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Author Topic: 3 line electrified fence for sheep  (Read 6980 times)

tirdu

  • Joined Feb 2009
3 line electrified fence for sheep
« on: November 25, 2009, 09:39:18 pm »
Hi everyone , recently purchased a 3 line electric fence system for grazing my ewes, so far so good. Just wandering if anyone else on the forum may of had any experience good or bad with this system or electrified netting on sheep, any comments or info would be gratefully apreciated  ;D

Canadian Sheepfarmer

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • Manitoba, Canada.
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2009, 10:51:11 pm »
It is largely a question of training the ewes. Cows are wimps when it comes to electric fences - one strand will keep killer bulls in. Pigs are easy too, intelligent animals with lots of bare skin, I have found problems moving them after the fence was taken down, they would not cross the line where the fence used to be! But sheep are trickier. They have a lot of fleece to insulate them from a shock, they panic easily, their one defence mechanism is flight, basically you get one shot at their nose and face until they learn what a fence is. I have a basic layout of permanent electric high tensile steel wire fences which I subdivide with 3 strand portable ones. I don't really like permanent fences - they create weeds. I also use paige wire which I believe you call pig wire or stock fence, this is ruinous to buy but I roll it up and reuse it in different locations throughout the year. I tie it to wooden posts with bale string. It is the best way with lambs until they are trained to electric barriers.

The key thing is the energiser. Mine cost me about $1000, it puts out 20 joules and as such is barely legal I think. Certainly a shock from it is something you only do once if possible as it is like being karate chopped on the back of the neck by a martial arts champion!

I have it insured against lightning strike which costs $8 a year. I have 6 earthing rods 20 feet from each other. Most people don't earth/ground their fencers adequately, you can almost double the output if you take the trouble. I have a solar powered energiser too which works well with older sheep in awkward locations.

The whole point is to get a good shot in so that the flock learn to keep off of the fence.  I don't use electrified flexinet as I have had lambs tangled in it twitching as they get repeated pulses...Ugh!

Declan

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • Rathfriland, Co.Down
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2009, 03:18:00 am »
My few sheep just ignored mine- walked straight through it as if it wasn't there- hope you have more success.

tirdu

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2009, 09:20:22 pm »
so far not so good, texel and suffolk ewes have taken note of it, the welsh ewes go through it as if there is noting there. So naw brought the lines closer together but at the same time relised that we've lost height in the fence which has been spotted by the welsh ewes who have now decided to start hopping over it  :D

ellisr

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • Wales
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2009, 06:51:18 pm »
I have fantastic results with my electric sheep netting, the sheep respect it and don't go through it, the one hiccup I had was when the rams wanted to be in with the ewes in october they just walked straight through it. So soon they will be going into the next field well away from the girls so that they can lamb in peace.

My energiser is not hugely powerful but has plenty of earthing rods, it was only meant as a temporary measure until I have finished the permanent perimeter fencing and dividing the fields (which must be finished in the next 2 months before lambs)

I am also due another 4 rescue sheep so we will see if the fencing works with them ;)

Canadian Sheepfarmer

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • Manitoba, Canada.
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2009, 07:41:00 pm »
so far not so good, texel and suffolk ewes have taken note of it, the welsh ewes go through it as if there is noting there. So naw brought the lines closer together but at the same time relised that we've lost height in the fence which has been spotted by the welsh ewes who have now decided to start hopping over it  :D

I think we can learn from tirdu when first deciding on a ewe breed! A sheep from a mountain breed CAN be kept in but it will always feel slightly cheated and borderline hysterical. Her instinct is to roam with her lambs, to lepp and jump!

Wheras I keep Dorsets which were bred for folding on turnips and arable crops in the days before artificial fertilizers. These sheep are docile and like being in a crowd and they don't jump.

ellisr

  • Joined Sep 2009
  • Wales
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2009, 08:39:16 pm »
To true canadian farmer, I thought really hard about breeds as I need docile breeds for when my grandaughter. I choose Ryelands and the rescues that are coming soon are Dorsets so 2 very docile breeds. TBH if my Ryelands get anymore laid back I will be checking for signs of life, the only time I get any kind of what could be described as excitment is with a bucket of feed ;D

I had read that horned breeds should not be kept in by electric fencing so I stayed clear of them incase I have to use it on a regular basis, I would hate for them to have an accident by getting caught up in it.

tirdu

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2009, 10:26:44 pm »
Succees at last !!! all 60 sheep detained behind the fence but naw running up 4 lines instead as the usuall system of 3  :D :D

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2009, 03:58:44 pm »
I have four lines for my sheep - if I use three, depending on how I place them, they either go through or over.

milly molly

  • Joined Dec 2007
  • abington sw scotland
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #9 on: December 17, 2009, 07:09:48 pm »
was contemplating the rapa barrow system for 3 or 4 lines, not cheap but might be easier when moving fences regularly, anybody got first hand expeience?

mandy

mab

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • carmarthenshire
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2009, 06:32:00 pm »
The only bit of three line I've got is around a sapling - so far so good - though I've had my 3 Shetlands less than a week.

They seem to have a healthy respect for the fences - I've not seen them go near them yet.

It would certainly deter me! when I was testing the fence the I could get a nice fat spark to jump almost 1/4" !

mab

tirdu

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2009, 08:40:08 pm »
The moving of the fence isnt the problem really, its when you move the whole lot from 1 field into a new field were the sytem has to be layed out again  ;D

Canadian Sheepfarmer

  • Joined Nov 2009
  • Manitoba, Canada.
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2009, 03:01:13 pm »
You are right tirdu but I think it is called being a shepherd! Those old guys with the hurdle flocks were moving hurdles every day to set up the next day's grazing. A respected shepherd was one who could move 4 or 6 hurdles at a time, and they had to knock in wooden posts often in frozen ground. Good ol' days!

I made a fence caddy. It is basically a wooden pallet with a built up box on it about 3 feet high. All of the 300 odd plastic posts can be put into it and it has another box on it for extras and fencing tools plus a rack for reels. It is easy to pick up on the bale spike of my tractor. So one person walks down the fence placing the stakes in the caddy whilst the other drives the tractor. When not needed it is easy to place it in the barn. It has the advantage of keeping everything together.

tirdu

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: 3 line electrified fence for sheep
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2009, 08:22:26 pm »
Good idea, but you try going on some of our land with a tractor now and you wont be getting out  :D :D

 

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