Minus 3 strands of wire and 6 handles, we've finished our electric paddocks. The 2.0 joule energizer (AC plugged in inside the barn) has proven to be more than enough to convince the cattle to stay inside the paddocks. After accidentally touching the hotwire while working on part of the physical fence, I can understand why. I felt it in my soul. (And screamed like a little girl, to be perfectly honest.)
Even though we only started the paddock project back in late March, I've learned enough that I'd probably change some things if I had it to do over. I wouldn't do 3 strands again. That said I don't know if the Belties would be contained with a single strand either. I tried that on a few paddocks and though the bull and adult cows didn't abscond, both mornings I went out to check cattle I found calves in the adjacent paddocks. I know what you're thinking, "They'll go back in there right?" Apparently not. I think the dew that comes with morning made going back too painful, so I came out to bawling calves each morning.
The other thing we learned was the plan to pick up 3 strands of poly wire and move it every couple of days, while doable, was a pain in the keister. Running traditional wire is cheaper than the polywire, but the polywire is super easy to work with. Since we decided to make the rest of the semi-permanent paddocks with traditional galvanized wire. As I've said in earlier posts, the grounding component is the single most important part of the electric fence, and once we moved our grounding rods to our moistest soil we have had no problems convincing the Belties to stay home.
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