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  • From: Doug Willhite <drwillhite@earthlink.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Livingontheland] fencing for livestock
  • Date: Sun, 16 May 2010 07:37:17 -0700

Hi Stephen & Norma,

I've noticed that the hardest wear and tear on our livestock fences comes when there are goats on both sides of the same fence. That is when the ladies-in-heat and the bucks get really aggressive about trying to knock through the fence. Even if the does aren't in heat, all the goats seem to want to be together. That is when they're most content.

To avoid having them on both sides of the same fence I keep all our meat goats together in one herd as often as possible. When I do separate the bucks from the does, or the mama's with kids from the others, I try to make sure there is at least one pasture in between them. We currently have six pastures ranging from three to ten acres each (with a couple more pastures on the way.) Space limitations would certainly make this approach more difficult.

*Hey Stephen, We're practically neighbors! My wife, Hillary, and I have a farmstead seventeen miles north of Warner Springs. We'd really enjoy coming by to meet you and see your Escondido dairy goat farm sometime!

take care,
doug

PS Regarding keeping chickens safe from predators -- that's a whole other issue. I had to build what we call "chicken condos." I will write more about our chicken condos soon!
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From: Norma Sutton <sweetspringfarm@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] fencing for livestock

Those sound like what they are calling horse panels here. Great stuff!
Norma

On 5/14/10, blademan25@yahoo.com <blademan25@yahoo.com> wrote:


I just completed constructing pens for my dairy goat herd in January. It
has the 2X4 openings and is 68 inches high and VERY HEAVY GAUGE. The panels
were 24 foot lengths and we put posts every 10 feet. I have had no issues
with escaping goats or any predation from coyotes although the raccoons
wasted no time in wiping out all my laying hens in there. We also laid some
thin gauge fencing on the ground outside of the pen to prevent coyotes from
attempting to dig under. The males are separated from the females and they
will not be able to scale that fence either. The fencing dealer referred to
these panels as "stud panels." I have had goats for over 20 years and
this is the first fencing that I doubt will ever need to be replaced as
compared to all other fencing being destroyed every 2 years (by the goats).


Stephen Heilman
Escondido CA

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http://chihuahuavalley.net







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