The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: loosey on May 30, 2010, 08:58:45 pm
-
I'm reluctant to use barbed wire as my horses need to be rotated in the fields and I will not allow them near the stuff!
Is electric fencing possible with sheep or a complete waste of time? I have 15 acres which need to be done so stock fencing will be very expensive! ???
-
You can get electric sheep netting, but it is not suitable for any sheep with horns - if they get caught by their horns they will panic & can die.
John
-
I second what Fergie says and in fact it is illegal to use electric mesh fencing with horned sheep. Also, sometimes a polled sheep will stick it's head through an electric fence and get stuck by the wool, with the same result.
With stob and mesh stock fencing, you don't have to run barbed wire along the top. We have banned the horrible stuff here and just use a strand of plain wire. All the barbed wire does is damage animals and humans alike; it doesn't stop animals jumping, just tears them when they do - good news for the vet :(
Stock fencing is expensive but quite honestly it's worth having good quality fencing - a sound investment.
-
Our sheep (but not the lambs until a bit older) respect the electric tape for subdivision in the field, but I wouldn't use it as an external fence. We have stockfencing and then a strand of electric wire on the top (mains). Its expensive, but when done by good fencer should last you for a long time.
I wouldn't use barbed wire either.
-
Hi,
For 15 acres I would not consider elec sheep netting - it would cost a fortune!!
As above, use stock fence + a strand of elec tape / polywire across the top or use permanent high tensioned electric wire - but for sheep I would suggest at least 3 strands of wire - they may respect it when things are calm and quiet, but if they get spooked they tend to bolt through most things!
Oh and almost forgot - you need a lot of power in the energiser to keep sheep in - their wool is a great insulator - unlike horses.
Thanks
-
Thanks all ... looks like the OH will be getting his wallet out! ;D :sheep:
-
Why do you need to fence all the plot at one go?Why not fold it it will be much cheaper and easier on the other halfs wallet ;D :farmer:
-
Because I rent most of the land I graze and most of it was or is dairy land (and therefore no fencing or crap fencing) I can only use electric. I use two strands of wire and fence each field as it is grazed. The only thing to do is make sure the battery (if you aren't on mains) is kept charged and your fencer has an output of about 2kj.
I managed 200 ewes plus lambs and about 150 acres like this. It can be a little time consuming but takes less time than chasing round trying to put the sheep back every five minutes.
Plus if you find you have a naughty sheep who always breaks out - sell her! Sounds mean but it really does make life easier for you in the long run.
-
Why do you need to fence all the plot at one go?Why not fold it it will be much cheaper and easier on the other halfs wallet ;D :farmer:
Fold it? I'm not familiar!
I have 7 horses that need to be paddocked and once they're moved I need the sheep in there so it kind of all needs to be fenced at the same time.
Freddiesfarm, We're fencing from mains for the horses so we might have to give it a go and see what happens!! ;)
-
Can't you run the sheep and horses together? Dobby, the wonder horse, (my old nag) lives with the sheep quite happily. But he will herd lambs back to their mums when mum is at one end of the field and the lamb at the other and they just yell at each other!
-
Hello Loosey On some of the larger farms where the shepherd run a large flock A field will be sown with alternate passes of the drill with Swedes and Turnips mixed in one pass and kale in the next pass back to Swede and Turnip and so on.Some farmers prefer all Fodder beet or Mangolds.Net stakes are set and netting erected along one side The amount of feed is calculated and the net put up across the ends then the other long side filled in.When all the food has been eaten the net is moved up to allow access to the next piece.This is a very ancient method definitely over 2000 yrs This method is much more secure than electrified any thing. :D :farmer: