Greg Judy is famous for using only a single wire to keep the sheep where they belong. Most people I know need multiple wires, if not 3 or 4, to accomplish the same.
One bit of advice I gleaned from his books is that sheep won’t leave as long as there is forage. The minute they run out of forage, they’re thinking of ways to leave the row, and unlike the cows, they aren’t scared of the wire.
Starting last Sunday May 25th, 2025 I lowered the bottom wire to the third hook. That is almost exactly 1′ (30 cm) off the ground. Since then, the sheep have been good at staying in their respective areas.
Before I’ve tried higher wires, and it just wasn’t working.
I think what was happening is the sheep would be nibbling on forage and they wouldn’t see the wire. Next thing the sheep knows, it’s head is under the wire. Either they keep on going, get a zap and jump forward, or they raise their heads, get a zap, and jump forward. Either way, they’re now on the wrong side of the wire and startled.
Once a sheep crosses the wire, the other sheep will start looking for ways to join them, doubly so if there is excitement. Eventually the sheep are climbing over themselves to get across the wire.
We’ll see how well the lower wire works. Right now I am running the cattle and sheep together, but I may change things up soon as the calves start dropping. I don’t want the cattle to headbutt or throw the sheep in the air if they wander too close to a calf.