The increasing spread of wolves is creating increasing potential for conflict in livestock farming. Due to decades of absence, both owners and animals must relearn how to deal with this predator.
The wolf is an extremely intelligent and adaptable hunter for whom free-grazing animals are easy prey and, in the truest sense of the word, a feast for the eyes. Wolves generally seek out the easiest prey for them. In forests, this is usually wild animals. In pastures, however, they also hunt sheep, goats, foals, and calves. Wolves generally shy away from large, defensive animals such as cattle or horses.
The following applies to safe grazing:
Effective, functional herd protection is essential!
There are two options for fencing sheep and goats
Variant 1: Electric fence nets
Electric fence nets are particularly suitable for sheep and goat farming, as they ensure particularly high mobility. They are also particularly easy to set up and take down.
There are some basic requirements for networks that should be observed:
- The net height should be at least 108 cm (better 122 cm)
- The total fence length should not exceed 2,000 m (40 nets)
- The network resistance should not exceed 0.25 ohms
- Nets must be well stretched and, if necessary, fixed to the ground with ground anchors
Further tips:
- Nets containing the color blue act as a deterrent to wild animals
- A Herd protection band, which is attached to the net post, also serves as a visual and acoustic deterrent
- In the area of the corners, the use of stable Support piles
- In uneven or steep terrain, the use of nets with plastic vertical struts is recommended, which significantly reduce sagging (e.g. Sheep Net Titan Premium+).
- Because of the design of nets, they can easily conduct electricity into the ground, so the area around the nets should be mowed regularly. (The nets can be easily moved or extended for this purpose.)
Our network recommendations:
Option 2: Permanent pasture fence
This type of herd protection is particularly suitable for fixed fence systems. Installation is significantly more time-consuming than with pasture netting. This type of fence is also not suitable for maintaining high mobility.
The following should be noted here:
- The fence height should be 120 cm
- The distance between the individual rows of conductor material should be a maximum of 20 cm in the lower area (recommendations are: 20, 40, 60, 90, 120 cm).
- A high-quality conductor material with a resistance of <0.5 ohms/m is particularly important here. For the sake of visibility, it is recommended to use a 10 or 20 mm wide strip as the top conductor material. The lower rows of conductors are made of stranded wires or ropes.
Our recommendations for conductor material:
Blue ribbons and braids are particularly visible and act as a deterrent to wild animals
fence posts
Depending on your needs and the nature of the soil, you can choose between wooden, plastic or metal posts.
The additional accessories required depend on the choice of posts
Electric fence devices
A wolf-deterrent fence requires a particularly powerful electric fence energizer for effective protection. The minimum protection voltage should be above 3,500 volts and the output power (impact or charging energy) should be at least 3 joules.
Basically, there are different types of electric fence devices
Power supplies
Power adapters operate on a 230-volt outlet. If a power connection is available, power adapters are always preferable.
Our recommendation
Battery-operated devices
As the name suggests, battery-operated devices can be operated with 12-volt batteries. AGM batteries should always be used, which are specifically designed for the short charge and discharge cycles required for use on electric fences.
It is essential that the battery charge level is always monitored and charged if necessary
Our recommendation
Solar devices
Solar devices are 12-volt devices. As the name suggests, the device's battery is charged using the PV module. This allows for completely self-sufficient operation. These devices are particularly suitable for mobile use.
Our recommendation
Please note: All our devices specify the maximum number of nets or the maximum possible fence length. Please pay close attention to this!
Further important information
Fence monitoring
For safety reasons, an electric fence or its electric fence energizers should be checked regularly (preferably several times a week). Only if the fence maintains sufficient voltage at all times will grazing animals, game, and predators be effectively kept away from the fence!
The fence test is most effectively carried out with a Voltmeter executed
It is also possible to digital surveillance via smartphone
Regular fence inspections should ideally be documented (e.g. in a herding book)!
Herd monitoring
The movement of animal herds can also be monitored in remote areas and on alpine pastures by means of GPS tracking devices be monitored
Grounding
Basically, a pasture fence is only as good as its grounding!
Please see our counselor observe
Information signs
Electrified pasture fences must be equipped with appropriate Information or warning signs These must be clearly visible on the fence or fence posts at accessible locations at least 100 metres apart
Financial support
Wolf-proof electric fences are generally eligible for subsidies. However, the amount of subsidies and the minimum requirements and criteria may vary from state to state. In this case, you must contact the relevant authority in the respective state.
For an individual offer, you can also use the pasture fence checklist from our pasture catalogue