[SallyintNorth]

Not sure whether I should put this in Pigs, Horses, or Equipment!

Anyways, we need to put up some electric fencing to keep the pig safe from the naughty native mare and, once the rotation gets going, all livestock off the cropping area.

I've used plain wire (two strand) electric fencing for pigs before but everyone seems to use tape or thick rope for horses.

Please can people advise me on the type of fencing that will work and the heights and so on I need to set it up at.  Also any advice on the 'gubbins' parts - spike, battery, energiser, etc.  (I can say the words but in truth I hardly know what it all means.  I can recognise a battery. I think.)

[oaklandspigs]

Tape is almost universally known as "horse tape" for that reason.

For horses, they need the clear visual signal that tape sends out.  For pigs, we much prefer horse tape, as the same principal applies, they see it and learn to avoid the white stuff. Also for pigs you can easily see around the whole perimeter from one place, so you know that they have not burried a bit, whereas with plain wire you'll need to "walk the line" to check it.

Sheep are the thickest, and will test a fence day after day and hour after hour.  You'll need three strands, and can quite happily use tape, polywire or plain.  It is touching it for sheep that keeps them in.  Battery runs down with sheep and they'll be out within a day !

The best on-line guide is

http://www.rappa.co.uk/fencing-guide.cfm

This will tell you pretty much everything you need to know about which units to buy and how to link them

[HappyHippy]

Hiya Sally,
I've recently invested in the whole set-up (still sitting in a box til I get time to install it  ) You'll need-
Energiser (main/battery or you can get dual powered ones too)
Earth system (metal poles driven into the ground)
Lead out cable (if you're using a mains system)
Insulators (you can buy ones that screw onto existing posts or use the plastic posts with a metal spike on)
Tape/wire/cord - I like the tape for visability.
Notices to hang on your fence to alert anyone who may come into contact with it.
and you might want to consider a lightening diverter kit (in the case of mains set-ups)
I think that's about everything   
Fearing do a good manual that explains everything - you can order it (for free) from their website. I bought most of my stuff from them and Paddock perfection & would recommend both for good service.
HTH
Karen x

[Eastling]

Hi Sally
 make sure that you get the earth spike as far in the ground as possible, we didn't to start with when we first set ours up and hubby spent a few hours of cursing trying to work out why it would work!! and check the battery at regular intervals

[welshlass181]

my only advice would be is when you get it all set up go to a Maplin store or something the same and get a 12v solar panel it will trickle feed a top up to the battery and stop pesky animals from taking advantage of dying batteries.  We bought (and 2 other family members) this one from Poland http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Energizer-REDYK-electric-netting-fencing-electrificador-/190472318135?pt=UK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL&hash=item2c5908ecb7 it works really well for both equine and piggies.  I use it with the wire for pigs and sis in law uses it with the 4cm tape for the hossis.  Works extremely well and gives one hell of a belt.  Takes about 4 or 5 days to arrive but i think it is worth the wait as it is very well priced and a good box.  Not sure if i am allowed to post an ebay link on here so feel free to delete it if needs be

[norfolk newbies]

Hi
I do not know about horse tape etc, but we used Rutland energiser and battery and wire for our pigs. Supplier was using the same but with tape for her horses.
 Rutland site very help for idiots (I count myself in that class when it comes to electrical stuff) http://www.rutland-electric-fencing.co.uk/PageAnimalSwine.aspx The tip sheets also very useful ( pictures for those of us hard of understanding).

The only thing I would advise is to keep energiser out of mud.....ours was on ground and covered, but dampness from ground was a problem and have a spare battery to charge up when using the other (if not on mains or using solar)

[HappyHippy]

Just noticed the extra bit about sheep (think I must've missed it first time round ) whilst talking with the vet about my herd health plan she mentioned that if pigs were on the same ground as sheep then it was worth considering jabbing them with lambivac http://www.vetmedsdirect.co.uk/products/Lambivac-50ml-%282ml-dose%29.html because of the risk of sudden death from clostridium http://v2.mlc.org.uk/pigs/technical/index.html/?i=1050509214&action=view&s=Pigs%7CTechnical%20advice%7CAdvice%20to%20the%20farmer so if yours are sharing land or the pigs are on land recently occupied by sheep you might want to consider using it too Sally.
HTH
Karen x

[ellisr]

I knew there was a reason pigs didn't follow sheep but never knew about the lamivac good karma happy hippy.

Try a small solar panel to keep the battery charged it has saved me countless escapes since we installed one, but please make sure it has a switch that only allows the power one way so it doesn't loose power when not charging and so it doesn't over charge. Especially for sheep as they can be quite stupid with electric fencing and always know when the battery is low.

[robert waddell]

pigs know when the fence is earthing out or broken    funny when it is working again and they get shocked   

[princesspiggy]

dogs can scream pretty well too....lol

[supplies for smallholders]

Oh Dear...

Fearing do a good manual that explains everything - you can order it (for free) from their website. I bought most of my stuff from them and Paddock perfection & would recommend both for good service.

Another one off my xmas list 

[ellisr]

Oh Dear...

Fearing do a good manual that explains everything - you can order it (for free) from their website. I bought most of my stuff from them and Paddock perfection & would recommend both for good service.

Another one off my xmas list 

just healthy competition

[supplies for smallholders]

.
.

just healthy competition Wink

Oh I domnt really mind HH using the F word  , we are in the process of changing fence manufacturers anyway, to a 99.9% British made company.

But it does obviously pay to shop-around, and we will try to equal or beat any like for like equipment offered elsewhere - just be cheeky and ask 

[robert waddell]

SFS i am surprised that there are any almost pure british companys left using british made components

[ellisr]

As long as they are assembled in the UK they can call them british and add very very small print in a very obscure place on the packaging.