Goats for brush clearing

[lavandulagirl]

Has anyone ever tried that invisible fencing on goats? You know, the one for dogs, where there's a collar that gives them a little zap if they get too close to the wire?

[steev]

That's an interesting idea; goats are pretty smart so it might work; maybe with pigs, too. I wonder how it compares cost-wise to regular electric fence. Might be more expensive, since each critter needs a collar.

[lavandulagirl]

Because my property is so steep in places, it occurs to me that it might be easier than getting the supplies for a traditional fence up the other side of the creek bed.

[seedywen]

If large predators aren't a problem where you live, Lavandula, then you may not need an electric fence. A less expensive way to provide fenceposts is to attach your page wire, tree to tree. And it doesn't need to be new wire either. Used this technique to fence about an acre of forest straddling a creek ravine, similiar to yours, a few years back.

When I bought this farm twenty years ago, there was also an existing page wire fence around two acres of meadow. However the fenceposts were untreated unpeeled fir posts, which rot out after a few years in the ground. Saved all that fencing, after removing and building a new fence with treated posts and electrified. Since that have used that used wire repetedly for farm projects and given loads away to other people. Ask around, you may discover a similiar stash.

Purchased a new electric box last year which cost about $300 to replace my antique version. The wire and insulators to surround 2 acres ran about $200 originally.

Some people install solar systems.
However you need to be in a place that receives plenty of year round sunshine.

Here's a link to a discussion on the pros and cons of using trees as posts with an electric fence.

forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/trees/msg070922113586.html

[seedywen]

Here's another ditty, composed while weeding yesterday for you, folks.

Good thing a duck, can't drive a truck.
Of goats, am not so sure.

Could build a moat, to float a goat.
To otherwise, deter

[ottawagardener]

Thanks for the smile Seedywen. So how wide would this moat need to be?

[seedywen]

Goats excel as High Jumpers more than Long Jumpers.

Don't know what the standing record for Long Jumping is, for the Goat Olympics:)