Electric Net Fencing in dry and windy area

[lomine]

I currently have my goats fenced in an area that's about 2 acres. That fence is a permanent wire fence. I'm thinking about getting an electric net fencing so I can put them in other areas of the property that are getting overgrown. I would only have them there when I'm actually home. My whole property is fenced but I can't let them free because they would destroy the trees and bushes. The electric netting seems really easy to move and set-up but I have two concerns. My soil is dry and sandy and my area is prone to strong winds. I'm wondering if the fencing would stay put. Has anyone had an similar experience with this?

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

Call and talk to Premier 1 as they actually use and test everything they sell for many years before they put it on the market. Everything I have ever called them about has been answered in depth and great resource of knowledge. Being dry is not a problem if you use a ground wire and a hot wire within the netting. Pulling out of sandy soil is not a problem if you use the deeper, double step in posts. How much wind are you talking about?

 

[lomine]

I'm not too worried about getting a good shock as I know there are ways to work around the dry ground. I'm more concerned about the fence being stable enough to stay up. It's almost always breezy here. I think it's maybe around 15-20 mph average but we can get some really strong gusts. I don't know the exact speeds but I think they can go up to 40-50 mph. It's not all the time but usually there isn't much warning on when it will come.

 

[Mike CHS]

We use netting from Premier1 and have yet to have any get blown over. We had 40 MPH winds the other day and they stayed up but ours is only temporary use. You need to keep them attached to your charger though or the sheep will push it over or raise it with their heads. We set up our fence with hot and ground over our permanent fence and attach the netting with alligator clips from Premier.

 

[lomine]

We use netting from Premier1 and have yet to have any get blown over. We had 40 MPH winds the other day and they stayed up but ours is only temporary use. You need to keep them attached to your charger though or the sheep will push it over or raise it with their heads. We set up our fence with hot and ground over our permanent fence and attach the netting with alligator clips from Premier.

Thanks!

 

[Donna R. Raybon]

Yep! Never, ever let an electric fence be anything but hotter than a firecracker when livestock are around!!! If stock ever figures out that they can get through fence, you got problems. As long at it knocks them hard, they will leave it alone. I had a large Polled Hereford bull and neighbor had an equally large Angus bull. Between the two of them they tore out hundreds of yards of good five stand barbed wire trying to get to one another. Looked like a bulldozer (no pun intended) had cleared it out. After I got them apart, and cleared wreckage, put back two strands of electric barbed wire. They would walk that fence, blow, bellow, threaten, etc... but neither one dared touch that fence. Only problems were when deer would run through it and break off insulators from time to time. About every fourth metal post I would put a couple of extra insulators so I had them at hand if I was out in the pasture and noticed a broken one.

If you are going to use wire for electric, go with the heaviest you can find. That thin stuff sold a 'electric' fence wire is garbage!!! It is recomended to never use barbed wire, but that is all we ever used and never had any issues.... except for what it would do to my hands!! We used a medium weight that was long lasting and not to hard to handle. There is a very springy light weight barbed wire that I HATE as it is trash!! Have yet to have much experience with the poly rope or web type of fencing.

In my lifetime it has gotten dry enough here a couple of times to make fence not work anymore. As it was drought conditions and there was not any pasture anyway, I just dry lotted everything behind sturdy no climb horse fencing. That is something to consider, too, that you do need some sort of lot fenced with non electric, just in case. I sure hope I don't see another drought like those!!!

 

[lomine]

Sorry for the late reply, I didn't get an email notification that there was a new reply. They have a fully fenced pasture that they can use as they like. It has welded wire (was already in place when I moved in). The electric netting will only be used to move them around the other parts of my property. That part is also fully fenced but I can't let them roam free because they would destroy the trees and bushes. The grasses and weeds are now almost knee height so I need it trimmed down. I figured electric net fencing would be cheaper than a good riding mower or continually paying someone to cut it. Plus the goats should like it and I don't have to be out there for hours in the sun. All I have to do is run the weed wacker and move the fence every once in a while.

As recommended by DR, I contacted Premier1. The rep recommended the Pos/Neg ElectroNet 9/35/12. It has drivable posts instead of push in and is supposed to be better in dry soil. My order should be coming this week and I will set it up this weekend. I'll give an update after a few days of use.

 

[Mike CHS]

You are probably going to be happy that you are getting the drive in posts. Ours are push in and our ground is so hard in places (even after a rain) that it can be a pain to get the posts in the ground.