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Author Topic: Goats and Fencing  (Read 2440 times)

Rushy

  • Joined Aug 2019
Goats and Fencing
« on: August 02, 2019, 01:42:36 am »
So I see this on numerous smallholding/homesteading/permaculture forums so i thought I'd throw in my two cents from family experience.

I see lots of people complaining goats are impossible to contain with fencing. Goats are usually naturals when it comes to finding a way over obstacles to get what they want, this includes your fences. The key here is what they want.

So why are goats jumping your fence? To get to the other side :P

But really, there is something outside your fence which it wants, which means it requires something which you have not provided it. Water, shelter (goats do not do well in the rain), company (especially Bucks/Billys), boredom (usually for kids or overly small yards) or most often food.

Goats by nature are browsers, not grazers. You can pen then animal in or stock them too densely and force them to eat what is there, but as usual if you go against nature you will encounter problems. Goats eat a variety to balance nutrition (grasses have shallow roots so unless your feilds have perfect mineral balance....) and to avoid parasites (a natural reason they enjoy eating things above ground level).

The other considerable factor to this problem seems to stem from the new craze over dwarf goats. Consider, smaller goats are more agile. Growing up we had saanens, toggenburgs, anglo nubians and boers (full size breeds). Once mature only the billys could/would clear a 4ft fence (their pen was 5ft 7-9 strands mixed hot/cold electric). All others could climb, but never escaped from their partially silvopastured rotational yards, and why would they want to (internal fences were 2 strand electric, perimeter fences were 3ft woven topped with 2 strand electric).

TLDR: If your goats are escaping:
- Pygmy goats are smaller and more agile, larger goats are slightly less agile.
- If your goats are escaping you are probably not adequately providing for all its needs. Usually they lack company or do not have diverse enough feed options - try offering a nontoxic tree or shrub branch - preferably hang it above the ground for them or even better plant fodder trees/bushes in their feed yards and allow them to grow big enough to survive the goats

alang

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2019, 07:14:09 pm »
Was just searching regarding fencing for goats and came upon this thread.

Very useful indeed. One question though. Would 10ft deer fencing surrounding a goat pen suffice? Or would i still need an electric fence too?

Hoping to maybe rent a field in the very near future and just trying to work out what i would need.
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2019, 08:00:58 pm »
Very few people will rent to you if you if you plan on keeping goats there... because goats are perceived as escape artists... however mine have never escaped from standard sheep netting topped with (mains) electric wire. Just need to be trained to it. And it needs to be mains.

alang

  • Joined Nov 2017
  • Morayshire
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2019, 09:22:28 pm »
Thanks Anke. The person hopefully allowing me to rent the land (details to be negotiated) is a friend of the family so knows me and my 'idea' well. But the mains electric part might be the problem as it's her land and away from her house. Hmmm food for thought.
I'm not scared to be seen, I make no apologies. This is me!

landroverroy

  • Joined Oct 2010
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2019, 09:55:17 pm »
Thanks Anke. The person hopefully allowing me to rent the land (details to be negotiated) is a friend of the family so knows me and my 'idea' well. But the mains electric part might be the problem as it's her land and away from her house. Hmmm food for thought.


I've found electric fencing run off a battery is perfectly effective for cattle and sheep, so no reason why it shouldn't work for goats. You just need to ensure you keep the battery well charged. I use a solar charger so you don't have to keep charging up the battery.
Rules are made:
  for the guidance of wise men
  and the obedience of fools.

Dogwalker

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2020, 07:24:14 am »
Battery fence kept charged with a small solar panel is fine.I only have electric on a couple of fences with old posts or the garden hedge I don't want eaten.  Two strands at about one and two and a half foot high, a foot away from the fence.
Most of my perimeter fence is just standard sheep fencing with plain wire above, not electric.One field even had a stile that the goats never tried to climb over.The only escapes have been where the fence needs repairing, between the stock net and top wire.  Strong posts and tight wire.  They will all put their feet up on it to trim the hedge at the same time.

It probably depends on what sort of goats you've got.

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2020, 07:27:05 am »
I always used electric fencing with a 12v battery. My issue was that the goats climb the stock fencing to eat the hedging and over time it starts to sag and can break at the joints, staples work loose and they just slide over it.. I found the electric running along the top was enough to keep them off it

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2020, 11:27:20 am »
When I first got my Toggs I watched one just lower her back end and spring over the fence like a cat jumping.
I ended up tethering them, got some electric fencing (on a car battery), ran it about 12/18" or so round the inside of the stock fence, at about nose height. Let the goats loose and of course they went to examine it, I stood down the field and was pleased that after the shock she ran to me. Once they understood what it meant I moved it closer to the stock fence, so they could eat the grass up to the base of the fence. But still need to go round with shears cutting long grass down in summer.
If foliage is kept down a battery lasts for weeks.
Only time I have a problem is when goats are in season and they know there is a male about.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2020, 12:13:34 pm »
Early on in my goatkeeping days... I bought an adult BT milker, and she just knew when the fence was off and would promptly wiggle herself through the wires - (fence at the bottom of the slope with two extra wires on top of normal height).
One other thing therefore is to make sure you don't buy in a jumper (someone selling one or two adult goats from their herd.... watch out!), as they will teach their offspring very quickly. I don't think Boers are very jumpy, but I don't have any.

If you use a battery or solar charger - make sure it is out of the way/sight, these things have a tendency to "wander off"...

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: Goats and Fencing
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2020, 01:24:53 pm »
I have boers, i find they are much more placid and easy to keep in.

 

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