will break if you kink it then try to straighten it out, it is more costly, but you can tighten it up with built in fence tighteners.
There are also several styles of fence tape. For a pasture that I'm moving every week or two, I'd go with a good quality of fence tape.

[bulldog]

I have used a thin 8 stand braided poly hot rope as a two strand movable(about twice a year) fence for up to 7 horses, some of which are fence testers. In all honesty I am not thrilled with it shocking ability. It just does not carry the voltage like normal wire. That said, it was cheap, it is really easy to put up and take down, but if you get any snow on it it will stretch right out. Also the sun is taking a toll on it and after two summer season uses I am feeling the need to replace it.

[jirwin]

I have been using 2 wire electric to keep in 3 cows and a bull. Although I am in the process of building barb wire and woven wire.

[FreeRanger]

Here in Wisconsin I have seen many dairy herds that are grazed with little to no perimeter fencing. I would go as far as to say most dairy cows are kept behind a single strand of electric wire at some point in their life. Sure most have a woven wire pasture. Our property has four strand barb wire in poor condition on three sides, with woven wire only on the North line. I have a 200' opening with no fencing where the driveway enters the property.

I am currently rotational grazing two Dexter steers using nothing but Premier1 Electronet. This worked well with sheep and now I am using it for both hogs and cattle.

I also use a three strand contour electric fenceline made of Premier1 Inteletwine on step-in post for 600 feet with post spaced 30 feet apart. The steers respected that fence as well.

I am using either a 50 mile or a 100 mile low impedence charger, depending on the hookup. Thats a 2.5 joule and a 5 joule output. Yes THEY REALLY hurt!

So I highly recommend everyone purchase three lengths of Electronet and 300 feet of insulated wire. With that tool in your barnyard you can build paddocks just about anywhere and any shape. Try making LLL shapes.

[haypoint]

I was about to get excited when a Wisconsin farmer, Freeranger, starts out telling us that many places hold cows without perimeter fencing, or very little. Free range was outlawed in Wisconsin about a hundred years ago. Following that example will get the farm sued right away from you.
But he continued with some sound advice on fencing.
Just remember there is a world of difference between out of a paddock and off your property.