|
|
About
ElectroNet
We give mixed reviews
to "ElectroNet", the portable electic fence system from
Premier1.
This fencing comes in 150' rolls, either 35" or 39" high. Lightweight
stakes are built into the netting every 10 feet and plastic vertical struts give
the fencing support and some rigidity.
On the plus side, Electronet can be readily moved to fresh grazing -- we found that with 16 sheep
and 4 rolls of ElectroNet, we needed to move the fence every 5 to 7 days. ElectroNet is also economical, at less that $1/foot. It is a great
way to be able to graze sheep intensively on small patches for effective land
clearing (or to mow the lawn), and obviously is far less expensive than fencing
our entire acreage.
On the downside,we found the manufacturer's estimate of 15 minutes per roll
moving time to be rather optimistic, especially when the ground is dry or frozen
or when the children were moving the nets. The netting tangles in the
stakes horribly unless you are meticulous, and sometimes even then, so the boys
often ended the job white-lipped with frustration. The netting
tangles and tears when using it on rough brushy pasture.
Dogs and sheep need to be trained to respect the shock, or they may run through
the netting before they feel the shock. Since it is not a physical
barrier, but a pain barrier, animals will run through it anyway if badly
frightened. We always put our sheep in a conventionally fenced
paddock when we are away from home.
Eventually our sheep learned to jump the ElectroNet, so I would definitely
recommend that people invest a few extra dollars in ElectroStop, the 48" tall
version meant for goats. It is almost time to replace our electric
netting, and we are looking into a similar product from a company called Kencove
which offers a 48" fence with a smaller mesh which would eliminate some problems
we have had with lambs putting their heads through the fence. We know of people who have lost lambs this way.
|
