Why consider installing buried vector proof fencing?

Permanent buried vector proof fencing for the perimeter of your farm is well worth considering if you are starting from scratch with fencing, live in an endemic bovineTB area or are worried about protecting your alpacas and your investment. Ensuring your land perimeters are secure from badgers, dogs and foxes gives peace of mind to you and potential purchasers. It may also remove the need to implement changes to feed, water and building security which in itself can be very costly. We have also raised the height of natural hedges to prevent deer accessing the farm as wild deer are also a bio security risk.

Alpacas are classed as an overspill species with regard to Bovine TB. The tests typically used in cattle are almost useless in camelids and unfortunately clinical signs of BTB can be vague. It has been shown that BTB found in an alpaca herd can result in whole herd losses. For more information on alpacas and BTB go to www.alpacatb.org. For more information on bovine tb and farm biosecurity go to www.southwest-tbadvice.co.uk.

We looked at all the options before deciding how to best protect our herd and in the end decided it made practical and long term financial sense to just get on with it and install permanent badger fencing. Thanks to advances in fencing technology and bio security knowledge and protocols, bovine TB in alpacas can largely be prevented.

Installing badger proof fencing – how we did it

Installing fencing of this type involves additional equipment and good project management for an efficient installation. It is possible to do it yourself. Due to the size of our farm, we opted to engage professionals who completed the job to a high standard with little inconvenience to us or our alpacas.

It is worth bearing in mind that badgers can squeeze through a gap of 8cm. Gaps between gate posts and gates and the ground should be checked and limited to 7.5cm. (see APHA website for bio security information)

The 1st stage of the project (approx.1000 metres) took a total of 8 days to complete. Below we have illustrated the stages involved.

Straining post goes in before the trench is dug.

Digging the trench using a powerful digger can be relatively quick.

The trench is now ready for the posts. Where we have hedges we have brought the new fence inwards which will allow the hedges to be cut as normal.

Getting the trenches dug takes time so it’s a good idea to get a head start once the straining posts are in..

Creosote fence posts (McVeigh Parker) last the longest once installed.

Putting the posts in using a guide line towards the ‘inside’ of the trench.

Perfectly straight ! The posts need to be in a very straight line ready for the wire.

Strainers need to be strong and are cross braced with high tensile wire to prevent movement.

The X fence wire is laid in the trench, the bottom of the X fence is curved to the outside by hand whilst the wire is tensioned using the tractor.

Back filling the trenches is carefully completed using the digger and by hand.

Backfilled and ready for the electric wire. The posts will be cut to the correct height at the end.

Black creosoted posts and non reflective wire helps to ensure the completed fence blends in.

The need for the wire to be buried does mean a gap to the boundary but this does allow for hedge cutting.