# Can I use a picket line instead of a fence for a cow?



## FamilyBurger (May 7, 2009)

I reckon I'm posting in the right spot.

I'd like to know if I could use a horse picket line for a cow? I can't find anything on the internet about it. Can anyone give me advice?

-thanks
familyburger


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

What is a horse picket line?


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## FamilyBurger (May 7, 2009)

A horse picket line is a 30 foot or more length of rope that is attached to a long spike hammered into the ground. The rope is attached to a buckled strap around the horse's foot, or tied to the halter. They can get tangled in them, but if you keep an eye on them, you can usually prevent it. A highline is like a picket line, only it's stretched between two trees or two posts, not tied to the foot.
                                       Here is a picture of one
                                                      \/

                                          1.  go to google.com
                                          2. images
                                          3.  horse picket line

-familyburger


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

I would not tie to a cows leg. You can put a neck strap on it and hook to that. 

In the pics I looked at they are anchoring the rope in a variety of ways. How are you planning on anchoring?


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

Another thought, if you are looking at one 6 months of age, like you mentioned in your other thread, and it's never been hooked you will need to be around to work with it. and be sure it's okay. Cattle that have never been hooked will get very scared and fight and may get hurt or kill themself.


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## FamilyBurger (May 7, 2009)

I could do it two different ways.
One, I could use a ground anchor, I'd use a long spike in the ground.
Two, I could tie the rope between two trees or two posts, then tie the cow's rope to the rope between the trees or posts.

But if the picket line won't work, my last alternative is to use electrobraid fencing. You can find out about that at, www.electrobraid.com

thanks


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

Either anchor sounds good as long as the animal won't be able to pull it up. 

As for the fence, we run our cattle on electric fencing so that's not a problem. The electrobraid looks expensive but, if that is what you prefer over T-posts and insulators and wire that is fine. 

Either way should work but, most do use fencing instead of having to move the animal that is hooked on a regular basis.


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## FamilyBurger (May 7, 2009)

Thank you very much
I appreciate your info!
The electrobraid is actually the cheapest stuff my dad could find he said. I haven't actually looked at the prices though! Thanks again!

-familyburger


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

I didn't look through prices either but, with those wooden posts I can't imagine it being cheap. Plus, there's digging in each post instead of pounding them in like a T-post.


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## Thewife (May 7, 2009)

Dad always kept our beefers, hatered and roped to a long metal spike we drove into the ground. Us girls learned early how to stop a bolting animal, by just driving that spike into the ground, real quick!

I'm guessing when he had them tied to the tree, it was the inital training?


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

Here's one of our fences.






The lavender circle is around a T-post the pink circle is around the insulator the grey line is where the electric wire is. This fence is for our bigger heifers which are good and fence broke so on strand is all we use. The smaller heifers get 2 strands. At the corners are a wooden post which helps with tightening and keeping tight the wire.


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## FamilyBurger (May 7, 2009)

Yeah, about the posts, I didn't think of that.
I'll be around all day, every day almost to work with and keep an eye on him. Anoher thing, (sorry about all the questions at once) Do I get a girl or boy? 

-burger


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## FamilyBurger (May 7, 2009)

I couldn't view your picture. Sorry. My computer won't let me. But a few people on our road have cows in fencing like you described. I'll have to talk to my Dad about your point on the posts. He says you only have to put posts 50 feet apart.

-burger


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

Ask away with the questions, we are here to help and would rather you ask them and be prepared than not know what you are doing.

Here is the pic again. This time I loaded it into the "Uploads" here instead of using Photobucket.





_As for bull, steer, or heifer, I'd stay away from the bull or have it steered due to their nature. Beyond that if you're getting it for meat it doesn't really matter. If you're considering starting a herd of your own and may keep instead of butcher it, go for a heifer. And if you get a breed with horns, please dehorn!_


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## FamilyBurger (May 7, 2009)

Thanks bunches!!!
I can see your picture now!
A breed with horns? I thought all bulls had horns and heifers had little stubs!!  WOW! Shows how much I know about cows!

- thanks again!!
-burgers


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## m.holloway (May 7, 2009)

holy cow is that all you use for a fence. I thought they need more then that. I have a 4 foot fence with bob wire that the other side did and I'm still worry about them getting out. Ro one of their bulls gettin in my yard.


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## Imissmygirls (May 7, 2009)

How good a fence you need all depends on how tame the bovine is... and how green the grass is on the other side!


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

Imissmygirls said:
			
		

> How good a fence you need all depends on how tame the bovine is... and how green the grass is on the other side!


As well as how well fence trained they are and how good your fencer is.

We have more trouble with the deer tangling the fence than the heifers.


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## WildRoseBeef (May 7, 2009)

I'd sooner go with an electric fence than a picket line.  That's just my experience from working with beefers all my life.  A double stranded hotwire with T-posts like Kitty showed is your safest bet for keeping your animals on your land.  I honestly don't trust the picket rope thing, because those calves can be quite powerful and pull out the pin if you don't got it sunk in right or far enough.

Gallagher is THE best for electric fencing.  I'm not sure about the company you posted about, its just Gallagher the one's we've had experience with and success with.

As for the horns, breeds like Angus and Red Angus are polled (born without horns).  If a calf is a crossbred with an Angus there is a near 100% chance it'll be polled.  So no, not all bulls have horns, nor do heifers or cows.  And not all bulls are solid coloured either.  

I have to differ with Kitty on the heifer: a heifer can be a real pain in the a$$ when you're trying to handle her when she's got a calf and when she's calving: ESPECIALLY with a beginner; and that can be ANY heifer, docile or not.  I will list off the problems you could have: dystocia (calving problems), not enough milk, won't accept calf, won't let you get near calf, won't let you wean calf, the list goes on. So, if you are leaning on having a breeding animal or two, get a cow that's preg with a calf-at-side (a 3-in-1).  This cow will have experience with calving and won't have the problems that you will face with a first-calving heifer.

If you just want beef, get a steer; more favorably two.


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## Farmer Kitty (May 7, 2009)

WRB's right on the problems with heifer and calves but, the same can apply to a cow. It just goes with the territory.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (May 9, 2009)

m.holloway said:
			
		

> holy cow is that all you use for a fence. I thought they need more then that. I have a 4 foot fence with bob wire that the other side did and I'm still worry about them getting out. Ro one of their bulls gettin in my yard.


All you need to keep cows in is a single electric wire.  If you have young calves, I'd use two.  If you have a weaning paddock, I'd use cattle panel there, to prevent breakouts.  As soon as cows learn to respect the wire, only one will suffice.


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## WildRoseBeef (May 9, 2009)

GrassFarmerGalloway said:
			
		

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GFG sometimes just two hotwires for weanlings works best.  They learn fast how to respect the wire: just gotta watch them for the first bit when you let them out into the pasture.


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## Farmer Kitty (May 9, 2009)

WildRoseBeef said:
			
		

> GrassFarmerGalloway said:
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UHG! It depends on the weanlings. If your talking beef that have been on pasture with mom and may have learned some about the fence okay. But, I've been there, done that with dairy weanlings. We went from 2 to 3 strand electric fence at their height to cattle panels with an electric strand on the inside. We got tired of chasing them around and putting them back in. And that was with a darn good fencer.


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## GrassFarmerGalloway (May 10, 2009)

WildRoseBeef said:
			
		

> GrassFarmerGalloway said:
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It really depends upon the cattle.  Our cows will bust through any fence to reach their calves, anything short of cattle panel and we're going to have a long day chasing calves.

It's better safe than sorry.  It's much harder to wean the second time around.


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