Sheep and goats are among the animals that are harder to control on pasture, which means a standard fence that works well for cattle is often not reliable enough for them. Choosing the right energizer, wire or sheep and goat netting, and the right voltage on the fence, is therefore essential if you want the animals to stay where they should.
Why sheep and goats need a more capable fence
The type of animal plays an important role in choosing pasture fence equipment. For animals that are harder to control, such as wild animals, sheep, goats and poultry, more powerful units are needed. For easier-to-control animals, such as cattle, horses or pigs, a lower-power unit can be used for the same fence length.
An energizer's power is mainly determined by its impulse energy, measured in joules. Units with low impulse energy, under 0.5 J, suit easy-to-control animals and short fences with no undergrowth. Units with medium energy, 1 to 5 J, suit heavier pasture animals and fences with normal undergrowth, while high-energy units, over 5 J, are meant for long fences with heavy undergrowth. Technology that maintains a strong impulse all the way to the end of the fence ensures consistent performance even in demanding conditions.
The voltage that matters: under load
Besides impulse energy, the decisive factor is the fence voltage under load, not the unit's open-circuit voltage. Under the VDE standard, a protective fence must reach a minimum of 2000 volts even under load, while in practice a voltage between 3000 and 4000 volts is recommended. It is precisely under load, for example when grass or undergrowth touches the wire, that it becomes clear whether a unit holds its voltage or not.
Power source for the energizer
Several power sources are available for pasture energizers: 230-volt AC mains, 12-volt DC from a battery, the same battery combined with a solar panel, or a 9-volt dry battery. Plugging into mains is the cheapest and simplest option where available. Where no mains power is available, the next best choice is a battery supplemented with a solar panel, especially from spring through autumn. Dry batteries are the most expensive and weakest option in terms of power, though their advantage is simple use with no recharging.
Permanent fencing: wire and posts
For a permanent fence for sheep and goats, solid posts are used at corners and where direction changes, with wire along the straight sections; various types of line posts are available, such as hardwood posts, T-posts, cross posts or Robin posts. Recommended dimensions differ by animal type:
- sheep: installation height 0.90 to 1.05 m, 4 to 5 wires,
- goats: total height 1.05 to 1.20 m, 4 to 6 wires,
- for comparison, cattle need only 2 to 3 wires at the same installation height.
The greater number of wires and greater total height for sheep and goats is not a coincidence, it reflects the fact that these animals are harder to contain with just one or two wires.
Mobile fencing for quick relocation
Where pastures are rotated, or the fence needs to be moved often, a mobile fence makes sense. The system is designed so that one person can set up a fence for one hectare in about half an hour, since all parts are built for fast assembly and disassembly. A mobile fence for sheep and goats has a total height of around 0.90 m and 3 to 4 wires, and the system's components include wire, connecting cables, wire-winding reels, spring or plastic posts, and corner pulleys.
Electric netting: a practical solution for small livestock
For sheep and goats, electric netting is often the more practical choice, since it provides a reliable barrier without needing several rows of wire. High-quality netting combines copper wire for conductivity with alloy steel wire for durability, giving a long service life together with high conductivity even over longer distances. For hilly or uneven terrain, versions with rigid vertical strands are available, which prevent the netting from sagging.
Where grounding conditions are poor, netting with a built-in grounding conductor in the bottom row is available, which also stops rodents from damaging the live bottom row. An alternative is plus-minus netting, where strands are alternately connected to the fence and grounding terminals, so the animal has to touch two strands at once to feel a shock, which works even with poor natural ground conditions.
What to check before buying
- What is the length of the fence, and how much undergrowth will load it?
- Do you have mains power available, or do you need a battery or solar panel?
- Is this a permanent installation, or will you be moving the fence often?
- Are the grounding conditions on your land good, or worse than average?
PATURA develops energizers, wire and netting specifically for the demanding conditions of raising small livestock, and Kancler Sistem Pro is its Slovenian partner, helping you choose a system suited to your herd and terrain.
Need advice?
A few basic details about your pasture and flock size are all we need to put together a fence proposal for you.