# Can sheep stay behind high tensile wire fencing?



## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

We have an area of our pasture that has five strand high tensile fencing.
It is electrified.
Is it safe for sheep?
Thanks


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## aleefarms (Jul 23, 2014)

I can't speak for woollies but I can hair sheep. Yes, five strand high tensile works fine. I have been using it as a perimeter for 15 years and it still looks new and does a good job. I spray to keep the grass killed a couple of times maybe three if it is a rainy year. Very little maintenance.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

Introduce them to it when they are shorn or lambs, and keep it hot. Heavy wool and weak fence on a five strand high tensile and they will pop through it like water through a sieve. If they make a habit of it, they will coat the fence in wool and it will look like rope instead of wire, and they will pop through that place even shorn and with plenty of juice. Adding a couple more strands at sheep level will hold them better, if the fence is taut and the posts aren't too far apart.


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## EasilyConfused (Nov 16, 2014)

My perimeter fence is 5-strand high tensile electric with the bottom wire 6" off the ground. It runs at 4,000-7,000 volts, depending on how recently it's rained and how diligent I am about keeping weeds off it. It works fine and as mentioned it's extremely low-maintenance.

Very occasionally I'll get a lamb that doesn't want to respect the fence. For me, that lamb goes fairly quickly to another farm or to the freezer, but I could see someone who wasn't going to cull for that sort of behavior having an eventual problem keeping the flock in. An electric fence isn't a physical barrier, after all, and sheep are well-insulated. It just takes a few bad apples to make the whole flock brave enough to charge through.


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

Great news! Thanks everyone for the good info.
We would have hair sheep so no woolies to worry about.
Have the Parmak 12 v solar charger and it is sending out over 7,500 volts
Even on cloudy days.


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

Another question-- has anyone noticed if coyotes will stay out of high tensile hot wire?
Thanks


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## Kasidy (Oct 20, 2002)

I kept 60 ewes (and their lambs) behind 5 strands of hi tensile electrified for 15 years. Never a sheep out, never a coyote in. And we are in a very rural area with lots of coyotes. We did have dogs get in a couple of times--lucky I was out and about and took care of them. The problem with dogs is they see the sheep and tear through the fence in a hurry to chase them---too fast to feel the burn. Whereas I assume coyotes sneak up and touch the fence first--ouch!


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

Thanks for that info.
Sounds right about coyotes probably getting zapped from being slower and more cautious near the fence.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If you're in the mountains as your screen name implies, and you are serious about wanting to raise sheep, I'd suggest getting a good LGD (Livestock Guardian Dog).

Coyotes are a big problem in your area and a good fence is just the first line of defense.

It only takes one coyote to do hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damages in a very short time

http://www.lgd.org/

http://www.grit.com/animals/animals-on-guard.aspx


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

Coyotes go through high tensile like water through a sieve. Unless it's 8 to 12 strand with alternating hot wires, they learn to pop through it at high rate of speed. If the bottom strand is hot, the grass will take a lot of power off the fence, if it's not hot, they will crawl under. They can also jump it if they have to. I have caught truckloads of coyotes crawling under high tensile fences.


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## BlueHen (Jul 25, 2014)

Kasidy said:


> I kept 60 ewes (and their lambs) behind 5 strands of hi tensile electrified for 15 years. Never a sheep out, never a coyote in. And we are in a very rural area with lots of coyotes. We did have dogs get in a couple of times--lucky I was out and about and took care of them. The problem with dogs is they see the sheep and tear through the fence in a hurry to chase them---too fast to feel the burn. Whereas I assume coyotes sneak up and touch the fence first--ouch!


This seems impossible to me, maybe you don't have as many coyotes as you think? We keep our sheep behind a 6 strand barbed wire fence (the most common fence for this area). Even if all 6 strands were hot, which none of ours are, the coyotes would figure that out quickly.
We live literally on the Red River and we are covered in coyotes (and bobcats, mountain lions, feral hogs, feral dogs, etc...). A 5 wire hot fence wouldn't even start to slow down any of these predators. We run 4 Anatolian/GP LGDs with our sheep, and have 2 more older puppies "in training" with them. If it weren't for those dogs we wouldn't have a single sheep left. 

