[minibn]

Hi

I am hoping to be getting some Shetland sheep within the next few weeks and would like some advice about electric fencing. The field where they will be put first is around 4 acres and has stock proof fencing on three sides, with a four rail post and rail fence and a hedge with lots of large gaps on the other. I have a limited budget when it comes to fencing and was hoping that electric fencing would be suitable until i have the funds to fully fence the rest.

I am new to keeping sheep so i am not sure about there capabilities when it comes to jumping/climbing or running through fences. I currently have a variety of electric fencing and plastic posts as i have horses and this seems to be the only thing they respect. I have both tape and thick cord electric fence which is white in colour so can be seen easily.

Anyone have any advice regarding if this is any good How many strands and at what height should it be?

I will have a couple of rams that will have horns


Any advice greatly welcomed

Thank you

Emily.

[Mallows Flock]

I would never personally use electric fencing of any kind with my Shetlands...esp with rams. They do get caught a lot and with that voltage pumping through them it would be hideously painful and upsetting for them til the fencer shorted out. Same reasons as why I won't use haynets etc with Shetlands!

[SteveHants]

They wont get caught up on wire strands, which is what shouod be used and not flexinet. Use wire, not braided nylon as it doesnt give enough 'thump' to deter wooled animals. I like 4 strands, but I am paranoid.

[peartreewoodlandsmallholding]

Hi im also new ive had my 8 hebrideans for twoweeks
ive been useing 3 strands of electric fence and it works great
only takes 1 shock and they keep away(mine found out when they came)
Ha ive got 4 acres all fenced secure all round so i strip graze.hope this helps
Emma

[Sunnybank]

hi, we use 3 strands of polywire of electric fence as our boundary is very poor hedges and our shetlands kept getting through. Since using the electric they have not escaped. we also use it to split the field in half - we had some new lambs arrive today. one has had a shock and now they all stay away from it.

[lachlanandmarcus]

bear in mind that under the sheep welfare code horned sheep of any breed should not be contained by electric netting. (the actual term used, at least in the Scottish welfare code is electric mesh fencing). So if you are going to use electric and have horned rams, it must be the multiple horizontal wires type not the mesh type.
Personally, I have always struggled to keep my Shetland non horned ewes behind electric once the grass outside is nicer than the stuff inside, altho it is fine until that is the case.

[peartreewoodlandsmallholding]

I agree sheep netting should not be used with horned breeds.the polywire
i use works a treat before i had them the hebs didnt even
know what electric fence was but now they respect it so good luck.x

[mab]

make sure you've got a reasonable energizer for the fence - say 1.6 joule+ - it takes a good zap to get through that wool.

I've gotten away with 2 strands for a while - but as lachlandmarcus says once the grass on the other side looks better they find their way through. 3 strands is much better.

Top strand needs to be at least 1.1m high (my shetlands can leap over standard 90cm sheep netting like deer - though, again, they only do that if they really want to).

I find that if there is another 'visual' barrier (like a tatty hedge with holes) behind the electric fence they don't go through/over*.

*except when the crab-apple dropped a load of fruit in the hedge on the other side of a 3 strand fence and the young ram lamb decided it was worth the pain to push through.

marcus

[Fronhaul]

We use three strand for field division and  provided we ensure the battery is changed regularly and more importantly we keep moving the sheep around it works perfectly for the Shetlands and the Jacobs.  The BWMs are sometimes a different story but that is part of the joy of BWMs.   We find polywire is fine but if you need a visual barrier we have in the past used a line of tape which we don't electrify as a top strand.  Hate the netting and as we have Jacobs we don't use it anymore except as a semi permanent but non electrified trackway which helps when we are moving animals.

[lachlanandmarcus]

We also use the non electrified electric netting as a temporary 'chute' when moving our Shetlands, it works very well for that, they are a lot easier to pen!

[Foobar]

I have BWMs and have used 4 wire strands.  It works for a bit, but then they soon realise that if they run fast enough through it they are unlikely to get much of a shock. Ha ha ha. So now all I have is wooly wire .

[Sylvia]

If you don't put on more sheep than your land can very comfortably carry you won't have a problem with escaping (probably )  My small flock of Shetlands are happy to stay where they're put.

[woollyval]

They wont get caught up on wire strands, which is what shouod be used and not flexinet. Use wire, not braided nylon as it doesnt give enough 'thump' to deter wooled animals. I like 4 strands, but I am paranoid.

Agree 100%

[Fronhaul]

Trust me you will have a problem with wandering BWMs if they decide they want to wander.  3 rams on 4 acres of decent grass last year but Nevern fancied some human company and came wandering into the yard.  Found the tiny gap under the fence, stopped it up and the next day he was back (twice).   And this year one of the lambs has earnt the name "Trouble" because she is always in trouble and forever wandering off on a visit somewhere or the other.  I am just off up the field to see if the little group who decided to go wandering this morning have yet returned to their own field.  The only thing I can be absolutely certain of is that they won't go too far from their food sources.  And that one day the ones I keep will grow too big for the seemingly impossible gaps they wriggle through.   Jay will still know how to undo knots though and I will still love the little black villains.

[Foobar]

"little black villains"  I like that   Yes there is always at least one "Trouble" every year.