We use four strands of barb wire for pasture and perimeter.
If we see an animal that likes lean over or push through to get that "greener" grass that always seems to be on the other side, we just drag out my handy dandy portable electric fencer. It has a photosensitive sensor that slows down the number of pulses when it's dark (which is great because the trouble makers are bedded down at that time and it saves on the charge in the battery). I've got a marine battery that I hook up to it, and boy o boy, one touch of that hot barbed wire is all it takes to educate cows, calves and even the bulls. Gotta love it. Heh heh.
Of course, if you don't pound in a ground rod, there's always the option of using one of the other wires as a ground.
Better than fixing fence anyday. Also works great on bull pens. Run a single strand of barbed wire around the perimeter, heat it up, and see how quickly they learn NOT to fight through the fence.
Tried both woven and high tensile electric wire and just had too many hellish messes from the moose and elk busting through it and tangling it up in the bush. No thanks. Too much cussing and maintenance involved.
Anyway, that's just how the cookie crumbles up here. Nice to hear what everyone else uses.
Take care.
