goat fence - wire mesh or barbed wire?

[Jimcro55]

I would consider buying some wire mesh material from these guys:

Belleville Wire Cloth Co., Inc - Woven Wire Mesh | Wire Cloth | Stainless Steel Wire Mesh | Wire Cloth Strainer

They seem to have all of the stuff that you guys are mentioning in high quantity at good prices.

Check it out and tell me if you see what i am seeing there....

 

[perdurabo]

Whats wrong with the regular 48" 12.5 gauge field fence with the 6" vertical stays with graduated smaller horizontal stays you can get for $139/ 330' roll at Tractor Supply? They have a "sheep and goat" version that the only difference is that its 4" stays but its more than $100 more per roll!

I can't see how that extra 2" could make a $100 worth of difference, even if you've got goats dumb enough to get their heads stuck in the fence. Is it really likely that a 6" gap at the TOP of the fence will allow their heads to get stuck (the only place wide enough to get their head through anyway since the horizontal wire is graduated smaller to bigger from bottom to top)? How likely is this to be a fatal situation?

I'm planning on getting some cheap spanish or spanish/kiko goats just to maintain my ag exemption, and I need them to be as low maintenance as possible. Replacing PVC pipe taped to their horns every couple weeks isnt what I'd call low maintenance (unless theres some other way to keep it attached thats safe). I also don't want to spend more than $150/roll for field fencing and from what I understand, electric fencing for goats is a waste of time and money.

 

[beppington]

Whats wrong with the regular 48" 12.5 gauge field fence with the 6" vertical stays with graduated smaller horizontal stays you can get for $139/ 330' roll at Tractor Supply? They have a "sheep and goat" version that the only difference is that its 4" stays but its more than $100 more per roll!

I can't see how that extra 2" could make a $100 worth of difference, even if you've got goats dumb enough to get their heads stuck in the fence. Is it really likely that a 6" gap at the TOP of the fence will allow their heads to get stuck (the only place wide enough to get their head through anyway since the horizontal wire is graduated smaller to bigger from bottom to top)? How likely is this to be a fatal situation?

I'm planning on getting some cheap spanish or spanish/kiko goats just to maintain my ag exemption, and I need them to be as low maintenance as possible. Replacing PVC pipe taped to their horns every couple weeks isnt what I'd call low maintenance (unless theres some other way to keep it attached thats safe). I also don't want to spend more than $150/roll for field fencing and from what I understand, electric fencing for goats is a waste of time and money.

You got it - Because goats are "dumb enough" to get their heads stuck in it. Some people care about their goats enough to not want them to get their heads stuck way out in the middle of nowhere, or not be able to eat or drink all day until you find them & set them free. Probobaly not fatal, as long as you come by to free them often enough ... & a coyote doesn't come along to eat its fresh, trapped prey.

 

[DennisArrow]

I really don't know where you get your information about electric fencing NOT working with goats; but they are talking through their hat as far as I am concened.

We only have a few years, ten, raising Boer goats and yes from time to time some what you are calling "Spanish" goats..........Our Boers are in the several hundred dollar to several thousand dollar per head price range so they need to be maintained and taken care of.

We run electric fence alone on several cross fences and outside boundry fences. They are the 5 wire versions. We have NO problems with these as far as the goats are concerned. Yes, baby kids get through them but after a couple of times getting zapped they DO NOT go through.

We also use the diminishing size fencing available from TSC and yes it works just fine. Even on those though we run an electric wire at about waist high on a goat. They tend to rub against the fencing to help shed their coats and just scratch. After awhile they will definately bow fencing..............

Sticking their heads through a fence is NOT a common occurence but it does happen. TOTALLY RARELY..... Perhaps, those are the goats you get rid of and keep those that dont..........How many do you have to have to keep your ag situation.....Is this for taxes or what?........Good luck and God bless......Dennis

 

[perdurabo]

Every county in TX has their own standards for what constitutes "agricultural use" for what is known as "1D1" valuation which can turn a 23 acre piece of property that costs $1500/year into a $20/year tax bill (Texas has no state income tax so our property taxes are high).

