Strip-Grazing a Small Sheep Flock Across a 1-Acre Pasture With Three Strands of Polywire and a Small Solar Charger

Sheep grazing a fresh pasture strip behind three strands of polywire

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Turning a few sheep loose on a whole acre wastes grass, since they graze favorite spots to the ground and trample the rest. A movable polywire strip gives them a fresh slice each day, and a small solar charger keeps it hot with no outlet nearby.

Can a small solar charger run a temporary polywire fence for sheep?

Yes, for short runs. Most solar energizers put out under 0.5 joules, which is generally enough for temporary fence under 1,500 feet, grounded with a single 2- to 3-foot rod. Train the sheep first and keep the fence hot, ideally near 7,000 volts.

Virginia Cooperative Extension's Reducing Labor When Using Temporary Electric Fencing (SPES-709) gives that output and length guidance. It says many producers keep fences at 7,000 volts for sheep so the animals respect the fence even when power is briefly lost.

Oklahoma State University's fact sheet on electric fencing for sheep says a three-wire temporary fence with wires spaced at 10-inch intervals works very well. It adds that a multi-wire fence teaches sheep to respect electric fencing faster than one or two wires.

Strip-Grazing Setup at a Glance

Item Setting Source
Charger output Under 0.5 J for under 1,500 ft Virginia Tech
Ground rod One 2 to 3 ft galvanized rod Virginia Tech
Wire spacing 3 wires, 10 in. apart OSU
Training voltage At least 5,000 V Virginia Tech
Back-grazing limit About 7 days Virginia Tech

A 1-acre square is about 209 feet on a side, so one cross fence of three strands uses roughly 630 feet of polywire. That leaves room under the 1,500-foot guide for a back fence too.

A Fair Warning About Sheep and Wire

Virginia Tech notes that small ruminants will often go through multiple-wire temporary fences, which is why most producers use electric netting. Polywire works best with sheep that are already trained and with short grass under the bottom wire.

If your flock keeps testing the strands, switch to netting for the cross fence. The charger and ground rod stay the same.

Materials and Tools

  • Solar electric fence charger in the garden and small-livestock class
  • Nine-wire polywire or poly braid on two or three reels
  • Multiwire step-in posts with hook-style wire attachments
  • A 2- to 3-foot galvanized ground rod and clamp
  • A digital fence voltmeter
  • A mower or string trimmer to cut a path for the fence line

Strip-Grazing Steps

  1. Train in a small pen. Put the sheep in a small area with a hot training fence near feed or water.
  2. Mow the fence path. Cut a strip where each new polywire line will go so grass does not short the bottom wire.
  3. Set the charger. Mount it facing south, drive the ground rod, and connect the perimeter.
  4. Run the forward fence. Carry posts and unspool wire on the first pass, then set posts on the return.
  5. Hang three strands. Clip wires at roughly 10-inch intervals from the bottom up.
  6. Check the voltage. Read it at the far end before letting the sheep in.
  7. Move the strip daily. Shift the front fence forward one slice each day.
  8. Add a back fence. Close off grazed ground within about a week so regrowth is protected.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Letting tall grass touch the bottom strand, which Virginia Tech says can short out a fence
  • Using clip-style attachments that make moves slow
  • Leaving the fence off overnight
  • Moving the fence while standing between the sheep and their only exit
  • Skipping the training pen with new animals

To read voltage along a multi-strand fence, use the routine in testing a 5-wire polywire deer fence. If you switch to netting, see testing a 164-foot electric net.

Sheep night pens often need a predator-proof base where diggers try to tunnel. The hardware cloth mesh size and gauge guide shows which mesh to bury.

FAQ

How long does it take sheep to learn the fence?

OSU says the minimum is 12 hours, and most animals will be fully trained in 48 hours. It adds that sheep first exposed shortly after shearing have less wool for insulation.

Do I need a back fence?

Not always. Virginia Tech says back grazing is acceptable during the growing season as long as it lasts no more than about seven days.

Is nine-wire polywire better than six-wire?

Virginia Tech notes nine-wire products carry electricity better. Manufacturers commonly claim they are 48 times more conductive than six-wire products.

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