# fencing for sheep?



## ohiogoatgirl (Jul 11, 2012)

i'm hoping to get some cows and sheep within the next year or so. was wondering if i could keep sheep with the cows? what kind of fencing do you all use? 

i'm hoping to get some soay sheep.
cows, not sure what the breed would be but i would really really like to get scottish highland. but i will very likely have to start off with what i can get and then buy any S.H. as i can find them. 

thanks


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## BrownSheep (Jul 11, 2012)

Bottome part is the netting http://www.redbrand.com/Products/SheepGoatFence/SquareDealKnot.aspx
And then two or three strands of barbed wire  at the top. All togeather about 4.5 ft high.


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## SheepGirl (Jul 11, 2012)

My sheep used to live at my neighbor's house and the fencing was 4' woven wire with a strand of barbed wire at the top. The fence posts were alternating wood post and t-post. The new owners that are moving in here soon plan to take out all of the fencing and redo it.

So right now at my house, my sheep are in a drylot with 4' woven wire and the fence posts are t-posts spaced 8' a part. However, my sheep all escaped and went back down to my neighbor's barn (the one ewe lived there her whole life--6 yrs) and so my mom and I put in 1-3 plastic step-in posts in between every t post.


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## Bossroo (Jul 11, 2012)

Two soay sheep owners within 20 miles from us... last winter's results after 2 and 4 years...   lots of $$$s poured in  = very few $s returned in NO sales = free to good home on Craig's list and bbq for the no takers.


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## Mo's palominos (Jul 11, 2012)

I have 4 ft woven wire with a strand of electric at the top. The sheep, goats and cows share the pasture in the summer. I am going to add a strand of electric around the bottom, some of the goats like to squeeze out under the fencing.


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## boykin2010 (Jul 11, 2012)

I use 4 strand electric wire.  Works great and they have never gotten out.  I think you find sheep are extremely easy to fence for. 
If you are keeping sheep with cows I would start out with extremely parasite resistant breeds of sheep because they are going to be introduced to the cows worms.  

Are you looking into hair sheep or wooled sheep?


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## Royd Wood (Jul 11, 2012)

We run the Romneys with the Galloways - no worming issues of any kind and very safe sheep from coyote attacks as the Galloways stomp right down on any coy who's daft enough to enter the farm.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jul 12, 2012)

boykin2010 said:
			
		

> I use 4 strand electric wire.  Works great and they have never gotten out.  I think you find sheep are extremely easy to fence for.
> If you are keeping sheep with cows I would start out with extremely parasite resistant breeds of sheep because they are going to be introduced to the cows worms.
> 
> Are you looking into hair sheep or wooled sheep?


hm... i hadnt thought about the worm thing... thanks

i'm not super particular to either really. i like the soay that they are small, hardy, easy lambers, and they shed so i wouldnt need to have them sheared.

other breeds i'm interested in is icelandic (milk-meat-wool, hardy, lots of color) ...navajo churro....


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## RemudaOne (Jul 12, 2012)

It sure seems like I've read that it's a good thing to rotate sheep/cows/horses into the same pastures as parasites don't move between species. I'll try to find the reference....


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## boykin2010 (Jul 12, 2012)

Sometimes it is good because sheep and cows eat different parts of the grass (top,middle, bottom) Most worms also cannot be shared. 
The cows eat the worms that sheep have in the grass by eating whatever part they eat.( I think the middle) The sheep then eat the worms the cows are susceptible to by eating the bottom part of the grass. 

Just make sure you have PLENTY of grass. If the cows eat one part of the grass that only leaves the bottom (most parasite infected part) for the sheep to eat. All the eggs are toward the bottom of the grass and the sheep will ingest them. (Although the cows parasitic eggs will not infect the sheep usually.)If there is plenty of grass for sheep and cows to share then I don't think there will be a problem. Still though, it is important to pick a disease resistant disease because other sheep will spread worms to other sheep and cows will spread worms to other cows. 

Cows and Horses I do think share the same worms. I may have been a little confused on cows and sheep though. I have done a little reading and it seems it might be beneficial if you have plenty of grass. Sorry about the confusion


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## Cornish Heritage (Jul 13, 2012)

We run pigs, sheep & cattle together here & so the fencing has to work for all. We are gradually putting 5 strand Hi-Tensile up for all permanent fencing. Barbed wire is outlawed here due to the damage it can cause both human & animal. Yes there is still some old left but as we replace fence it gets torn out & taken to the Recycling place. If no Hi-Tensile then we run 3  or 4 wires of Polywire. Have the wide tape at the top for the cattle & then two or three strands of the white polywire for the pigs & sheep. 

The sheep will go through the polywire once in a while but normally are very good. 

Liz


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