|
jdemaris
09-09-2006 05:18:51
|
|
Re: goat fences in reply to spitz, 09-08-2006 09:30:11
|
|
| |
In my experience, it all depends on the goat breed - and even then - there are always are few that are a bit more "creative" about escape than others. I raised Tennessee Fainting Goats for 20 years, but have also had some Nubians, Alpines, Spanish Meat (scrub) goats, and later - Boer crosses. I did well enough with with five-strand, high-power electric fence (three hot, two ground). But, with that being said - any time that fence was out, they knew it - almost immediately. Then, there is the issue of kids - that are small, charge through the fence, and then get stuck on the outside. Once the other goats see that, they get bolder and spend much of their time trying to follow. And - also - the bucks in rut. If you have bucks - good luck. A buck in the mood for a date with a female cares little about electric fence. And, the Tennesse Fainting Goats often go into a rut twice a year. I had one buck that got a hot-fence wire stuck in his mouth - and I have no idea how long he was stuck. When I first found him, I though he was dead - and I got zapped just trying to drag him off until I turned the fence off. He did recover though - but he always seemed a bit demented after that. In fact, he later became a kid-killer, and in-turn, we killed him. Ultimately, I gave up. With new goat-sale regulations in New York State involving health certification - even for auction meat-goats, it wasn't worth it. And, even with 50 acres of fenced goat-land, they always want to go somewhere new - usually some city-person's manicured lawn or dwarf apple orchard somewhere. I had the County Sheriff called on me several times - involving travelling goats and also my chickens. In most of New York - chickens still have "free range" status. They can go roam around City Hall if they choose and it's legal. But goats? No, free range ended around 1820. And, they'll ruin a fruit tree by debarking in record time.
|
|
|
