I am building a fence for goats on my 5 acres. I set all the corner posts and H-braces today and have t-posts every 10'. With cross fences, etc I have 2800 foot of fence to build, with a maximum stretch length of 467'. The land is flat as a pancake. Not more than 1 foot elevation variation on the whole place.
Sheep/goat fence (48" tall, 4 inch square mesh, 12.5 guage) is $173 for a 330' roll which works out to 52 cents a foot.
12.5 guage barbed wire is $40 for a 1320' roll, or 3 cents a foot per strand. I could build a 10 strand fence for 30 cents a foot and save over $600 on the project.
Question is I have already spent quite a bit on posts, concrete, etc and my ultimate goal is to have a "goat proof" fence if there is such a thing. A local farmer told me that a 10 strand barbed wire fence will hold goats well. My main concern is I often leave town for a week or so for work and the wife is left to take care of the goats. I don't want them escaping while I am gone, as she will not know what to do.
Should I spend the extra $600 on the mesh, or will barbed do the trick?
Also I have built barbed wire before and it is easy to stretch. I have never dealt with the mesh before.
Sheep/goat fence (48" tall, 4 inch square mesh, 12.5 guage) is $173 for a 330' roll which works out to 52 cents a foot.
12.5 guage barbed wire is $40 for a 1320' roll, or 3 cents a foot per strand. I could build a 10 strand fence for 30 cents a foot and save over $600 on the project.
Question is I have already spent quite a bit on posts, concrete, etc and my ultimate goal is to have a "goat proof" fence if there is such a thing. A local farmer told me that a 10 strand barbed wire fence will hold goats well. My main concern is I often leave town for a week or so for work and the wife is left to take care of the goats. I don't want them escaping while I am gone, as she will not know what to do.
Should I spend the extra $600 on the mesh, or will barbed do the trick?
Also I have built barbed wire before and it is easy to stretch. I have never dealt with the mesh before.