Keeping a yearling in the fenceed in the fence

West Wind Acres

Exploring the pasture
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I currently have 7 highland cattle in my fold, up until recently they stayed in the fence. Now I have 3 yearlings that I won't stay in. I went as far as putting them into a paddock made with 5' fence gates and one jumped over to get out.

Any tips?
 

amysflock

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I'm assuming you have a strong hotwire? With all that hair, you need a very hot hotwire. If you do have a strong hotwire, make sure it's not shorted out somewhere by plant matter, wires crossed from deer or elk jumping over the fence (or cattle!), branches, etc.

If you can handle them, you may halter and lead them up to touch their noses on the hotwire so they learn exactly what it means. If you can't halter them, I've heard hanging disposable metal pie plates on the hotwire with thin wire - so the whole thing, fence, pie plate and wire, is hot - is a good way for them to learn themselves.

Sometimes, though, even with the hottest hotwire in the world, you'll still have animals that won't stay in. It's quite unfortunate. The breeders I know cull those animals and do not keep offspring from them.
 
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