Here's some food for thought for you. The river turned and cut through our property last year during heavy rains. About 60 acres of our land fell off into the river. Rather than rebuild a permanent fence on the river for our heifers, we put up a 2 strand electrified barbed wire fence. The bottom strand is pretty low. The fence tests at around 6300 volts, depending on the soil moisture. My German Shepherd slides underneath it all the time and has never been shocked. The 6300 volt barbed wire rubs right up against his back. It doesn't shock him through his thick hair. This tells me it likely doesn't shock coyotes either.

You need a backup for your fence (dogs), because a 5 wire hot fence alone isn't going to keep predators out for long.


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## EasilyConfused (Nov 16, 2014)

Coyotes in some areas of the country are dumber than others, I guess. I can back up Kasidy. We also have 5 wires, all of them hot, we are also in a very rural area, we have no dogs, and we hear coyotes practically every night. We haven't lost a lamb or a sheep to any predator.

Of course, my flock is about 1/10th the size of hers and we only have a few acres so everything is within sight of the house. That probably helps quite a bit.

Being in a very rural area probably helps too. Coyotes have a lot of room to roam where we live. They don't really need to mess around so close to houses.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

Coyotes killing sheep, and coyotes going through a fence are two separate things. Just because you have coyotes doesn't mean they are going to kill sheep. They might go several years without killing any, then eat them like chocolate. But rest assured, they can pop through a five strand fence like a rocket.


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## EasilyConfused (Nov 16, 2014)

barnbilder said:


> Coyotes killing sheep, and coyotes going through a fence are two separate things. Just because you have coyotes doesn't mean they are going to kill sheep. They might go several years without killing any, then eat them like chocolate. But rest assured, they can pop through a five strand fence like a rocket.


I'm not saying they can't get through my fence. I'm saying they don't, at least where I live. My sheep can also pop right through the fence if they want to -- electric fence is not a physical barrier. That doesn't mean I'm going to pay to build Fort Knox to keep them in and the coyotes out.

It's certainly possible that some coyotes eventually learn to go through my fence and get a sheep or two or three before I can trap or shoot them. I believe that's still going to be less costly than the ongoing expense of dogs or more fence. My current fence seems to be enough of a deterrent given that I've had it for years now and not lost a sheep.

People with bigger flocks, more acres, or smarter coyotes may make a different calculation.


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## barnbilder (Jul 1, 2005)

The main thing I dislike about high tensile, is that in the event of a coyote breach and stock losses, it is nearly impossible to do anything about it. With woven wire, there might as well be a neon billboard that says "set snare here, collect coyote in the morning". Very easy to target the problem coyotes without wasting time chasing all of the incidental coyotes. Usually, you can catch just one and take care of the problem, if it's the right one. Woven wire makes it easy.


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## alabamagal (Jun 12, 2016)

Our land has all hi-tensile and it works great for us. Our sheep have never escaped the land nor our dogs. We run just 5 strands and our fencing will knock the lights out of you. We had a ranch hand that works on our land, accidentally touch a line while weed eating and it knocked him on his knees. He called me and asked if he could take a break and explained what occurred. Not knowing, he also explained that he had heart palpitation and afterwards he has never had another palpitation. Ours is custom built for our land and is solar and I mean a big solar setup. My husband said that he would rather have bullets flying over his head than to touch the fence line.


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## ArmyDoc (May 13, 2007)

I have high tensile barbwire at 3 and 6 inches, first HT wire at 9 inches - this on is hot. Next is at ~14-15 inches, grounded, next is at 21 inches - Hot, then ~30 inches and the final at ~40 inches - again Hot.

So far so good. Used the two strands of barb to keep predators out and get the first hot wire high enough off the ground to keep it from being grounded out by high grass. Key to keeping sheep (or any animal) in is:
a) have enough feed inside the fence
b) have little of interest outside the fence.

They stay where the food is, and move to it when there is more outside than in, pretty much no matter what fence you have. I've seen them jump a good 35 inches with no effort. (just running around and being fools, and having another cut in front of them - boing! up they go.) I have no doubt they could clear our fence if they were motivated enough.


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## alabamagal (Jun 12, 2016)

Yes, and in fact we have White Dorper Sheep and we run 5 strands of Hi Tensile Electric. We never have them escaping or wanting to escape. Our Kangals also NEVER try to go near the fence. As our fence is so HOT that it will knock you to your knees.


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## Blueridgeviews (May 3, 2015)

Thanks everyone for the good feedback!


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