In Caldwell county where I'm at, acreage isnt relevant, whats relevant is the number of "animal units" with cattle being the standard of "1 unit". Your property has to support at least 4 units. Goats count as 0.4 animal units so you have to have 9 of them for the majority of the year and make a reasonable effort towards a profitable operation (on paper at least) to qualify for the exemption for the year. My crossfenced area is only about 15 acres but it is heavily brushy/wooded. My border fence is a busted old 5-strand bardbed wire on rotten cedar posts that was probably installed about 35 years ago. Right now that section is being leased out to my neighbor for his cattle to roam into (which counts towards the exemption) but I'd really prefer to have my own stock fill the whole quota.

My other 4-acre crossfenced area (48"x6" field fence with 1 strand of barbed wire on top) will have a milk cow and calf so thats already 1.5 animal units which means I only need 6-7 goats on the remainder of my property (~15 acres after the homestead is fenced off). 15 acres will support 7 goats better than it will support 3 full size cattle, but the fencing requirements for goats are MUCH more expensive than with cattle. I need this to be as affordable as possible.

What about using regular 6" stays 48" tall field fence with one strand of barbed wire on top BUT also put one strand of hot electric wire around the inside of the fence as well? How high up should the hot wire be? Chest height on the goat or high up so that it covers the widest strip of openings on the field fence where they are likely to get their hons stuck? I've already got a powerful 50-mile 110v fence charger, so I'm hooping that does the trick. I don't want the fence so strong or tall that I can't hunt deer on my property anymore because the fawns and yearlings can't get over the fence.

 

[beppington]

I've seen the smallest deer easily hop right over 4' high fence ... & 4' high fence easily holds goats, as long as of course that 4' high fencing is adequate.

Kinda like securing your house from thieves, you can "get away with" a wide range of securement. Barbed wire, close enough together, & with stays close enough together, & checked often for broken or loose strands, will work fine. You may get some goat heads caught, but they shouldn't get out. This is what I would do if I was trying to do it on the cheap & didn't mind having to check the fence line often, & extracting a stuck goat head sometimes.

But, like you, I prefer maintenance as low as possible. So I bite the bullet & buy the 4' high no-climb fence wire (2"Wx4"H holes). The only way goats are getting out is if somebody cuts it or a large tree really squishes it. And, it doubles to make it harder for somebody to get over - A person's foot won't (easily) fit in the holes for climbing. Of course, the criminals SOBs are usually fit young dudes that can hop a 4' fence while barely touching it. Heck, I can & I'm 42! :laughing:

 

[DennisArrow]

Now I understand about the tax situation. That is really kind of a cool deal. Around here, with a grass pasture and NO drought the standard is 2 goats per acre. On my forested acreage it is more like 1 goat for 3 or 4 acres because once they clear up the browse (brush, vines, low trees, etc) they pretty much have it cleared off.........

The square fencing you are talking about should work just fine. 6" squares will keep them in just fine. Yes, the diminishing size is better, but truly a head getting caught is the least of your worries.........DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WORMS?..........Are you gonna have pasture guard dogs or use burros?..........

The electric strand should be waist high on the goat.......that is 24 to 30" from the ground. In all my time I have had one momma goat that went over habitually. This would happen at weaning time but that momma would go over 3 fences to get to her baby. So if you have one like that you either get rid of them or put a line at the top; but that would be the only reason..........Good luck and God bless.....Dennis

 

[perdurabo]

Well as far as worming goes thats why I was gonna try to use Kikos or Spanish/Kiko crosses since they have more natural resistance to worms. From what I understand you only need to de-worm once or twice a year anyway unless you have an obviously sick goat and all you need to do is feed them the special feed with de-wormer in it. I'm hoping that my big rock pile will be enough to get them to climb on so I don't have to trim their hooves that often or at all.

When I was a kid I grew up next door to a 5000-acre ranch called the Robinson Ranch just north of Austin, TX. They always had several herd of Spanish goats that just wandered around the various pastures and were basically wild. As far as I can tell, they never fed or worked them in any way and just let em roam free. Now I understand I can't easily do the same on 15 acres, but I should be able to approximate it, especially with only 6 or 7 goats.