Fencing full of Brush, etc.

[south0085]

I have about 6 acres that I need to put some cows on. I just have a small hobby farm in Kentucky. Most of the lot has barb wire. Not the best in some places. But it other places, pretty good. No hot wires anywhere on it. I plan to fix the bad spots and leave the rest. In a perfect world, I would add one or two electric wires.

The problem is: it's ALL grown up with weeds, briars, trees, etc. Really badly.

I don't have the money to hire someone to come and clean it out for me. I don't really have the time to do it myself. I work another job full-time. What are my options?

Is the "pretty-good" fence that's already there, PLUS the brush that's grown up in it....enough to keep the cows contained? It's grown up really bad. A cow would have to run with all it's might to get past all of the brush. haha. I'm just new to this and didn't know if I still needed to redo the fence, or what. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[M-5]

bush ax and some loppers to get in the spots where it needs repair , put a board on the tree to nail wire to and turn the cows loose . doesnt have to be pretty just has to work.

 

[sstterry]

If it is difficult for them to get through it, they will stay as long as they have plenty to eat and drink (not speaking of bulls here).

 

[TCRanch]

Agree with M-5 & sstterry. Another option is to wire some cattle panels across the bad spots & use fence stays where it sags. Unless your cows are wild &/or jumpers they should stay. I'd suggest giving them cubes or grain in addition to hay or whatever forage they have - at least initially, until they get to know you & look forward to seeing you (with goodies).

 

[Workinonit Farm]

If it were me, from what you've described, I'd do as stated by the others. I'd shore-up any & all bad spots and then let them have at it. They'll eat and stomp down a lot of the brush/weeds etc. As TC said, as long as they aren't wild & flighty cows, they ought to be alright.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

When I first bought this place..my fences were pretty much just hedge rows...sprayed em all and killed em out.. Problem was they were the only thing holding the 50 year old barbwire ,, that and cedar posts that were down to the heart...

 

[Logar]

I do it all with a chainsaw - even the weeds - you get pretty good at sweeping with the chainsaw. Then hit the whole thing with RoundUp.

You might be busy but if you use all the weekends you can get in done in no time.

Cheers.

 

[JW IN VA]

Clear a path along he inside of the fence.Dad always said if you keep a path for them to walk,in they are more likely to use the path than to look elsewhere If you are still not sure about the fence holding,run a single strand of electric at the side of the path next to the fence about 28" high and hooked to a good 12 Volt DC or an AC charger.If that doesn't hold,you probably don't have enough grass or have cattle you don't want.
If it is all grown up in briars,you may have to bush hog this year and put cattle in next year.Some pics of the field would help.
I have 10 or twelve acres of overgrown grass and weeds I'm getting ready to turn 10 cows in on for a short while to eat what they can of the grass then bush hog it and let it regrow for late grazing.Fence on one side like you are talking about.On the far side that is open,I'm running a 9 polywire strand at about 30" hooked to a ParMak 12V Solar.They shouldn't get out b
ut,if they do,they are still on my place.

 

[ddd75]

place 2 hot wires more into your property in front of the brush. re fence the whole thing. when you have time.. clear the fence line.

 

[Lucky]

You can spray the fence rows with a brush killer a couple years in a row and most of the stuff will rot away. If you are wanting to clean it up faster I'd wait till winter and use loppers and a chainsaw.

 

[greybeard]

I don't and won't, but lots of people around here just let it grow up, especially all that tangled yaupon, but then, a storm comes in, blows down trees and you have to get in there and chop your way in to even find the fence to repair it because the tree trunk has opened up a path thru the crap for cows to get thru, and even if no tree falls, if there is just one little hole, they'll find it some dark cold rainy night.

Screw them &**T$##&* lopers....A good weedeater with a brush blade on it and a chain saw for the bigger stuff. Then roundup the crap out of it.

by ddd75 » Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:58 am
re fence the whole thing. when you have time.. clear the fence line.

He// yeah! We aren't talking about 300 acres here.

