[Jacob-list] getting stuck in the fence

[Christopher Brantley]

Linda,
 
I've not really had a great deal of trouble with animals getting stuck in the fence...usually my problem is their finding a loose, or weak spot and popping through the fence at will. I use an electric strand at the level you're talking about.
 
This year I switched to a nylon cording for the strand, that works better as it does not break as easily as high tinsel wire does around my place. The problem I found this spring with the lambs when they decided they were old enough/brave enough to explore was they didn't realize they were getting a shock with their coat starting to thicken up. I've found putting an aluminum foil tent over the wire/cord with a dob of peanut butter inside the tent acting as as glue. The lambs/sheep are attracted to the peanut butter and their nose/tongues are more sensitive to the shock and within a few days they avoid any fence with passion.
 
It sounds cruel at first thought I know, but it does keep them where they are safe and it also prevents a lot of potential nightmares we as shepherds don't want to see as reality.

Linda <patchworkfibers at alltel.net> wrote:
I wonder sometimes if my preference for four horned sheep might be partially because it drives me nuts to have to keep cutting the fence to get the two horned lambs loose.  In my brief experience with dairy goats, I didn't disbud.  Naully had a terrible habit of challenging the rams through the fence and then getting her head stuck.  As you can imagine, it put her in a bad situation - a mad ram and she was unable to retreat.  I taped a pvc pipe to her horns and she couldn't get her head stuck in the fence. That worked ok.  A few years ago, I was tending a neighbor's sheep and found a Romney wether (no horns) with his head stuck in the fence.  He was in full fleece and in the direct sun and he was dead.  I remember someone else mentioning losing sheep that were stuck in the fence.  I'm planning on putting a strand of electric about lamb head level, which I think should work - as well as teaching baby rams some respect for the fence.  Does anyone have any other recommendations?
 
Thanks
Linda
 

Getting ready for 2006 lambs!
www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn
_______________________________________________
Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks
Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/jacob-list/attachments/20050729/e273df0c/attachment.html