Goat Electric Fencing

meoddone

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Hi All, new here...

I have about 1 acre fenced in that I want to enclose two Nigerian Dwarf Goats. How many joules do I need? I don't need a 50 mile charger, will a 2 mile charger rated to 0.1 joules be enough? Do the joules increase as the fencing distance decreases?

Currently I have two cows in the pasture and they don't challenge the 3.5' fencing with a single barbed wire on top. I know goats will be tougher to keep in (impossible I hear...), but feel confident that my fencing is hog tight... it's the up-and-over I'm worried about...

Thanks for all your help!
 

babsbag

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I can't tell you if joules increases with a shorter distance but .1 isn't much and I doubt it will stop them. I wouldn't go less than 1 joule. We put our wire on the inside at goat knee height; they learn pretty quickly to stay away from the fence.
 

meoddone

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So 1 joule is what you use? Thank you very much!
 

babsbag

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Yes, I use 1 joule. Zareba has a chart on their website that lists what chargers work for what animals.
 

Latestarter

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Greetings @meoddone from the front range in Colorado. Welcome to BYC, glad you joined us! get comfy and :caf enjoy!
 

meoddone

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Will they jump the 3.5' fence? They will have large stumps in the pasture to play on, plenty of food and water, and the whole acre to run around in. Do I even need an electrical wire? Or can I just electrify the barbed wire?

Thanks All.
 

norseofcourse

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Welcome to BYH! I would not electrify the barbed wire.

What is your current 3.5' fence? Woven wire? Welded wire? Something else? Got any pictures?

They may be happy in that 1 acre, till it gets more eaten down than what's outside it, and the outside looks more and more tempting. What kind of fencing are the goats currently in, at the place you're getting them from?
 

meoddone

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Ha, sorry about the post being deleted. I struggle with similar issues. And sorry for delaying my replies, things get busy... I'll get pictures tonight.

It's woven wire fencing, not too sturdy... I'm fixing up the place and have added a few T-Posts in areas and reattached the fence to them in others. Why wold you not electrify the barbed wire? The fence is currently set up for it, not that I need to, just curious...

I'm not sure what type of fencing is currently holding them. But they are in a smaller enclosure with no grass so I anticipate that it's a more expensive (and more effective) cattle panel or something. I just bought a used Solar Pak 12 and plan to install it with polytape around the top of the fence, as well as knee high to a goat.

What do ya'll think?
 

babsbag

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Three Joules :ep Don't touch that fence and the goats will learn the same very quickly. Is this for predator control too or just to keep the goats in? It should work for the goats no problem.

As far as the barbed wire. I'll let this explain.

"The electric pulse flows down the perimeter (surface) of the fence wire. If this wire is smooth, then the pulse flows fast and pretty much unabated down each length of wire. Every wire joint is a potential source of electrical resistance and therefore joints must be kept to a minimum. There are many joints barbed wire."

Also, getting hung up in the wire would be downright painful for man or beast and I wouldn't want to take that chance.
 
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