joe frescoln

R wannabe wrote:

Had the same problem. I ended up supplementing the wire with three rows of barbless, electrified. The existing barbed is grounded directly to the charger (NOT the top wire, it is grounded separately for lightning suppression). One wire installed below the bottom barbed and then between the next two sets.

You can't use regular electric wire, it will stretch and wrap around the barbed rows--grounding out the whole thing. It has to be tensioned as tight as the barbed wire, not quite high tension but as close as you can get without snapping wire or pulling posts. You want that bottom wire as low as your charger can manage. Also use ceramic insulators if you have any possibility of fire or prescribed burns.

Thanks for the reply R.W.

I have metal "T" posts for 95% of the property. Would you recommend short insulator or the longer insulator ?

Thanks for the input Dan.

Yes, I think I agree. I will be using electrified high tension wire for any fence that I will be installing.

However my dilemma is that I currently have over 5 miles of 5 strand barbed wire already installed on the farm I bought. I'm researching options as to how to make this ranch manageable for goats.

I'm hoping to find someone with practical first hand experience who has tried multi-strand barbed wire or a hybrid system that has used or is currently using, before I decide to rip out 5+ miles of 5 strand barbed wire.

Thanks for the help Dale.

Leah,

Hello, I currently own some cattle and a few hundred acres in Southern Missouri, and I'm considering adding some goats. Right now I have 5 strands of barbed wire for the perimeter fence, and I'm weighing my fencing options.

I was wondering how it went for you by adding more strands of barbed wire to your fence, in an effort of keeping the goats contained. Any insights to share 2 years later?

Thanks for your time.