Protein, feeder, fencing

[gtsticker]

So one of the ranchers cows decided it wanted to get to the protein feeders and has destroyed my normal pens which are hog panel with a barbed wire across the top. Question is I’m not worried about hogs so could I raise those panels up about 16 to 18 inches off the ground and weld them to the post or tie them to the post to keep the cows from jumping over? Has anybody done this?

[Drycreek3189]

I had a lease for 18 years with cows on it. I built my pens out of cattle panels, sucker rods, and 2” pipe corners. Built them to be portable. I left them 16” off the ground and deer would go over or under as they pleased.

[Shane]

If you're not worried about hogs, just build 5-strand barbed wire feed pens. You'd just have to set corners solid enough to stretch wire tight.

[BRUTE 23]

Use hotwire above the panels.

[gtsticker]

Use hotwire above the panels.

I thought of that but I have 11 protein feeders so it would mean a lot of remote chargers.

[BRUTE 23]

I thought of that but I have 11 protein feeders so it would mean a lot of remote chargers.

For sure but it's hard to break cattle with panels and barbed wire once they learn they can beat it. Once they are hot wire broke you are golden.

I think it's worth a try on one and see how it goes for you before you go all out with pens.

[Phorizt]

just buy that cow from the rancher and get rid of it

[BIG D]

We had cattle on our lease 3 years ago and after they figured out they could get protein out of the feeders, it was impossible to keep them out of the pens. We built pipe H brace corners, hog panel, with 2 strands of Goucho barbed wire on top as tight as a fiddle string. They jumped it flat footed without clicking a hoof. We then installed hot wires which worked for about 2 weeks and then they were back in. About the time we were ready to give up, the cattle were moved out and we have been enjoying life ever since.

[knighttime]

Dealing with this issue right now...Put out cottonseed to test the deer's appetite for it, well it has spiked the cows appetite. We use hog panel but they're folding the top of it down and walking over, or just jumping the panels. Going to try to build our panels out of angle iron to prevent them from folding it down and then putting a strand of barbed wire at 6" above. Guess we will see how that works for now. I'd be worried about putting up electric wire incase a deer were to hit it.

I'm half tempted to just bring out round bails for this guy's cows to hopefully keep them occupied. They're corriente's so they're definitely not normal cattle.

[Big pig]

I thought of that but I have 11 protein feeders so it would mean a lot of remote chargers.

At the cost of protein and my hourly wages I would buy the chargers.

At least give one or two a try.
perhaps train cows with some and others won’t be necessary
my rancher sold the one problem cow.

[txbowman12]

just buy that cow from the rancher and get rid of it

This is by far the cheapest and lowest stress option. We have a steer that we need to do this with. So far he's just grazing, but once I see his face in those tubes its game over.

[BRUTE 23]

Hot wires don't effect deer.

I use to put hot wire around oats patches down low to keep the hogs and cattle out. There was a wire at like 6", 18", an 36"-40". I figured the deer would just jump over it. The bigger bucks did but most the deer went between the 2nd and 3rd wire. They would run their back on the hot wire and never flinch.