Fencing ideas for sheep?

WolfeMomma

True BYH Addict
Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
505
Reaction score
1,433
Points
243
Location
Maine
Has anyone fenced their whole pasture with cattle panels? If yes did you like it? if no, why not?
Rolling around this idea for our main pasture we use in the winter.
 

secuono

Herd Master
Joined
Oct 16, 2010
Messages
9,030
Reaction score
13,326
Points
623
Location
Virginia is for Pasture Farmers!
That's expensive to do.
And lambs will easily pop out.
Tposts & mesh fence, use a hand winch or cargo strap to tighten it.

I made a fence + gates around the barn with cattle panels & tposts. With so many gates in such a small space and several turns, it would of been heck to try and do it with mesh fencing!
 

Beekissed

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
3,634
Reaction score
5,549
Points
453
Location
mountains of WV
Rolls of actual sheep fencing are a much cheaper option and will contain your lambs too. Some folks offset a hotwire at the bottom and top to deter coyotes or to keep LGD from digging out.

CP seem like a pretty quick build but they are harder to conform to the landscape, are more expensive than regular fencing, and harder to join together unless you order those squiggly connectors, which can get a bit pricey for a whole field. For a roll of Red Brand woven wire that's 330 ft, you pay $140, for enough CPs to cover the same length, you'll pay~on average of $20 a panel~$206.

 

WolfeMomma

True BYH Addict
Joined
Aug 10, 2017
Messages
505
Reaction score
1,433
Points
243
Location
Maine
I dont have a fence stretcher, is the field fence still something I can do without one? Can I attach it to the T posts that are already there? Right now I have 5 lines of poly wire that we are really starting to not like.
 

Beekissed

Herd Master
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
3,634
Reaction score
5,549
Points
453
Location
mountains of WV
I dont have a fence stretcher, is the field fence still something I can do without one? Can I attach it to the T posts that are already there? Right now I have 5 lines of poly wire that we are really starting to not like.

If you look on YT you'll likely find ways to make a fence stretcher of your own.


You can attach to the T posts with wire clips or you can fashion your own out of just pieces of wire twisted on.
 

Mike CHS

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
Messages
10,660
Reaction score
38,841
Points
793
Location
Southern Middle TN
We used Red Brand for our first 600' or so then we checked out the Gaucho High Tensilewoven wire at Tractor Supply. It's a bit cheaper, stretches easy, needs fewer posts and the plus for me was it's half the weight of the Red Brand.
 

Bruce

Herd Master
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
17,451
Reaction score
45,860
Points
783
Location
NW Vermont
I dont have a fence stretcher, is the field fence still something I can do without one? Can I attach it to the T posts that are already there? Right now I have 5 lines of poly wire that we are really starting to not like.
You can make a fence stretcher with a couple of pieces of 2x4 with carriage bolts, fender washers and nuts. You can use T posts in the middle of the run but will want wood post H or floating braced corners and gate supports. I used 2 come alongs to tension my field fence so I could get tension high and low. Don't run the fence around the corners to the next run but wrap around and tie off at each corner. Not doing so will potentially pull the corner posts inward.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

Herd Master
Joined
Jan 18, 2011
Messages
984
Reaction score
2,106
Points
303
G'day Wolfemamma,my suggestionion which is based on over 40 years of sheep and goat breeding is "invest" in a set of wire strainers and learn how to use them. In the main invest in permanent fixed fencing with hot wire subdivision paddocks inside them, remember "wire grows grass",this has never let me down yet....T.O.R.
 

jambi1214

Loving the herd life
Joined
Feb 11, 2021
Messages
221
Reaction score
428
Points
163
Location
Southeast Missouri
Red Brand sheep fencing! I had to do all pasture over cattle fencing as my sheep were getting out and if they saw a dog go through, forget it, they follow. Expensive but I found that I dont have to worry at all with that fencing
 
Top