 

[ddd75]

I don't and won't, but lots of people around here just let it grow up, especially all that tangled yaupon, but then, a storm comes in, blows down trees and you have to get in there and chop your way in to even find the fence to repair it because the tree trunk has opened up a path thru the crap for cows to get thru, and even if no tree falls, if there is just one little hole, they'll find it some dark cold rainy night.

Screw them &**T$##&* lopers....A good weedeater with a brush blade on it and a chain saw for the bigger stuff. Then roundup the crap out of it.

by ddd75 » Sat Jul 28, 2018 5:58 am
re fence the whole thing. when you have time.. clear the fence line.

He// yeah! We aren't talking about 300 acres here.

i have 3 strands (2 hot) going around my place about 150' in so I can clear the brush/ trees and build a nice fence. I just hay the sides right now.

 

[bball]

In this place in time, I wouldn't dare put cows in a place without a continuous fence. You'd be amazed at what a cow will walk/push through(vegetation wise). Spray the overgrown fencelines with a mix of crossbow and roundup. Wait a week. Go back with a spool of barbed wire, fence posts, and your brand new blue gripple bag that your ordered from farm fence solutions and start making the repairs. Cattle are infinitely more enjoyable when you have decent fence. :2cents:

 

[snoopdog]

Fix the fence, that's part of it. After work or on the weekend , if there is a hole , a cow will find it .

 

[Caustic Burno]

In this place in time, I wouldn't dare put cows in a place without a continuous fence. You'd be amazed at what a cow will walk/push through(vegetation wise). Spray the overgrown fencelines with a mix of crossbow and roundup. Wait a week. Go back with a spool of barbed wire, fence posts, and your brand new blue gripple bag that your ordered from farm fence solutions and start making the repairs. Cattle are infinitely more enjoyable when you have decent fence. :2cents:

The fence described along with some of the repairs are loose the farm fence here.

 

[bball]

In this place in time, I wouldn't dare put cows in a place without a continuous fence. You'd be amazed at what a cow will walk/push through(vegetation wise). Spray the overgrown fencelines with a mix of crossbow and roundup. Wait a week. Go back with a spool of barbed wire, fence posts, and your brand new blue gripple bag that your ordered from farm fence solutions and start making the repairs. Cattle are infinitely more enjoyable when you have decent fence. :2cents:

The fence described along with some of the repairs are loose the farm fence here.

Not sure i follow CB. If i understood the OP, he isnt 100% sure the condition of the fence because its all grown up. May have some repairs to make and tighten things up. Gripples will do nicely in his situation i imagine.

 

[Caustic Burno]

In this place in time, I wouldn't dare put cows in a place without a continuous fence. You'd be amazed at what a cow will walk/push through(vegetation wise). Spray the overgrown fencelines with a mix of crossbow and roundup. Wait a week. Go back with a spool of barbed wire, fence posts, and your brand new blue gripple bag that your ordered from farm fence solutions and start making the repairs. Cattle are infinitely more enjoyable when you have decent fence. :2cents:

The fence described along with some of the repairs are loose the farm fence here.

Not sure i follow CB. If i understood the OP, he isnt 100% sure the condition of the fence because its all grown up. May have some repairs to make and tighten things up. Gripples will do nicely in his situation i imagine.

Got a newbie down the road sounds just like the original trying to get by on the cheap. Cheap fences is a quick way to loose the farm.

 

[M-5]

Get in the real world, everybody don't have a mountain of cash buried in back yard to fix or buy new every time something needs doin. You will Loose the dam farm trying to impress the neighbors too.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Get in the real world, everybody don't have a mountain of cash buried in back yard to fix or buy new every time something needs doin. You will Loose the dam farm trying to impress the neighbors too.

You lose it quicker with pee poor fences. Has nothing to do with impression till your in front of a jury.
One word will get you every time in Texas is knowingly. If you know the Fence is substandard or should have known open up the liability checkbook.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Lose.