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Farmers Prove Good Fencing Keeps Out Wild Dogs

More than 20 farmers met in Leneva last month to establish a local Wild Dog Action Group and discussed ways to protect livestock and wildlife from attacks by wild and domestic dogs

By Department of Primary Industries - 10th December 2009 - Back to News

The meeting was held at the property of proactive farmers, Warren and Jenny Lucas, who constructed high voltage electric fencing to protect their sheep from dog attacks.

Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) Senior Wild Dog Controllers, Maurie Moore and Greg Ivone were also invited to the meeting for their expert advice.

Warren and Jenny bought the farm five years ago, from Jenny’s parents, Len and Betty Ward, after repeated dog attacks made it very difficult for Len to run the farm effectively.

Len told farmers about the severe impact of dog attacks on both his health and his ability to fully utilise the 600 acre property.

"I couldn’t use paddocks near the forest because that’s where the dogs were getting in," he said.

"Our safe grazing area kept getting smaller."

Len also described the financial impact the dog attacks had on his business.

"In just one weekend, we lost 120 sheep and in today’s prices that would have been worth around $12,000."

Eventually, the stress became too much, and Warren and Jenny offered to take over the farm so that Len and Betty could continue living on the property.

The Lucas’ decided to tackle the problem by building a high voltage (10,000 volts) electric fence using six foot (1.83 metre) high mesh which was similar to what they had used on their old deer farm at Wooragee.

The fence, which Warren describes as the ‘Rolls Royce of fences’, has proven so successful that for two years running, they have achieved a 150 per cent lambing average.

Pasture quality has also improved as a result of excluding kangaroos from the grazing area.

DPI Senior Wild Dog Controller, Greg Ivone, said there were some important design features of the fence which can be incorporated into smaller fences to provide effective wild dog control. For example, a hot wire running no more than 150 mm from the ground; electrified gates and reinforcement of weak spots in gullies.

DPI Wild Dog Controller, Maurie Moore, also provided a practical demonstration of the range of traps that wild dog controllers currently use.

He went on to explain typical wild dog behaviours, and encouraged farmers to practice good farm hygiene, particularly when disposing of dead stock, to avoid attracting dogs and foxes on-farm.

There are now four Wild Dog Action Groups operating in Gippsland and North East Victoria.

For more information about the Wild Dog Action Groups please contact Vaughn Kingston at DPI Lakes Entrance on (03) 5155 8121.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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