I have a neighbor who has gotten into the sheep business. He has about 50 females and many of them now have kids. His farm is located across a gravel road, so there is no mutually maintained division fence between us. My fence is a five strand barbwire fence and it is only four years old. It is more than adequate to keep my cattle in. The neighbor's fence is 50 to 70 years old and it was not maintained well enough by the neighbor or by his father to keep their cattle in for most of the time we have been neighbors. Over the years their cattle have openly grazed the roadside, walked into my driveway, through open gates into my hayfield and row crop fields, etc. But usually it was only a few animals and it was an intermittent occurrence. The sheep are another matter entirely. The current neighbor is trying to use a single strand hotwire to supplement the old dilapidated fence, but the sheep just jump through it and keep it grounded out. They can run under my barbwire fence into my pasture with ease. They are literally free range grazing the roadside grass and my grass. It has become almost a daily chore to find the guy and ask him to come get his sheep out of my pasture and hayfields. Sometimes several times per day. We live two miles away and I can't spend all my time driving up there to check on things. Does anyone on here know anything short of shooting the sheep that would prevent this invasion. Talking repeatedly to the neighbor has done no good. His apologies are wearing thin.
Have a Sheep Problem
- Thread starter NWMoAngus
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J&D Cattle
Well-known member
That sucks. I'd call the Sheriff every time they are out. Since they are in a roadway I would think they would show up. I'd probably let my temper get the best of me and make some threats. May not be the smartest thing but I couldn't keep my mouth shut.
Send him an invoice for the pasture they are using. Know any attorney's that would send a letter without charging you? Just some thoughts, good luck!
Send him an invoice for the pasture they are using. Know any attorney's that would send a letter without charging you? Just some thoughts, good luck!
skyhightree1
Well-known member
I would call animal control if you have it wherever you are located. They will issue summons if it becomes a habitual call and then I would pay a lawyer to send a certified letter that you will be invoicing him for grazing. I also would S.S.S. because until it starts hitting people in their pockets most don't care the problems it causes for someone else.
branguscowgirl
Well-known member
x2 agree. I might add that sheep will annihilate your grass and hay (I have witnessed) much worse than cattle.skyhightree1":ubeeww0f said:
It is always best to hold your temper......Animal control will eventually seize the animals.
crimsoncrazy
Well-known member
Got any dogs that can run them a few miles down the road?
Have you got anyone in the area that trains border collies? They would LOVE to come out and spend the day "putting up" his wayward sheep.
If the sheep think dogs live over there they will quit coming your way for awhile, then you can invite your herding friends out again
If the sheep think dogs live over there they will quit coming your way for awhile, then you can invite your herding friends out again
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
crimsoncrazy":2khsr72w said:
I love low cost creative approaches. :lol2:
pricefarm
Well-known member
Iam a pretty easy going person and go out of my way to help people out but after a while enough is enough and it sounds like you have put up with enough. I would tell your neighbor that the next sheep that was on your property you was going to shoot or load up and sell at the market! I bet he wouldn't like if your cows got out everyday in his field
Invite your neighbor over for a cookout some evening. Tell him you're going to grill out and insist he bring a nice bottle of Chianti. Pickup a good Lamb rib roast and have it grilling nicely when he gets there. Laugh about his sheep getting into your pastures - tell him it use to bother you but heck it's not really that bad after all. You really love this roast. Beg off if he asks where you got the roast. What's it matter? It is good isn't it? Keep him there, no matter how badly he wants to call it an evening and go home to count sheep, the evening is young, just started and you two have......
Deepsouth
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Dega Moo":14qvzpja said:
Now that's creative thinking.
Nesikep
Well-known member
Dega Moo, Good one!
If you're going to SSS, then do it all that way and don't involve animal control, or call animal control every time they come and let them deal with it... I would advise against doing both!
Now that the sheep know where the eatin's better, good luck keeping them out! Perhaps charging the 2nd wire with some killer electric fencer? You'd probably have to bait it with apples or something to get them to touch it with their noses.. Of course you know your cows are going to try it first!
If you're going to SSS, then do it all that way and don't involve animal control, or call animal control every time they come and let them deal with it... I would advise against doing both!
Now that the sheep know where the eatin's better, good luck keeping them out! Perhaps charging the 2nd wire with some killer electric fencer? You'd probably have to bait it with apples or something to get them to touch it with their noses.. Of course you know your cows are going to try it first!
Richardin52
Well-known member
Put one or two strands of high tinsal fence up below you barbed wire, hook it to a minimum 7 kv charger that has at least three ground rods and you will stop all your problems and don't worry about it.
Bez__
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You do not have a sheep problem - you have a neighbour problem.
Cannot blame the animals for wanting to make a living - it is what animals do.
But I can blame the neighbur for not fencing, not feeding or perhaps both.
Bez__
Cannot blame the animals for wanting to make a living - it is what animals do.
But I can blame the neighbur for not fencing, not feeding or perhaps both.
Bez__
D2Cat
Well-known member
What ever else you do, call the sheriff each time the animals are in the road or on your property. They'll have a record of all the calls. When someone hits one with their vehicle and it's reported to the sheriff they will then have a history of his fencing problems. His liability becomes much greater.
Contact the sheriff and confirm his responsibility (which also let's them know it's been a problem and you're at the end of your rope). Then tell your neighbor your plan. Then do it!
Contact the sheriff and confirm his responsibility (which also let's them know it's been a problem and you're at the end of your rope). Then tell your neighbor your plan. Then do it!
cow pollinater
Well-known member
:nod: An send him a bill for at least half.Richardin52":229q8emd said:
Nesikep
Well-known member
Bez__":ufx9vp52 said:
Hence the saying I've heard "Good fences make good neighbours", and it does bear a lot of truth
Dave
Well-known member
The real solution would be to import coyotes. As they say "eat lamb, 10 million coyotes can't be wrong."
stAteRedWolf
Member
For every 5 sheep you find on your place, kill 1 (free meat)! :2cents: Eventually the sheep will have gone "missing" and your neighbor will have to either get out of the sheep business or fix his fence.
greybeard
Well-known member
He77 NO! Not unless NMMo's county has an open range type stock law. Once he starts, there will be no end to it--the neighbor will take advantage of everything cowman does and expect more an more.. NWMoAngus already has a good fence. Why should he have to build another or further improve the existing one because his neighbor won't? NWMA has already gone further than I would have as is--enough is enough. Sheep guy needs to keep his pasture maggots contained.cow pollinater":2xjpji3v said:
