As a fence contractor in Kyle, TX (a ranching area), we have often been asked what kind of fencing works best for sheep & goats?
Sheep are more docile animals. Sheep only keep headbutting against each other. They prefer to keep their heads to the ground and stay together when grazing.
On the other hand, goats are the masters of disaster. Goats are nervous and easily upset animals. They need more exploring areas.
Goats like to chew, run, kick, headbutt, climb, and jump. They are natural climbers and jumpers. And to them, the only thing better than climbing onto a stump is jumping right back off again.
Goat behavior is the biggest challenge for ranchers. For instance, goats like to graze on anything they can reach, including tree leaves.
Also, goats are escaping masters. They are notorious for testing fences, so when you plan your pastures, you need to build strong and high fences.
Goats will constantly challenge any enclosure until they find a breach and take advantage of it. They’ll poke holes, chew, climb, or push over anything in their way. If their heads can make it through a hole in the fence, their bodies are sure to follow.
So, keeping them from escaping from your ranch-style fence is hard. We recommend the best sheep and goat fences to keep goats within their pasture enclosure.
What’s the best sheep and goat fence? The most proven option is woven wire for fencing goats. The second-best option is cattle fence panels with smaller 4×4 sized openings. Last, we recommend a combination of welded wire and a 3-board fence. Goat fences must be 5 feet or higher.
The natural curiosity of goats and the susceptibility of sheep to predators make sheep and goats complex animals to keep in the pen.
Red Brand is among the most popular sheep & goat woven wire fence brands. This mesh fencing features the square deal knot that keeps a firm hold on both wires. So, it provides strong confinement and deters animals from putting their heads through the wire mesh.
Also, the Red Brand Sheep & Goat wire fence is built with a 12-½ gauge wire that can’t be chewed or broken. Without a doubt, we believe this is the best fence for goats.
Cattle panels are similar to welded metal wire fencing because they are welded. What sets cattle panels apart from welded wire fencing is that they are built with a 4-gauge thick wire. This makes cattle panels a very strong and durable type of ranch fence.
Cattle panel fences, as its name suggests, are designed to protect livestock on a farm. This type of fencing is commonly used to contain animals like cows, pigs, sheep & goats.
But when buying goat fence panels, make sure to buy panels with 4×4 openings so your animals don’t get hurt. Any gap wider than 4 square inches will allow your goats and sheep to stick their heads, and if they are horned, this will be a deadly mistake.
The only drawback of cattle panels is that they are expensive when fencing large pasture areas. But they are perfect for small yards, pasture divisions, and corrals.
Welded wire fencing alone is not strong enough to withstand pushing, leaning, climbing, and everything a goat will put through.
But combining a 3-board fence with welded wire is way different. The wood boards give strength to the welded wire so your goats will not find a weak spot through which to budge.
Yet, since it’s basically 2 fences in 1, combining a 3-board fence with welded wire is not the most affordable option. But it’s an effective fencing solution for small plots of land where you have horse pastures adjacent to goats.
With horned goats, we recommend using a 2-by-4-inch welded wire to keep the animals from getting their horns caught between the slats.
Regarding ranch fencing, goats need higher fences than calm-mannered sheep. If you raise goats and sheep together, you should build high and robust fences to contain goats.
Goats like to jump and climb on everything. So, an escape-proof goat fence that keeps predators out must be 4-5 feet high.
These ranch fences can be installed in hilly and flat terrains.
Be aware that in hilly terrains, you’ll need to build a fence 5 feet tall or higher to prevent your goats from even attempting to jump over it.
We don’t recommend any welded wire fencing. This type of fencing is not strong enough to withstand pushing, leaning, climbing, and everything a goat will put through. The welded joints tend to break easily when goats lean, put their heads through, or stand on them.
The other type of fence we don’t recommend for enclosing goats and sheep is barbed wire. The reason is simple: barbed wire threatens crazy goats, and barbed wire will often get stuck into the sheep’s wool.
So, you should avoid both welded and barbed wire fencing since they are poor fencing options to keep your sheep and goats safe.
The most proven option is woven wire for fencing goats. The second-best option is cattle fence panels with smaller 4×4 sized openings. Last, we recommend a combination of welded wire and a 3-board fence.
If you live near Kyle, TX, and have further questions about how to keep your sheep and goat herd contained and safe, call AMG Fence & Builders, LLC. We offer top-quality fencing services in Spring Branch, Canyon Lake, San Marcos, Wimberley, New Braunfels, Lockhart, Buda, Bulverde, TX, and the surrounding areas.
Click on the Facebook icon to share this article!
