While much of our fencing work here at Dodd & Co is all about keeping animals IN, we are also often asked for the best ways to keep animals out.
As any farmer or gardener will know, there are some animals who are a persistent bunch and will go to any lengths to get into your paddocks and pasture – they really do all think that the grass is greener on the other side.
So we have some good measures that are pretty successful when it comes to keeping animals such as deer, badgers and rabbits out of your cattle, horse or sheep paddocks, which we will talk about in a moment. However, if you are simply looking to protect a small vegetable patch or prized garden, there are some measures you can take to keep unwanted animals out.
Simple solutions
Fencing works best when an animal doesn’t know what is being protected. A hungry animal that knows food is available on the other side of a fence will work harder to get over/under/through the fence. A solid base to the fence will provide a visual block.
Putting electric fencing around your plot is an effective way to keep animals out. You want the animals to know the fence is ‘live so smear honey or jam on the fence when you first erect it so the animals get shocked. they will be less likely to test it out again. Make sure there is no vegetation touching the fence as it will reduce its impact.
To protect bigger areas or for a more lasting impact, we offer a range of solutions.
Deer deterrents
Deer are probably the most challenging of the UK wild animals when it comes to keeping them out. Certainly they are becoming a more widespread problem as the UK deer population has grown exponentially in the past few years.
We use a high tensile steel wire from Tornado as it is tough and durable. Depending upon their species, deer will either try to jump a fence or push against it. To prevent these athletic creatures from jumping onto your land, we recommend a 1900mm net with an angled out-ward facing slant at the top – this will make them think twice about attempting to jump it.
Badger fencing
Badgers are also a common problem around Norfolk and, unlike deer, they have two means of getting over fences – they are surprisingly agile climbers and they are very strong burrowers.
To protect against badger intrusion, we dig a deep ditch to sink the badger netting 250cms below the surface with a further 1.6 metres of high tensile wire above the surface. We generally add a top barbed wire as an added deterrent. The wire is attached to durable wooden posts.
HT15/158/8 is ideal for use along highways or areas where badger movements need to be restricted; the closely spaced vertical stay wires help prevent badgers from pushing through the fence. It can also be installed on post and rail fencing or used as embankment netting.
Tornado HT Badger Fence is manufactured with high tensile wire which strains tighter than mild steel and so requires fewer intermediate posts, making it quicker to erect. It does not stretch with weathering so does not need to be retightened annually.
The problem of pesky rabbits
Rabbits are the biggest problem to landowners and gardeners. Left unchecked they can decimate a pasture, stripping it of grass and leaving deep holes that can cause a domestic animal to break a leg. We use Tornado rabbit netting, which has a 31mm mesh, which has been proven to be the most effective some for excluding rabbits.
When installing rabbit netting, it is vital that we take into consideration rabbits’ amazing ability to burrow. We always recommend a 150mm turn out, with a further 900mm above the ground. This means a total 1050mm height mesh is needed to keep the rabbits out effectively.
Rabbits have also been known to chew through lighter stands of wire, so we tend to use either the 1mm or 1.2mm diameter wire as it is more resilient.
Who let the dogs in?
We also make sure, if necessary, that our fencing is suitable for keeping out domestic pets such as dogs and cats. Sheep worrying by loose dogs is a rural problem that is on the rise, so incorporating a wire netting fence that keeps pets out is always a good idea as well.
With all fencing however, we take each project on an individual basis. Different landowners will have different challenges, so call Jamie Dodd to have a chat about your fencing requirements.
