[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

it maybe a silly question
has anyone been successful with electric fencing for sheep (ryelands)
i know the that horned shep shouldnt be near it and that wool doesnt conduct electric
but interested to hear peoples thoughts

many thanks

[Bionic]

We have Ryelands and use electric fencing to divide the field. The adults respect it but lambs just take no notice at all.
The perimeter is stock fencing. I would never trust an electric fence for that but if you just want to keep them in one area then it works ok. Be prepared for them to not want to move over the invisible line when you take it away though.

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

We have Ryelands and use electric fencing to divide the field. The adults respect it but lambs just take no notice at all.
The perimeter is stock fencing. I would never trust an electric fence for that but if you just want to keep them in one area then it works ok. Be prepared for them to not want to move over the invisible line when you take it away though.

thank you bionic, the perimeter isnt great so may have to avoid it
how do you find your ryelands

[silkwoodzwartbles]

I regularly use electric to direct the sheep to where we want them to graze/to rest areas/to divide paddocks, etc and it works really well BUT I do use 5 lines of (tight, undamaged) fencing with a very powerful fencer, keep the battery well charged and have the earth stake a good 2 feet into the ground. It pays to mow a path where you'll put the fencing to reduce the likelihood of it shorting out on long grass, and also reduces the temptation for the sheep to try and put the heads under the fence to reach long grass on the other side.

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

thank you for the advice im sure there will be more questions in the future

thanks

[Penninehillbilly]

Maybe try after shearing? Hopefully they'd remember and respect it.
I have mine in front of a sad drystone wall (wasn't sad before sheep chambered on it and a lot fell down :- (.  They've touched it with their noses and now won't go near it.

[BenBhoy]

Are you getting bartery or mains? Go for most stored joules you can afford. I use hotshock A50, absolutely brilliant even on full fleece.
If they are trained to it first I find 3 strands of wire fine even as perimeter, use 2 strands to divide fields up.

[Sbom]

Try after they are shorn and after a good rain storm...

My main flock have two strands of electric round them all winter with no attempts to escape, even with no perimeter fence. Once they're trained they don't forget!

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

brilliant thank you for the advice i havent chosen one yet i am just look at options at minute

thanks

[Bionic]

We have Ryelands and use electric fencing to divide the field. The adults respect it but lambs just take no notice at all.
The perimeter is stock fencing. I would never trust an electric fence for that but if you just want to keep them in one area then it works ok. Be prepared for them to not want to move over the invisible line when you take it away though.

thank you bionic, the perimeter isnt great so may have to avoid it
how do you find your ryelands

Love, love, love my Ryelands

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

Sorry for all the questions
What dead weight do you achieve if you cull them

And why ryelands over comercial breeds

I'm just covering bases
I went to see a small flock today and thought they where awesome

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

And another question
Would you sink posts in ground for fence would you use 6ft and sink it 2ft or 5ft and sink it a 1ft for sheep

[silkwoodzwartbles]

If permanent, go deep, if you're planning temporary fencing, you can just use standard electric fencing posts (that's what I do) like these ones: http://www.rutland-electric-fencing.co.uk/PageProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=104&ReturnToListURL=PageProductList@2Easpx@3FSelectedTab@3DTopTab@5F3@5F4@5F3&ProductListTypeName=ZarebaCommon@2ESiteCategoryProductList@2C@20ZarebaCommon@2C@20Version@3D1@2E0@2E0@2E0@2C@20Culture@3Dneutral@2C@20PublicKeyToken@3Dnull&IncludeDealersOnly=False&SiteID=2&SiteCategoryID=26

[pharnorth]

Agree with Silkwoodzwartbles on the fencing. With the permanent fencing it is rot at ground level that eventually gets it but a foot down may well be insufficient especially if it's a windy spot.

My Ryelands spent the winter in a field where two fences were stock net and two were three strands of electric on a mains system.  Battery discharges too quick if you can't keep up with strumming the grass under it. The lambs didn't wander but they were already 3 months old when they went in. Don't think I'd trust the 3 strand wire with new born lambs.   I don't disagree with Bionic but it does depend on what is the other side of the fence, in my situation there is a ditch so if they were to get out they wouldn't go far.  Having said that plenty of farmers are using the same system around here for hundreds of sheep right next to roadsides so they seem to have some confidences not it.

[twizzel]

We use 3-4 strands on our lambs but they are all electric trained when they are young and never walk through it. Used it all last year no problem at all with a good fencer and make sure the battery doesn't go flat as they know!