5 minute read
Fencing Management
from Sept Oct 2016
by legacyiw
If it can’t hold water, it can’t hold goats... Karla Blackstock
Ever heard the saying, “If the fence can’t hold water, then it can’t hold goats”?
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Fencing is one of the most critical management tools when it comes to raising Boer goats. They have the uncanny ability to crawling under the fence, crawl over the fence, jump over the fence or just get stuck in it.
There are many choices when it comes to installing either a permanent or temporary fence.
Perimeter Fences
Choosing the correct perimeter fence should be high on any producer’s to-do list. This fence can be made of several types of fencing materials, but there are some may be better suited for your situation than others.
If you are using an electric fence, choose a smooth high-tensile wire that stands at least 42 inches tall. The bottom strand should be six to eight inches away from the ground to help ward off potential threats. Permanent fencing applications call for 12.5 gauge, smooth, high-tensile, class 3, galvanized steel wire.
While goats can be trained to respect electric fences, the fence does little to prevent predators from entering pastures. Boer goat breeder Carol Rochester says that woven or net wire is one of the most effective for her operation. “The fourby-four rolls of wire fence seem to be my fence of choice, and also the fourby-four welded panels,” she said. “The strength of the fence I am convinced is having the posts a little closer together. We use cedar posts or T-posts seven feet apart. This makes a lot of difference in the strength of a run of fence.”
Carl Hoefelmeyer, owner of Hoefelmeyer Enterprises has been installing fences for agriculture producers for more than 30 years and, he says, goats do seem to have a special way finding any weakness in the fence.
“I recommend the 48-inch four-by-four net wire with a single barbed wire strand across the bottom for varmint control,” said Carol. “You have to leave a space at the bottom because high-tensile wire will rust out if it is in the ground so the extra strand keeps out predators.”
Rochester said, “The four by four fencing has been in existence now for at least 20 years without much repair & ZERO heads in fences, and it keeps goats in well and anything else out.”
Larger woven wire (six inch by six inch or six inch by 12 inch) may be less expensive than the smaller four-by-four wire; however, goats can get caught in the fencing and end up dying of dehydration or predators.
“I could not risk any longer have a goat get its head in the six by six fencing way off out of sight and that USED TO HAPPEN a lot,” Rochester said.
Cross Fences
Once a perimeter fence is established, electric fencing or larger net wire can be used to divide the pasture into paddocks. These cross fences can be made of three to four smooth strands of high-tensile wires, assuming animals are well trained.
But again, Hoefelmeyr and Rochester said their go-to
fence is the four by four net wire.
“We also have added some horse paneling for strength,” Rochester said, “My main fence man says he never knew Goats could be so destructive.”
Destructive and elusive. And, that is why corner bracing is almost as important as the fence itself.
Corner Braces
Because goats like to climb, the corners of fences should have the diagonal bracing for posts or the animals will climb out of the pasture. Corner posts should be driven with H-braces. High-tensile electric fences can uses either H-braces or diagonal braces.
Hoefelmeyer said that H-braces should be driven at least three feet into the ground to avoid sagging fence lines.
“The first thing you want to do is put in strong corners,” he said. “That is your foundation for a good fence.”
Large circumference cedar or pipe braces can both be effective he said.
If a temporary fence is necessary, polywire and poly tape are stable options. They are visible to goats. Electric netting, a prefabricated fence of electroplastic twine is also an effective temporary fence for rotational grazing/foraging situations. However, if goats can get their horns into the electric netting, they can be electrified.
Buck Pens
When it comes to containing bucks, sometimes you have to go back to the drawing board, and you may have to enlist the help of a welding crew.
Rochester said her bucks runs are five by 10 horse panels with pipe infrastructure.
“The horse panels with four by four welded wire panels are attached to pipe for added strength and so nothing can get out,” she said. “We always use HORSE PANEL with welded wire panel attached between the bucks. We have now used extra strong two by four welded panels, which cost quite a bit more but have not had to be replaced one time yet.”
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