Electric Fence for Sheep

S

sir chips

Well-Known Member
Hi,

Was wondering if anyone has any experience of electric fencing for sheep?

basically, fields have fields with good boundaries but want to winter store lambs in a field which would give them access to horses by going under their post and rail fence which is something I want to avoid. not mad about the idea of putting up a permanent sheep fence as would like to keep the fields flexible for hay etc.

has anyone ever used electric fencing for sheep? Have see this : https://www.agridirect.ie/product/electric-sheep-netting
which looks a bit pricey. Has anyone ever tried 4 strands of electricified plain wire attached to posts by insulators?

many thanks for everyones views
 
Used 3 strands of electrified plain wire years ago when I had store lambs, worked great with plastic posts every 5 or 6 mtrs and a timber strainer every 200 mtrs or at corners. But the main reason it worked so well I think was that we sheared the lambs when we bought them
 
Big G said:
Used 3 strands of electrified plain wire years ago when I had store lambs, worked great with plastic posts every 5 or 6 mtrs and a timber strainer every 200 mtrs or at corners. But the main reason it worked so well I think was that we sheared the lambs when we bought them
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Thanks big g.
You reckon itd work OK if they weren't shorn though?
 
We got out of Sheep in 1977 but had been fencing them with electric fence up to that . Farmers still mention to me about coming to farm walks to see sheep being fenced with three strands of electric . Sheep might be a bit smarter than they were forty years ago but they cannot do Algebra and they will not have worked how to get through an electric fence .
 
Big G said:
Used 3 strands of electrified plain wire years ago when I had store lambs, worked great with plastic posts every 5 or 6 mtrs and a timber strainer every 200 mtrs or at corners. But the main reason it worked so well I think was that we sheared the lambs when we bought them
Click to expand...
A man local to me got into sheep big time in the last few years due to continuous TB lock ups and stock numbers falling. He has three and four strands of electric wire just inside the ditches. He would be know to be a man to buy the sheep that wander. I will say this though they never wander on him. The main thing he says though is to keep it a clean fence line as he sprays it every year or two with grazon 90.
 
JOHNNY BOY said:
A man local to me got into sheep big time in the last few years due to continuous TB lock ups and stock numbers falling. He has three and four strands of electric wire just inside the ditches. He would be know to be a man to buy the sheep that wander. I will say this though they never wander on him. The main thing he says though is to keep it a clean fence line as he sprays it every year or two with grazon 90.
Click to expand...

thats very interesting. does he use a mains fencer or battery?

what i cant understand though is apart from boundaries which obviously need something stronger, why dont sheep farmers use electric fences more? theyre cheaper than wire, more flexible for paddocks and quicker to put up- so am I missing something as to their shortcomings apart from the odd zap in the ba*ls as you climb from one field to the next.
 
sir chips said:
thats very interesting. does he use a mains fencer or battery?

what i cant understand though is apart from boundaries which obviously need something stronger, why dont sheep farmers use electric fences more? theyre cheaper than wire, more flexible for paddocks and quicker to put up- so am I missing something as to their shortcomings apart from the odd zap in the ba*ls as you climb from one field to the next.
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As far as i know its all mains fencers he runs. Now in all fairness to him it is extremely well done to. Straner 8foot posts in all corners or pressure points like angles in fields. All 5 foot heavy stakes used in between and any low spots in the ground he has filles up with clay or stone. As mentioned he keeps the fences well sprayed with grazon 90.
He has spent a considerable amount of time and money on his set up but possibly cheaper than sheep wire in all fairness. He has about 50 acres rented not far from me for the last ten years or so. This is where he mainly done he sheep side of the farming. He has aĺl boundaries as well as sectioning it off done with the electric fencer a nd i have yet to see a stray sheep with him.
 
sir chips said:
Hi,

Was wondering if anyone has any experience of electric fencing for sheep?

basically, fields have fields with good boundaries but want to winter store lambs in a field which would give them access to horses by going under their post and rail fence which is something I want to avoid. not mad about the idea of putting up a permanent sheep fence as would like to keep the fields flexible for hay etc.

has anyone ever used electric fencing for sheep? Have see this : https://www.agridirect.ie/product/electric-sheep-netting
which looks a bit pricey. Has anyone ever tried 4 strands of electricified plain wire attached to posts by insulators?

many thanks for everyones views
Click to expand...
I have permanent high tensile electric fencing for my ewes and the secret is current. Lots and lots of power!

I use 5 rows, top 4 electric and the bottom row is earthed with a bit of wire stuck into the ground and when they try to squeeze under they get well earthed and stay away. Next is paddocking now they have learned the first lesson.

You could try running a row or two of poly wire along the bottom and middle of the post and rail with screw on insulators to keep them from moving. I reckon you will need at least 5mj running on the wire though, especially as they get short of grass and decide to try to wander.

On the netting, you could use poly wire and reels for probably less than the netting and useful for cattle afterwards as well.
 
What's the idea with the bottom row of wire - is it connected to electric fencer? And does earthing it increase the effect if they touch it? Sorry if it seems a silly question but not really sure how that would work.
 
sir chips said:
Thanks big g.
You reckon itd work OK if they weren't shorn though?
Click to expand...

Not sure if electric fence will work straight away purchased store lambs, as until they settle in and get used to the fence there fleece might protect them while they break through it. One of the reasons we got them sheared was to make the electric fencing more effective on them, possibly now with bigger stronger electric fence power units than we had then it should still work for you
 
sir chips said:
What's the idea with the bottom row of wire - is it connected to electric fencer? And does earthing it increase the effect if they touch it? Sorry if it seems a silly question but not really sure how that would work.
Click to expand...
Only the top 4 rows are under current.

The bottom row can't take current because it would short out if you had grass growing up against it. So we earth it with a bit of wire to give a very good shock when they try to stick their head out and hit the electric wire further up.
 
just wanted to update everyone on this.

finished putting up fence early august, wired it up to a gallagher m500 mains energiser which gives out 5 joules. moved lambs in a week later and it works fine keeping them in field. overall, Ive about 600 metres of 3 & 4 strand connected to it and it has bags of power for this. You do see a lamb getting too close to it the odd time and getting a dart- I still cant work out if these are the smart ones testing it all the time or the stupid ones who forget it hurts! I'm pleased with it overall, and it also gives me options in future to easily divide fields with tape and white sticks if i want to take out part of a field to bale.

The only down side i've seen so far is that in areas where sheep are being herded tight the odd one can run through it where theres a dog behind them etc so it wouldnt be suitable for passageways but for controlling grazing it works the finest.

anyhow thanks to everyone who gave me the bit of guidance on this, appreciate it.
 
I worked electric fence for store lambs on turnips for years , used to hang some leaves on the fence to train them ,they didn`t come back for a second nibble
 
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