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SHEEP-fed-barely-sprouting-fodders, page : 53
Posts:
Good posts are essential. If your posts are weak then your fence will not be strong. You need good posts to hold the wires in place so it is worth getting the right kind of posts for the job.
For permanent fences you can use either wooden posts, or metal T posts.
When you buy posts, choose ones that have been pressure treated, such as those treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), because they are very durable. Warning: Although CCA is one of the least toxic preservatives used to treat posts it is advisable to wear gloves when working with treated posts as you may be allergic to the chemical.
Metal T Posts can be driven straight into the ground with a fence post driver. They are a very good type of post to use. If you decide to construct your fence with a smooth-wire electric fence and use a plastic insulator to attach the wire to the T post.
Fiberglass and plastic posts. These posts are great for temporary fences. However, sunlight eventually breaks down the fiberglass particles, so be careful to pick up these particles.
Corners and Ends:
Wooden posts that are used for corners and ends must be buried to at least one third of their height. So, an 8 foot post (2.4 m) should have at least 2.5 feet (76 cm) below the surface and 3 feet (90 cm) is preferable. Don't forget, if the post needs to support a heavy wooden or metal gate, it needs to be at least 4 feet (1.2 m) deep to counterbalance the weight of a gate. The soil that you replace around them must be made solid. If you live in a sandy area you will need earth anchors to secure the posts. If you place wooden posts in concrete, it is not practical, because wooden posts in concrete rot at ground level.
FACILITIES
To get yourself started your basic needs are: sufficient land, fences and a first-aid box for both animals and yourself.
Buildings, handling and farm equipment are not an absolute necessity but they can make life much easier. If you choose to follow the intensive management approach in which your ewes lamb in winter, they are an absolute necessity.
Good posts are essential. If your posts are weak then your fence will not be strong. You need good posts to hold the wires in place so it is worth getting the right kind of posts for the job.
For permanent fences you can use either wooden posts, or metal T posts.
When you buy posts, choose ones that have been pressure treated, such as those treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), because they are very durable. Warning: Although CCA is one of the least toxic preservatives used to treat posts it is advisable to wear gloves when working with treated posts as you may be allergic to the chemical.
Metal T Posts can be driven straight into the ground with a fence post driver. They are a very good type of post to use. If you decide to construct your fence with a smooth-wire electric fence and use a plastic insulator to attach the wire to the T post.
Fiberglass and plastic posts. These posts are great for temporary fences. However, sunlight eventually breaks down the fiberglass particles, so be careful to pick up these particles.
Corners and Ends:
Wooden posts that are used for corners and ends must be buried to at least one third of their height. So, an 8 foot post (2.4 m) should have at least 2.5 feet (76 cm) below the surface and 3 feet (90 cm) is preferable. Don't forget, if the post needs to support a heavy wooden or metal gate, it needs to be at least 4 feet (1.2 m) deep to counterbalance the weight of a gate. The soil that you replace around them must be made solid. If you live in a sandy area you will need earth anchors to secure the posts. If you place wooden posts in concrete, it is not practical, because wooden posts in concrete rot at ground level.
FACILITIES
To get yourself started your basic needs are: sufficient land, fences and a first-aid box for both animals and yourself.
Buildings, handling and farm equipment are not an absolute necessity but they can make life much easier. If you choose to follow the intensive management approach in which your ewes lamb in winter, they are an absolute necessity.