Sheep Fence: Mobile and Fixed Fencing That Holds Your Flock

Sheep Fence: Fencing Built for Thick Fleece

Fencing sheep is a job of its own. A dense, greasy fleece insulates well, so a line that holds cattle or horses may go completely unnoticed by a ewe. A proper sheep fence therefore relies on good conductivity, close spacing near the ground and a powerful pulse. Get that right and the flock learns to respect the boundary within days, which protects your grass and your neighbours' as well.

Netting, Energisers and Hurdles

For rotational grazing, electric netting is hard to beat: you roll it out, set the posts and move the flock onto fresh grass in minutes. The pulse has to come from an energiser strong enough for wool and for the vegetation load along the line, so match the unit to the length of fence you run and to how much growth it has to cope with. Where you need a solid, non-electric barrier, hurdles pen animals for shearing, sorting or treatment and stand up to pushing without any power at all. Posts pushed in with a foot plate stay upright even on light, dry ground.

Setting Up and Checking the Line

A fence only works if the current gets through. Keep the bottom of the line clear of tall grass, because green growth drains the pulse away, and set enough earth stakes in moist ground for a good return path. Walk the fence on your daily round, look for wires lying on the netting or a post pulled over, and use a fence tester to check the voltage instead of guessing. Switch the energiser off before you work on the line, and mark the gate handle so nobody reaches for a live strand. Train new stock on a short, well-charged stretch first, and they will respect the line everywhere else.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do sheep need a special fence?
Wool is a good insulator, so an ordinary electric fence often makes no impression at all. Sheep fencing uses highly conductive strands and tight spacing low down so the pulse reaches the animal.

Is an electric fence harmful to sheep?
No. The pulse is short and unpleasant rather than damaging, and it teaches the flock to keep clear of the line. Set the fence up properly, keep it clean and check the voltage regularly.

Netting or hurdles: which should I choose?
Netting suits moving the flock around your grazing, hurdles suit penning in the yard or the shed. Many farms use both, and a complete set is a simple way to get started with electric fencing.