Our pasture fence is shot! (It's at least 35 years old) Every day this week we have had cows out. They just go into the fields and eat the oats -planted as cover crops and white clover. DH is on vacation this coming week and we are going to replace it all.

We will be keeping goats and cows. We thought that we would put in "high tinsel" cattle wire with three strands of electric fence, placed at 6"-3' and on top of the wire, with wooden posts..

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), March 24, 2002

Answers

The cows will stay in no problem but I had my goats walk out between impulses. I finally put up woven wire with an electric wire down low for them.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), March 24, 2002.

Two wires, top one at 36 inches on inside of post and hooked to electric fence charger for cattle, bottom one at 18 inches on outside of post so cows won't reach it and hooked to 120 for goats.

-- Mac in Ak (nospam@aol.com), March 24, 2002.

For Goats...A wooden fence at least 10 feet high, and then another 10' high fence about 3 feet outside of the first one. Fill the gap with concrete...It MIGHT keep the goats in.

-- marty (Marty@inak.com), March 25, 2002.

really, marty. have you had a bad experience? my goats have stayed in a woven wire fence with one strand of electric about 12-15 inches above the ground (not always running, either) for 4 years now. they've never gone through the fence. kept a longhorn steer in there for about 9 months-he never got out-fence got him the first week and he never went near it again. we now have a heifer in it about 9 months old and she's never gotten out, either. gotta love those critters.

-- laura (okgoatgal@hotmail.com), March 25, 2002.

I use 4' woven wire with a strand of hot wire @ 6" off the ground for my pygmy goats. Even after training them to it, I still have a wether who challenges the fence, and if he can find some place he can get his nose under the woven wire, he'll squirm his way out between pulses. But never over. And my buck doesn't care at all and will try any and all fences for 15 minutes at a pop. He's even tried to hook the woven wire with his horns and pull on it! But he always goes under or through, never over. And the other 5 are content to stay where they are.

-- Eric in TN (eric_m_stone@yahoo.com), March 25, 2002.

We use a heavey wire fencing that you can purchase at any Feed Store. We did use in the past an electric fence but when Bucky wanted to visit the does he just went under it...sparks flying off his back and all. I guess love does conquer all...even electic fencing. Inside the barn with the goat pens we do have about a 6 foot high fence made with wooden pallets. If any of our goats do take to jumping and we can't seem to stop them no matter how great they are at milking...off to the sale the go. I can't afford to have my garden eaten by my goats. The real world here I guess. The word gets around and I haven't had to sell any of them recently due to jumping. Good Luck !!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), March 26, 2002.

I agree with Marty. Our bucks could go through, around, under, and /or over any enclusure we built. If it will hold water, it might hold goats. The does, on the other hand, were more devious and simply butted the back of my knees when I opened a gate, then hopped over me into freedom and the orchard. Good luck.

-- Roma Milner (rmiln@aol.com), March 26, 2002.