How Temporary Electric Fencing Can Help Make Spring Pasture Go Further

Spring pasture can change quickly. One paddock may be growing well while another is still wet, exposed or slow to recover. With drier periods and stronger winds possible across Canterbury this spring, flexible grazing management can help farmers make better use of the feed they already have.

Temporary electric fencing provides a practical way to divide paddocks, control where stock graze and protect recovering pasture without installing a permanent fence every time grazing plans change.

Why subdivide paddocks in spring?

Smaller grazing areas give farmers greater control over pasture use. Instead of allowing stock to selectively graze a large paddock, a temporary fence can be used to allocate a more suitable break.

This can help:

• reduce pasture waste and selective grazing;

• protect recently grazed areas while they recover;

• keep stock away from wet, damaged or newly established ground;

• adjust paddock size as grass growth and livestock demand change; and

• create temporary laneways or exclusion zones when needed.

The system can then be moved, extended or packed away as conditions change.

What do you need for a temporary electric fence?

A basic temporary fencing system normally includes an energiser, conductive fence line, portable posts or battens, insulators or attachment points, a reel, suitable connectors and an effective earth system.

The best combination depends on the animals being contained, the length of the fence, the number of electrified strands, vegetation contact and local ground conditions.

Tape, braid or polywire?

40mm Electric fence tape is highly visible, which makes it particularly useful for horses and temporary boundaries where visibility is important. However, wide tape can catch more wind and must be correctly tensioned and supported.

Our Soft Equine Braid offers good visibility with less wind resistance than wide tape. It can be a useful option for exposed paddocks, equine fencing and longer temporary runs.

Polywire is lightweight, economical and quick to move, making it well suited to routine strip grazing and shorter livestock subdivisions.

Whichever product is selected, use proper joiners and connectors. Knots can damage conductive filaments and create resistance, reducing the power reaching the rest of the fence.

Choose an energiser for real farm conditions

Energisers are often promoted according to the maximum kilometres of fence they can power. That figure should only be treated as a guide.

Actual performance is affected by:

• the total length and number of electrified wires;

• grass, weeds or branches touching the fence;

• the conductivity of the tape, braid or polywire;

• earth-system quality and soil moisture;

• damaged insulators or poor connections; and

• the animal being controlled.

A clean, well-earthed fence can perform very differently from the same length of fence running through heavy vegetation. Allowing extra energiser capacity provides better performance as conditions become less favourable.

Solar energisers are useful for remote paddocks and portable systems without access to mains power. When comparing units, consider output energy, battery capacity, expected operation during low sunlight, warranty and service support—not just the advertised fence distance.

Do not overlook earthing and testing

Many weak electric fences are caused by an inadequate earth system rather than a faulty energiser. Dry ground can reduce the earth system's effectiveness, while wet conditions and vegetation growth can increase leakage from the fence.

Check voltage regularly with a proper fence tester. If performance drops, test near the energiser and then move along the fence to help locate the problem. Inspect connections, joins, insulators and places where vegetation touches the line.

Routine testing can find a small problem before it becomes an escaped-stock problem.

Built for faster farm fencing

Styx Solutions supplies electric and temporary fencing products for New Zealand farms, lifestyle blocks and equine properties.

Our New Zealand-made Styx Battens are lightweight, quick to install and naturally suited to electric fencing. Their purpose-designed attachment system removes the need to staple each wire individually, while their compact size reduces handling and freight requirements. Styx Battens are made from durable UV-stabilised material and are backed by a 10-year warranty.

The Styx range also includes outriggers and offsets, insulators, tape joiners and connectors, electric fence tape, braid, polywire, bungy, testers and German-made AKO solar and mains energisers.

Not sure which products suit your paddock, livestock or fence length? Contact Styx Solutions for practical help choosing a system that works in real farm conditions.

Browse the range: www.styxsolutions.com