Fencing a 10 acre pasture

[ejb]

Hi guys...

I have a desperate need to fence in a rolling 10 acre pasture to use for sheep and goats...so far they have been able to defeat just about everything I have tried /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif, so I need to stop dicking around with temporary fences and do a good job....

My plan is to do a combination of woven wire (the bottom 36-42 inches) and then 2-3 strands of electrified smooth HT wire at the top. Lastly I plan on running a strand of barbed wire at the bottom (near ground level) to prevent anyone from going under (coyotes).

Guess I'll need to use some 6-8 inch corner posts with some H-bracing and t-posts for line posts, along with an occassional wooden post when the grade changes (a line boss?), i.e. when I need to either pull the wires down a valley, or else come back up a hill (there are several grade changes unfortunately).

My biggest concern is the tensioning of the woven wire...any tips? I almost certainly will be working solo, so any do's and don'ts and tricks of the trade would be much appreciated...the materials alone are going to cost close to $3000 so I'd like to do it right the first time...

PS: Any real difference in the different brands of woven wire? I can by red-brand locally, or I could order the "greencote" or "goldcote" from premier1supplies...the cost is about the same, but the shipping adds several hundred bucks....?

 

[DAP]

ejb ... what type of goats and sheep we talkin 'bout? How big is the total herd?

For the animals concern, make sure your fence weave has openings much smaller than the hooves involved. Goats are superb climbers.

We built a log rail fence 52 ins high and the pygmies were able to jump it using a 5 inch stump as a springboard. Not sure about the sheep though. The goats may chew on the weave also - sumpin to think about ... electricity should save the day if we are talkin about a lot of animals.

Don't forget to include in your focus the ability to keep 'things' out in addition to keeping 'things' in.

Get those critters a llama or a donkey friend!

Now, putting up fencing SOLO is tough work - especially during the wire hanging part. Noone to help at all?

Man.

 

[Boondox]

I have the same problem up here in Vermont. If it's not the sheep trying to get out it's the coyotes or tourists' dogs trying to get in! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif We did the old pound steel posts into the ground and string mesh routine the last time, but figured there had to be an easier way.

Then we stumbled across this fencing site for IBS Acres just a few miles away from us. Went to look and to practice setting a corner post. I'm sold! Now as soon as I save up a bit of $$$ I'll fence in another seven acres.

Pete

 

[DAP]

Pete, that looks like an interestig system. For large sheep it might not keep me up at night. For small pygmy goats, a 5 wire strand would either be dangerous to the goats or ineffective at containment. A yote would hop that fence in a NY minute if I'm seein those pics right.

Is this considered temporary fencing?

 

[cowboydoc]

I'd go with premier 1. They have specific fencing for sheep and goats and they really know their stuff with regards to fencing for different types of animals. Have you called them? Usually they will do a complete design for you free of charge if you are buying your materials from them.

 

[TerryinMD]

Sounds like you know what you need to do, but are looking for some alternatives.

I've only fenced our garden area which is about .75 acres and here is what I did to keep out the deer.

I used 12 ft 6x6 PT posts for the corners and gates. In between, I used landscaping timbers for the posts. The 6x6's are sunk in at 4ft since they are the main anchors for the fencing system. I sunk the remaining posts in at 2ft since the cattle fencing and barbed wire support the posts. My longest run is just under 300 ft. The fencing is attached with galvanized staples. I stretched the cattle fencing using my tireless helper, John Deere. You can fabricate a fence stretcher using a variety of materials. The key is to be able to attach something securely to the fencing and stretch it. Each corner and gate has a horizontal brace secured with high-tensil wire to keep tension on the brace. This stabilizes the corners and gates to keep tension on the entire system. My fence is 4ft cattle fence and three strands of barbed wire. The deer rarely come into the garden anymore since they have to work a little harder to get to the goodies and stand a chance of tearing up their legs and bellies.

I cannot remember the exact distances, but when erecting a long fence. You need to put in braces every so often. The fence follows the contours of the land and looks good when done properly. There is a wealth of information on the web or just go to TSC and I believe they have some instuctive material on putting up a fence. Don't forget to allow for a gate or two so that you can get into the pasture to maintain the fence or get to your animals.

Doing all of this by yourself is a daunting task. Try to find some willing teenagers who don't mind working hard and earning some extra cash to by their video games or CD's.

Good luck,

Terry

 

[ejb]

A total of 16 sheep and 10 goats, with the potential of more if I can keep them in (a potential of a trip to the livestock auction if they keep getting out).....

Never used to have a problem before...until the lambs came along and decided they don't need to worry about the electric fence...and then the ewes follow the lambs....

As for types, 7 angora goats, 3 nubian/boer mix breeds, and 16 Gulf Coast Native sheep (a small to medium breed)

Like I said, if I can't keep these $&!!&@! animals in, I'll need to get rid of them, because I really got better things to do than run around like a maniac chasing animals across my property....!

 

[DAP]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Chase my *#&$6 animals around my property ...)</font>

I hear ya BUT ... its very easy to think of a lot worse things to be doing!

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[beenthere]

""until the lambs came along and decided they don't need to worry about the electric fence""

Maybe in the short term ('til lambs get bigger) erect a smaller 'corral' (like 1 acre more or less) that will hold the lambs while the others graze in the 10 acre pasture. Then all out to the electric fenced pasture when the lambs grow up and respect the electric fence. In the meantime, you can have some training sections for the lambs to 'learn' on while in the corral. Just a thought.

 

[ejb]

>>Try to find some willing teenagers who don't mind working hard

Yea, and after that I'll see if I can find Jimmy Hoffa /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif...

Seriously though, thanks for the tips but as for finding hardworking teens.....never had much luck with that /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif