I see where everyone says not to electrify barbwire, but are they talking the actual wires, or are they talking about putting smooth electric in addition to barbwire? I was planning to put up a 6 wire barbwire and then put a couple of hot wires offset to keep goats in a pasture that is overgrown. Has anyone tried this. I don't want to do a total electric. And I hate to spend the extra money on woven goat fence. Any suggestions?
Electric and barbwire
- Thread starter DustyH
- Start date
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DustyH, If you have a recent Tractor Supply Catalog, (mailbox on front cover) look in the front and it breaks down the cost of barbed wire vs high tensile wire. I didn't realize
On the barbed wire, it was made to stick the livestock to keep them off of the wire. The electrical shock they get from the smooth wire will keep them off.
Barbed wire is difficult to work with. It hangs on everything including you.
Chuckie
On the barbed wire, it was made to stick the livestock to keep them off of the wire. The electrical shock they get from the smooth wire will keep them off.
Barbed wire is difficult to work with. It hangs on everything including you.
Chuckie
kjones
Well-known member
I have seen that done with barbed wire as well as field fencing. Go ahead and try it.
You can put all of them barbed if you feel the goats won't respect the elcctricity. The goats I have had before didn't want any part of the electric fence. They seem to be a lot weaker when it comes to pain than a cow.
The barbed wire is more expensive, mostly if you run a lot of it. Unless I already had the rolls of barbed wire, I personally would go smooth high tensile. Seems if you drop the bottom wire low enough, keep the fence line sprayed, then the goats will choose to stay on that side.
In the TSC catalog, it says a permanent high tensile fence can last 25-40 years.
It says a barbed wire fence can last 7-12 years.
If you ground your electric fence correctly, pigs won't think about going through it.
Chuckie
The barbed wire is more expensive, mostly if you run a lot of it. Unless I already had the rolls of barbed wire, I personally would go smooth high tensile. Seems if you drop the bottom wire low enough, keep the fence line sprayed, then the goats will choose to stay on that side.
In the TSC catalog, it says a permanent high tensile fence can last 25-40 years.
It says a barbed wire fence can last 7-12 years.
If you ground your electric fence correctly, pigs won't think about going through it.
Chuckie
GANGGREEN
Well-known member
I'm new on the board but have a follow up question. I've seen numerous posts here suggesting that barbed wire is more expensive than high tensile but I've gotten a few bids for high tensile and for barbed wire and the bids for high tensile were considerably higher. Is it because of the rising cost of high tensile steel or something else?
If my bids were coming in the same or if the barbed wire bids were higher, it'd be a no-brainer for me to pick the high tensile but considering the fact that I could save about 40% by going with barbed wire, I'm actually considering going that route.
If my bids were coming in the same or if the barbed wire bids were higher, it'd be a no-brainer for me to pick the high tensile but considering the fact that I could save about 40% by going with barbed wire, I'm actually considering going that route.
Ganggreen, It may be the gauge of the wires that can make a difference. On barbed they have 4 and 2 point wires. Then a 15.5, and a 12.5 The high tensile wire, 12.5 can be stretched and poles put much, much further apart than you can for barbed wire. Now that the steel is going out the roof on prices, more poles can take a bite out of the fencing budget.
A high tensile wire is less likely to get damaged since it has more of a spring back if deer get into it or a jumping cow.
We have gone to high tensile 3 strand wire electric fences. We have not had any damage with the deer going over it. There was an old fence that had barbed wire, and if we try stretching it very much it becomes brittle and breaks, and after time, the barbs hang on insulators or staples as you pull, mostly since the poles are much closer together. When we get time, we will eventually replace it all with high tensile. The high tensile is much more maintainance free.
I am learning my lesson on the chargers. Buy a good one and make sure you put lightning arrestors in to keep it from blowing your box.
Chuckie
A high tensile wire is less likely to get damaged since it has more of a spring back if deer get into it or a jumping cow.
We have gone to high tensile 3 strand wire electric fences. We have not had any damage with the deer going over it. There was an old fence that had barbed wire, and if we try stretching it very much it becomes brittle and breaks, and after time, the barbs hang on insulators or staples as you pull, mostly since the poles are much closer together. When we get time, we will eventually replace it all with high tensile. The high tensile is much more maintainance free.
I am learning my lesson on the chargers. Buy a good one and make sure you put lightning arrestors in to keep it from blowing your box.
Chuckie
GANGGREEN
Well-known member
Thanks for the info on the pricing issues folks. For what it's worth, I won't have tree branches to deal with where I'm at but I will have to use a solar charger, no electric over there.
When using a solar, get a good one, use a marine deep cycle battery and use plenty of ground rods. We ran for a number of years off of a solar. During the winter every 2 weeks or so we had to bring the battery in and charge it. With any charger, get a tester/meter that reads in volts and doesn;t just light up lights
dun
dun
GANGGREEN
Well-known member
Thanks for the advice dun, I'll do as you advise.
tennessean
Member
if you decide to do the electric on top of the barb wire make sure you get aluminum wire not steel wire. i get much better results with the aluminum. i think my goats would agree it has a much better shock.
