# Field fence for goats?



## Iron T Farms (Jan 26, 2019)

Hello everyone, 

My family are switching other farm over to meat goats. We were raising cows and had a few goats on the farm. Well we really enjoyed working with the goats and found them better to work with than a 1000lb lap dog, lol.  
Now im sure this topic has been asked and spoke of a thousand times in these forums.  I'm new to this forum as a member but have read many post.  So this is the question. Im going to first fence in a 2 1/2 arce area that will be my holding for younger goats and probably new heard members and will hold about 15 full grown goats.  Then another 12 acre area for there pasture. I see people talking about using 4x4 woven wire for fencing. I was planing on 4x4 corner post and t-post on my runs at 12ft spacing. The fence i was planning on is the field fencing from TSC. Starts off smaller at the bottom an gets larger at the top. Thinking this will help on kids putting there hands through the fence. Then 3 hot wires, one 20" up on inside and on top of fence. Then another on the outside about 6" off ground to hopefully keep anything from trying to dig in. 
So anyone ever used the field fence? Pros and cons.
Also do i need to also build a night area inside the pasture?  I was just planning on building a 16x24 cover sleeping area in the large pasture and a 12x12 in the smaller one. Allows them to go in at night but can move around the pasture at will. The larger pasture also has woodline for shade. 
Thanks in advance...


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## Southern by choice (Jan 26, 2019)

Go with the 4X4. 
The one you are talking about is ok, we have it and have for years but when we move everything will be 4x4 and baby areas (pens) will be 2x4.
A word of advice. Build a quarantine area right from the start. Make it a dry lot small area. Quarantine and test any new goats you bring in quarantine 30-60 days minimum.
Test for CAE & Johnes. CL is difficult because many are giving vaccine to meatgoats. I still recommend it.


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## goatboy1973 (May 1, 2019)

I totally agree with SBC. Definitely do a quarantine lot. As far as what fence to use, I use the Red Brand field fence...but...if you use this fence which is a 4x4, you will need to use some electric wire offset to keep the goats from rubbing on and climbing on and eventually destroying your fence. I use 2 strands of electric wire...one at 6" off the ground and one at 12" off the ground. This also keeps them from getting their head stuck in the fence. I lost an amazing yearling doe to coyotes who ate her head off when she got her head stuck in the fence trying to graze on some persimmons just across the fence a few years ago. That's when I decided to do the 2 strands of electric and our goats won't get 5 ft. from the fence.


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