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  • From: Kai Vido <kaivido@yahoo.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] goat fencing
  • Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 06:52:11 -0700 (PDT)

Hi all,

My family has raised goats for over 30 years. The first few years we
used electric fencing (10 strands, 4 or 5 of them electrified!), and
chasing goats that got through it became a frequent task. Then we
gradually converted all of our pastures to woven wire fencing (also
called Paige wire). We try to use the kind with grids no larger than 10
by 20 cm. (4"x8"). The horizontal and vertical strands should be
well-connected at their intersections, to form a rectangle that is very
hard to enlarge--our goats' favourite activity is putting their heads
through the fence and wriggling and leaning, so they can reach a bit
more of the greener grass on the other side.

In time all but the best woven wire can get bent out of shape this way,
and the flimsy stuff will sometimes get spread so much that a goat can
go through. A very important thing is to have good corner posts from
which you can stretch the fence very tight. A slack non-electric fence
will not hold in adventuresome goats for long. A well-stretched woven
wire fence with small grids will reduce the escapes vastly compared
with electric fencing, in our experience.

Good luck,
Kai Vido



--- Robyn Francis <erda@nor.com.au> wrote:

> Most electric fences are powered by a small solar unit with
> rechargeable
> batteries--not much bigger than a solar garden light. The fences only
> need a
> low pulsing charge.
>
> Robyn
>
> On 19/3/07 10:18 PM, "Primal Parent" <primalparent@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > on a somewhat related matter, could anyone recommend a book/site
> that covers
> > keeping goats without electric fencing? it has to have been done
> (obviously
> > before electricity) but after weeks of researching, we have found
> nothing. i
> > would like to not have electricity on our future land for many
> reasons.
> > cheers.
> >
> >
> >> From: "mossmans" <mossmans@internode.on.net>
> >> Reply-To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
> >> To: "'permaculture'" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
> >> Subject: Re: [permaculture] goat space
> >> Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:30:13 +1100
> >>
> >> Paul and Kirsten,
> >>
> >> We have about 1.5 acres of useable space, with a goat, alpaca and
> 3
> >> miniatureish pigs. My biggest advice is to plan so that you have
> a shelter
> >> in the middle, then run wire or electric fence out so you have
> small areas.
> >> Then rotate them on the areas - this will reduce your worm burden,
> and
> >> allow
> >> each area to regenerate. They eat bark, your favourite fruit
> trees, and
> >> often leave weeds you think they should eat.
> >>
> >> Remember goats need shelter, and you need somewhere to milk them -
> they
> >> hate
> >> getting wet and you will be able to compost the straw and manure
> for your
> >> vege gardens.
> >>
> >> On that amount of land you will need to supplementary feed them
> especially
> >> as you want to milk the goats and you need to give them food to
> produce
> >> milk. And as we have had a drought only now with rain coming, feed
> is very
> >> expensive.
> >>
> >> A milking goat is beautiful, I only have one, and only get 1 litre
> a day,
> >> but she is due to be mated shortly and fingers crossed for a
> couple of
> >> doelings.
> >>
> >> Have fun, read heaps, and ask a lot of questions
> >>
> >> Sue
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
> >> [mailto:permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of
> Kirsten
> >> Griffiths
> >> Sent: Monday, 19 March 2007 1:05 PM
> >> To: permaculture
> >> Subject: Re: [permaculture] goat space
> >>
> >> Hi - I am looking at the same thing (got the two goats yesterday),
> and have
> >> spent the evening looking at the Premier Fencing site, because we
> are
> >> considering movable electric (solar) fencing. Is moving these
> goats around
> >> an option for you? Premier is having sales on some of their goat
> fencing
> >> right now.
> >> Kirsten
> >>
> >> Paul Cereghino <paul.cereghino@comcast.net> wrote:
> >> I am considering a pair of goats for milk. How much yard space
> would
> >> you consider minimum:
> >>
> >> 1. for psychological health of a pair of goats
> >> 2. to avoid desertification (mud pit)
> >> 3. to avoid severe compaction
> >>
> >> Soil is silt loam and periodically wet in winter (in part why i'd
> like
> >> to constrain the winter yard).
> >>
> >> Under the current plan I'd have around 0.2 acres (8,700 sq
> ft./800sq
> >> m/0.08 ha) not including area for a modest shed that integrates
> with
> >> garden compost and chickens and a double fenced perimeter hedge
> with
> >> another 2000 sq ft devoted primarily to 'cut and heave' forage.
> The
> >> alternative could include leasing land from a neighbor.
> >>
> >> Thanks for any advice...
> >>
> >> Paul Cereghino
> >> Olympia, WA
> >> _______________________________________________
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> >> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> >> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture
> >>
> >>
> >>
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