I would like to here from anyone who has experience with wether flocks. I know that wool quality should be higher,and that vaccinations are greatly reduced. A veterinarian friend thinks this is a great idea, but we don't know anyone who has tried it.

I plan to keep the sheep in the rows between the trees with temporary electric net fence, and rotate regularly. Has anyone tried anything like this?

Thank you.

-- Linda Olis (ouabache@dcwi.com), March 05, 2002

Answers

I have used the electric netting to keep sheep and goats out of a garden. Worked good. Only problem was animals with horns. Barbardo Ram got caught in fence during a time we where gone during the day until after dark. Didn't know that he was stuck. Found him next AM tangled and dead. My opinion as long as animals are hornless it should work good. Also follow direction about what type of charger. I used a solar one for most of the time for our fence. When I changed to a electric charger anyplace where the fence touched anything it burned into.

-- Linda (awesomegodchristianministries@yahoo.com), March 05, 2002.

I read an article about someone on the east coast who did this with Romneys and thought it was great. I myself raise sheep and feel if I only had a few acres and could not do the work wethers would be the way to go. Sheep if raised to have human contact from birth make good pets and a recognizable feed bucket can make them go anywhere you want. I think your idea is great. Terry

-- Terry Lipe (elipe@fidnet.com), March 05, 2002.

We have used sheep to mow with before, few years back. We just bought acouple more bottle lambs. We mow by a self built movable hog panel square with wheels. Can be made any dimension, 2 sheep do a fantastic job, in smaller areas. I do the movable fencing with the milk cow in the yard also. Friends do all their mowing with sheep, looks great.

-- Suzanne (weir@frontiernet.net), March 05, 2002.

Linda, I have used the electric mesh fences for a couple of years now with my Shetlands and love it. Make sure you get the proper energizer for it; they need the newer low impedance type NOT the "burner" type. My rams are horned so I keep a close watch on them but aside from ramming each other through the fence once during the breeding season, they seem to respect it. I do have a problem with my sheep destroying trees by chewing the bark even on older trees like alder and maple. I would wrap the trunks with cheap chicken wire so they can't get a tooth hold. Also, my sheep stand on their hind legs and brace their front ones on the tree trunk so they can reach up higher and do more damage. You will have to keep the branches pruned out of the way. The best lawnmowers I have are my Chinese geese! They are easier to fence (2' high stucco wire and rebar), can live totally on grass and other greens during the summer, they are very edible in the fall and are really easy to move around as opposed to sheep which have to be "funnelled " into the next grazing area unless they are incredibly tame. They also cost less than sheep and are generally disease free. Good luck!

-- Kathy (homefarmbc@pacificcoast.net), March 06, 2002.

I wish I could see an example of these "movable" electric fences. Any pictures available or website addresses? Can the shape change (i.e. rectangle instead of square) when you need it? Is it hard to move? How often must you move (examples with # sheep/goats).

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), March 06, 2002.

Go to www.premier1supplies.com to see their fencing. They also put out a great catalogue that shows how to use the net fencing and the pros and cons of it. Great resource.I would stay away from horned sheep if you are using the netting. In Australia and New Zealand they run huge flocks of wethers just for the wool. Easy keepers if you are not breeding or raising lambs.

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), March 06, 2002.