Post by kasha on Jan 26, 2018 13:53:01 GMT -5
This winter I've put out round bales in about half an acre of pasture close to the barn. At night when I lock up the calf, I give a serving of special hay in the barn (on deep bedding) for two cows and the five month old calf ( the younger calf is locked up).
However, the cows don't especially like their round bales and have been "grazing" all the dry grass they can find through the snow during the day. From the start the youngest punk would dip her head under the electric fence and run anywhere. Not a big deal since I have a good perimeter fence.
But then, the older ones started plowing through the polywire, popping off insulators right and left. It was so frustrating at first and I kept fixing fence and making sure my fencer was working. It was. They just were so fuzzy, I think, that they could get away with it. So, the little ones would mess up the fence, the bigger ones would step over it and I eventually gave up. They have been grazing all over five acres, through the snow, messing up all my paddock fencing. Now there are breaks in the polywire where it's shorting out and it all just needs a redo.
I've been thinking I should just rewire with solid metal wire so at least I don't have shorting out issues. I just am not sure about a few things like:
1) when to do it. I'd like it done before spring grass, but I don't want it trashed again
2) how high to make it so the calves don't duck under it but adults don't step over it.
3) how to make sure it's not a grounding issue. I'm using grounding rods, but wonder if the dry, frozen ground is an issue.
4) I'm really worried they are going to start testing the perimeter fence and going over that. I need to retrain them to respect the fence.
5) my DD got me a fence tester for my birthday which I'm eager to use, I just don't have any idea how strong my fencer should be. It is an older one and not as powerful as our neighbors but when it's working the cows have always respected it.
After grazing, the cows eventually come back and eat at their "yucky" bales, so I know they're edible, just not yummy. I would like to be able to keep them in one paddock especially as it warms up this spring.
Thank you for any help or suggestions!
However, the cows don't especially like their round bales and have been "grazing" all the dry grass they can find through the snow during the day. From the start the youngest punk would dip her head under the electric fence and run anywhere. Not a big deal since I have a good perimeter fence.
But then, the older ones started plowing through the polywire, popping off insulators right and left. It was so frustrating at first and I kept fixing fence and making sure my fencer was working. It was. They just were so fuzzy, I think, that they could get away with it. So, the little ones would mess up the fence, the bigger ones would step over it and I eventually gave up. They have been grazing all over five acres, through the snow, messing up all my paddock fencing. Now there are breaks in the polywire where it's shorting out and it all just needs a redo.
I've been thinking I should just rewire with solid metal wire so at least I don't have shorting out issues. I just am not sure about a few things like:
1) when to do it. I'd like it done before spring grass, but I don't want it trashed again
2) how high to make it so the calves don't duck under it but adults don't step over it.
3) how to make sure it's not a grounding issue. I'm using grounding rods, but wonder if the dry, frozen ground is an issue.
4) I'm really worried they are going to start testing the perimeter fence and going over that. I need to retrain them to respect the fence.
5) my DD got me a fence tester for my birthday which I'm eager to use, I just don't have any idea how strong my fencer should be. It is an older one and not as powerful as our neighbors but when it's working the cows have always respected it.
After grazing, the cows eventually come back and eat at their "yucky" bales, so I know they're edible, just not yummy. I would like to be able to keep them in one paddock especially as it warms up this spring.
Thank you for any help or suggestions!