tensegritive fence structure for sheep?

Beginner question here, I do not have sheep yet but will someday.  

I love tensegrity structures (compression spacers suspended in tensional elements, for example a suspension bridge) and I doubt I'll have as much extra wood on my land as there is in Montana (to make junkpole fencing).  But I thought about tensegrity structures, how you can get more strength from less material, and wondered if there's any way to do this.

Then I thought, What about replacing the whole fence with a tension structure--a leash with a halter?

This could possibly be hurtful to sheep, I suppose, does anyone know?  but it's less impact on everybody else (wild animals that want to cross the land and run into fencing).

There's also the problem of tangling of leashes.

But it would be easier to move them to a new area for rotational grazing.

On the other hand, will a shepherd dog already manage that? if that's so, how come so much of New England is previously over-grazed land from back in the wool rush of the 1800's, and still not recovered?

The electric option looks cruel.  Pallet fences--hard to move around, so it would have to be permanent paddocks.  I have made a pallet structure from pallets plus twine, it's a nice option but is mostly a compression structure of course.  Barbed wire is even worse than electric, I think.

Has leashing been done? are there tensegrity designs for fencing that work?  (web search didn't turn up anything meaningful).

Thanks folks!

https://permies.com/t/8617/fence-pallets

Score one for the "similar threads"!  What amazing designs for fences.


I love the zig-zig-straight-zag-zag-straight pattern fence idea.  

Also, hedge fences, though of course that takes a longer time to grow in.  But in the meantime the pallets can be rotting out and then when they're done you're just left with mature-enough willows and stuff (3-5 years pallet fence life in New England? maybe it needs replacing one time?)

OK, next crazy idea, a big circle of fence around the whole pasture, and rotating V-shaped fence from the center of the pasture to the circumference, with wheels to make it easier to move.  It could be wood, heavy, clunky, but just enough moveability with its wheels that it can be moved.  Maybe the sheep would push it around, so there could be a way to lock it after it's moved.  It can get moved daily for the ideal rotation schedule.  The water and shelter can be in the center, with gates around it that you open when the fence is on that side of things--one gate for each paddock.

It could work only on relatively planar slope or flat land.  The wheels could bump up and down over irregularities, and the fence could be hinged.

I'm envisioning this just for a small flock for milk for home use.


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Maybe just four thick ropes and a stake, no wheels.

I just saw the  "soiling" method recommended for sheep instead of mob grazing, I'll need to learn more.

Leashes are inherently dangerous for the sheep. Compared to an electric fence, imo, the leash is a more cruel and dangerous option. The sheep learn, rather quickly, not to touch the fence. The fence discourages potential predators, while the leash makes an offering to the predators.

I suggest that you look into hurdles, the traditional British Isles solution to containing sheep in movable paddocks.

It really isn't necessary to reinvent the wheel :) Humans have been working with sheep for thousands of years. There's probably a solution out there that suits you.

Thanks Peter.  I'll look up the hurdles.  i also want to try to invent a better wheel, just in case beginner's luck finds solutions that are sitting in plain view.

How do shepherd dogs instincts or training work? can one be trained to simply guard the sheep for a period of time and let them graze? youtube videos only show them moving sheep from one place to another.

Are the traditional movable paddocks for a similar schedule to rotational mob grazing or are they more like the extractive grazing?

Thanks.

Joshua Myrvaagnes wrote:Thanks Peter.  I'll look up the hurdles.  i also want to try to invent a better wheel, just in case beginner's luck finds solutions that are sitting in plain view.

How do shepherd dogs instincts or training work? can one be trained to simply guard the sheep for a period of time and let them graze? youtube videos only show them moving sheep from one place to another.

Are the traditional movable paddocks for a similar schedule to rotational mob grazing or are they more like the extractive grazing?

Thanks.

The hurdles are for whatever sort of rotation a farmer chose to use. Shepherds are for moving sheep. Livestock guardian dogs are for guarding them. And no, the roles don't overlap, there's no dog that really can do both jobs.

Good luck on the better wheel.