Teach me about running a single hot wire for cattle

[petebert]

I've been using electric net fencing for a few years for my sheep. I've also used it with the cows with no problems. I'm going to put the cows out on a field without the sheep in the next couple of weeks. Started planning it out in my head and thought it'd be way easier to just run a single hot wire. The net fencing takes a few hours to setup. You have to pre-measure and mark everything out, then come back with your mower to make a path for the fencing, then you string it all and hope your measurements are correct. Running a single line seems like it would take no time at all.

I'm guessing I want to go with t-posts? Does it matter how far I sink them if they aren't going to be permanent? Deer do run through this field, will that be a problem? Not uncommon for them to knock down by net fencing back there. How much spacing do I put between the posts?

 

[M5farms]

I assume you have another exterior fence as one strand is not sufficient. On the 1 wire a ratchet and poly or fiberglass post are ok for temp runs just need good wood post corners if your planning on getting it tight .

 

[petebert]

No, will they break lose? Will I have to stick with the electric net?

 

[boggen]

cattle and fencing = just do not mix. they will run it down no matter what, the grass is greener on the other side always. bulls more so.

if they do not see it and zap themselves, they may go right on through it.

if they are not use to it, they will test it, till it clicks they get zapped.

1/2" to 3/4" re-enforcement rod for say concrete. can be rather cheap. along with the plastic connectors for them and the electrical wire.

have a regular fence then use electric as an extra "no rubbing/itching on fence" policy, "no sticking head through fence to eat grass on other side" policy, "no stick head over fence to get over" policy.

electric dog collar invisible or not. still crud without a good actual fence involved.

==========
if you have a larger area fence to actually keep the cattle on property. and this is more dividing up your property so you can work on other fence line, or move them through a field that already has a regular fence around it. or perhaps make a cattle road. between a couple sections on your property.

run the 1/2" to 3/4" concrete re-enforcement rod. quick and easy, put a couple strains across, then get the top plastic cap holders, to run a 3rd wire. for total between 3 to 5 wires total. so they are less likely to...
--get head under a wire and get zap and raise head taking out electric fence.
--put head over fence wire, and pull back nailing tongue or walk through it.
--put head between a couple wires to reach through.
--of course high enough so they do not simply walk over it.
--here it is coyotes and wild dogs at night, electric fence is nada. regular fence more likely to keep them in.

 

[M5farms]

cattle and fencing = just do not mix. they will run it down no matter what, the grass is greener on the other side always. bulls more so.

if they do not see it and zap themselves, they may go right on through it.

if they are not use to it, they will test it, till it clicks they get zapped.

1/2" to 3/4" re-enforcement rod for say concrete. can be rather cheap. along with the plastic connectors for them and the electrical wire.

have a regular fence then use electric as an extra "no rubbing/itching on fence" policy, "no sticking head through fence to eat grass on other side" policy, "no stick head over fence to get over" policy.

electric dog collar invisible or not. still crud without a good actual fence involved.

==========
if you have a larger area fence to actually keep the cattle on property. and this is more dividing up your property so you can work on other fence line, or move them through a field that already has a regular fence around it. or perhaps make a cattle road. between a couple sections on your property.

run the 1/2" to 3/4" concrete re-enforcement rod. quick and easy, put a couple strains across, then get the top plastic cap holders, to run a 3rd wire. for total between 3 to 5 wires total. so they are less likely to...
--get head under a wire and get zap and raise head taking out electric fence.
--put head over fence wire, and pull back nailing tongue or walk through it.
--put head between a couple wires to reach through.
--of course high enough so they do not simply walk over it.
--here it is coyotes and wild dogs at night, electric fence is nada. regular fence more likely to keep them in.

I run 1 strand temp poly fence all the time for intensive grazing. They will not touch it if its done correctly with a real fence box.

 

[Clint S]

We have been running 2 wire electric for years, some on posts my grandfather pounded. We need two wires to keep the calves in. We only run one wire through heavily swamp area. We ver seldom have an issue and usually it the first day or two they get let put in the spring, then it is the little ones who have not learned. We walk it once a week to fix deer take downs, it's around 2 miles around. I have often forgot to turn it back on after walking it and it goes a say or two with no juice and they still don't bother it. Once the learn they learn.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

If you educate them before turning them loose helps. We alway put a single strand up inside another fence on the type of posts we were going to use. Not hooked to the other fence and about two feet inside of it. That way if they went thru it or tore it down they were still in during the education process. Don't have to be a big area just big enough for them to get stupid and buzzed a few times to graduate. We would use a snow fence with steel posts and put the electric fence inside of it. Worked good and when we let them out in a pasture they would put the tails in the air and run and carry on but brakes worked really good when they seen the fence. Watch them until they settle down and they will learn the area you have fence for them.

 

[Creamer]

If they are trained to an electric fence a one wire will work great although it does somewhat depend on the cattle. if they are too high strung it will not work. I grew up with very docile cattle and we would put up temporary one wire fences often to contain them and they worked great. We even had some in our feed yard and we kept bulls in place with them. Never had much of a problem. It did have a very good box on it though - I can personally attest to that!

 

[petebert]

These are pretty docile. Once they get used to the electric net they don't go near it. I even had some knocked down by the dear last year and the cows didn't bother to get loose.

 

[Creamer]

Then you should be fine.