Paddock Design

[Jake]

Have a new place we are going to need to cross fence. Currently two paddocks 151 acres and 125 acres. This is my plan for the moment until we can get additional ponds built. Eventually would like to get it into 40 acre paddocks. In this design the north two paddocks are 75 and 76 acres. Going to leave the south 125 in one paddock until we can get water and trees under control. It is extremely over grazed at the moment and needs some TLC and burning to get it back under control. Who can see a better plan than what I have?

 

[dun]

For starters I would put a fenced water point where the 3 meet. An access to the water point for each pasture. We had a deal like that and I set it up like a pie using polywire to break each of the larger areas into multiple smaller ones. Had it set up so the cows could always enter through whichever water point opening corresponded to the main pasture.

 

[Jake]

For starters I would put a fenced water point where the 3 meet. An access to the water point for each pasture. We had a deal like that and I set it up like a pie using polywire to break each of the larger areas into multiple smaller ones. Had it set up so the cows could always enter through whichever water point opening corresponded to the main pasture.

Here would by my end goal. In our area what it cost for a well, pump, tank and pipe I can build a ton of ponds; so getting more intricate water systems is tough to sell to the rest of the family.

Guess I should have added the terrain is pretty steep so the fence layout is somewhat along path of least resistance.

 

[dun]

I realize that I'm the oddball, but we water from a couple of ponds by using the concrete/buried freeze proff waterers.

 

[Jake]

I realize that I'm the oddball, but we water from a couple of ponds by using the concrete/buried freeze proff waterers.

Some day the gov will make us do that I just have a hard time justifying the cost today for $1000 I can have the pond built and let the cows have it.

 

[dun]

Maybe I'm the only one but I've rescued too many cows from ponds and seen too many drowned calves.

 

[Ebenezer]

If terrain is steep there should be the option to gravity flow water from ponds to troughs. That would be my choice. And I would consider fences on the contour if possible with a overlay of soil types to help decide breaks. We have not had great success with watering from ponds and better pasture utilization and increase in performance with troughs. Even sized paddocks/pastures are not an option or a consideration as I can handle that easily with different lengths of grazing during the rotation.

 

[1wlimo]

Follow Dun's advice and use polly wire to at least start. Reduces the costs the first year, but allows you change easy. Tread in posts are much easier to move than wooden or t-posts.

You could then also jump to running more areas buy moving your fence without the increased purchase cost.