FENCING TIP OF THE MONTH
Sponsored Content by Gallagher Animal Management Systems
Controlled grazing, intensive grazing, rotation grazing, managed grazing or managed intensive grazing…
Some say it originated more than 200 years ago, others say it’s barely 30 years old. Only one indisputable fact reamins… it isn’t possible without electric fencing.
Althought it’s essential, it isn’t complicated. When a permeter fence is already in place and still effective, it’s possible to get all the electric fence components you need for a few hundred dollars.
Temporary fencing can also be used in feedlots to prevent damage to plant life by controlling livestock.
The purchase should include a portable reel for easy handling of the wire, treadin posts, volt meter, solar-powered energizer with battery, and sufficient length of polywire or polytape. Because of it’s greater visability, polytape is preferred in some application.
Cattle can easily be contained with a single strand of electric polytape or polywire for controlled grazing.
The polytape/polywire should be run at the height of a cow’s head and in a cow/calf operation, a second strand is necessary at the height of the calf’s head.
It is essential that the cattle be “trained” to the electric fence before the rotating from paddock-to-paddock begins. This can be done by installing a short section of electric fence, a single hot wire is sufficient, near the water source.
