Tips for building using HT electric?

[jhambley]

Does the group have any tips on building inexpensive gates using HT electric?

Also, how many wires does it take to keep cattle out of ponds and trees?

JH

 

[dun]

All of our HT is a single strand 28-32 inches high. For gates w use a single strand of HT with a gate handle at the charger end. That way the gate serves as a switch and won;t arc when it's laying on the ground with the gate open. If it's in a place that the gate will normally be open and you want power past it all the time, I bury a double insulated wire and hook the hit wire to it. The gate then is insulated at the end away from the handle. Not very good as explaining it easier to show it in about 5 seconds.
We use the same setup around ponds.

 

[pdfangus]

I prefer two wires but it is not going to turn young calves.

for boundary fence you want at least six strands and preferably eight but not all need to be energized.

I also like to take my power jumps over gates overhead rather than under ground. Over time I always end up with shorts when i bury them. I have buried double insulated wire even in pvc pipe and still get a clicking in the ground.

I take two ten foot sections of 2 inch schedule 80 pvc and jump power overhead. secure the pipes to the post and you can pull the wire tigth and connect. I just don't do it in a place where I might have to take a round bale thru with the tractor.

 

[ENNOT]

We run lost of cattle on 1 to 2 strands of wire for our boundary fence,even along roads. Calves stay in and as long as there is grass, so will the cows.

6 to 8 strands is overkill.

 

[pdfangus]

Well I had a farmer in my office yesterday who had a calf who got out of a woven wire fence.

The calf was struck by an automobile in the county road.

he could not even find a hole where the calf got out of the fence.

that did not prevent him from getting a summons for having animals running at large. had someone been killed he could have been charged with manslaughter. fortunately the only injureis to humans were slight. The calf unfortunatley subcumed to the trauma as did the automobile.

I would never advise anyone to have that much exposure and be able to sleep at night.

I have a lot of two strand electric fence but none of it is along the highway.

 

[Brute 23]

No less than 5 barbed wires along roads. Couldn't live with myself if a teen or any one for that matter was killed by one of my livestock just to save a few $$. :shock:

I use 1 strand of hot wire to fence of hay fields as I rotate. But it depends on your cattle. If I start having to put up more than 2 wires they get shipped... ;-)