Author Topic: Electric fencing and horned sheep (Read 5054 times)

Coximus · « **on:** August 21, 2015, 01:32:01 am »

I've just been offered a winters use of some hay aftermath (on a 3 year ley), however the field is not stock fenced and about 15 acres in size. Its got another year left before it goes back to arable and the field next door goes down to grass - so obviously the owner doesnt want to spend £1000's fencing it -

I've only very limited experience of netting and only then for making race's and funneling sheep across other fields;

To use this field I would have to use 3 or 4 strand electric rope set at 6 inch from ground, then 1 foot spacing - Would this work and also is it safe with horned sheep?

I know they will get a few shocks at first then learn, that said I dont want any tangled!

Tim W · « **Reply #1 on:** August 21, 2015, 07:08:56 am »

3 strand electric wire should be fine, I run 100's of lambs/ewes & rams behind it all year---horns or not

Helen Wiltshire Horn · « **Reply #2 on:** August 21, 2015, 10:40:42 am »

We have used electric as a temporary measure. We did learn our lesson as the tension wasn't tight enough and a horned wether got stuck with the tape wrapped around both horns very tightly. Thankfully we got to him in time to untangle and save him but I have been nervous of the electric tape as a result. I would have thought that the netting has even more opportunities for horned sheep to get stuck.
Helen

Keepers · « **Reply #3 on:** August 21, 2015, 11:56:07 am »

Use three strands of electric fence, polywire or plan wire, I wouldn't use rope, wouldn't give a good enough shock

BenBhoy · « **Reply #4 on:** August 21, 2015, 11:14:14 pm »

Horned or not, personally I wouldn't trust any electric set up to keep in sheep unless they've been exposed & trained to it from lambs. I wouldn't sleep a wink!

jward · « **Reply #5 on:** August 22, 2015, 03:14:05 pm »

The only time I've ever used electric fence was with a couple of horses and it was a disaster...

But a few months ago I lost a young Shetland ram after he got his horns caught on the stock netting overnight, got himself free but then died. So accidents happen with horned sheep regardless of fence, and I'm now paranoid every time my older ram goes near it with his really big horns.

Possum · « **Reply #6 on:** August 22, 2015, 05:06:03 pm »

I have use plain wire and polywire with wiltshire horns with no problems. Training is important though. When our first sheep got their first zap they leapt straight over the fence.

Can you train your sheep in an enclosed area first? It only takes a couple of days.