5 Best Goat Fence Netting for Hilly Terrain
Discover the 5 best goat fence netting systems for hilly terrain. Compare electric, non-electric, and permanent options designed to handle slopes and uneven ground.
Keeping goats contained on hilly terrain tests every fence system. Slopes, dips, and uneven ground create gaps that clever goats exploit in minutes. The right netting adapts to your landscape without compromising security or requiring constant adjustments.
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1. Premier 1 PermaNet Plus Electric Netting
Premier 1’s PermaNet Plus stands out as a reliable choice for hobby farmers managing goats on challenging topography. This system combines electric deterrence with physical barriers, giving you dual protection when terrain makes containment tricky.
The netting ships with built-in posts that stay vertical even when ground slopes shift underneath. That matters when you’re working with hills that drop quickly or have unpredictable contours.
Why It Excels on Slopes and Hills
The posts in this system feature double spikes instead of single stakes. Those dual spikes dig into uneven ground and hold position when gravity tries to pull everything downhill.
You’ll notice the difference when installing across a hillside, each post stays perpendicular to the ground rather than leaning with the slope. The mesh itself flexes to follow terrain changes without creating dangerous sag points where goats can push through.
The 42-inch height works well for most goat breeds, though Nigerian Dwarfs might test the bottom if you don’t maintain proper charge. Boer goats and larger dairy breeds respect this height when the voltage stays consistent.
Installation Tips for Uneven Ground
Start at the highest point of your slope and work downhill. This approach lets you maintain tension as you go rather than fighting gravity to pull the netting upward.
Space your support posts closer together on steep sections, every 10-12 feet instead of the standard 15-foot intervals. The extra posts prevent sagging in valley sections where the netting would otherwise droop.
When you hit a sharp dip or gully, use an insulated support post at the low point. This keeps the bottom strands off the ground where vegetation would short out your charge. Skip this step and you’ll spend half your time troubleshooting why the fence isn’t hot.
Durability and Weather Resistance
The UV-stabilized polyethylene holds up through multiple seasons without becoming brittle. You’re looking at 7-10 years of reliable use if you store it properly during winter months in harsh climates.
The horizontal conductive strands are stainless steel rather than basic aluminum. That matters in humid regions or areas with morning dew on hills, aluminum corrodes faster when constantly exposed to moisture.
Heavy wind on exposed hillsides presents the biggest challenge. The mesh acts like a sail, so you’ll need to add T-posts every 50 feet along your run for additional anchoring. It’s extra work upfront that saves you from chasing goats after the first serious windstorm.
2. Kencove Heavy-Duty Non-Electric Goat Netting
Kencove’s non-electric option removes the power requirements entirely. That’s significant when you’re fencing remote hillside pastures far from outlets or dealing with rocky terrain that creates constant grounding issues.
This system relies purely on physical containment rather than psychological deterrence. Your goats either fit through the mesh or they don’t, there’s no shocking them back from testing boundaries.
Superior Flexibility for Terrain Contours
The polypropylene mesh bends around hillside curves without fighting you. Unlike rigid welded wire that wants to stay flat, this material conforms to undulating ground naturally.
You can stake it down every few feet along a contour line, creating a fence that hugs your hillside like a draped fabric. This flexibility means fewer gaps at ground level where kids might squeeze through or predators might dig under.
The tradeoff is tensioning. You’ll spend more time during installation getting the right balance, too loose and goats push through it, too tight and it pulls stakes out of the ground on slopes.
Mesh Sizing and Goat Security
The 4×4-inch mesh openings stop most adult goats from putting their heads through. Kids under three months might still fit, so plan your kidding season accordingly or add a strand of electric wire along the bottom.
Horned breeds present a different challenge. Some goats will stick their heads through even though the sizing, then panic when they can’t pull back out. You’ll find them hung up on the fence more often than with larger mesh options.
Polled breeds or naturally hornless goats work better with this mesh size. If you’re running horned stock, consider stepping up to 6×6-inch mesh and adding a hot wire for deterrence.
Cost-Effectiveness for Large Properties
This netting runs about 40% less expensive than equivalent electric systems. When you’re fencing multiple hillside acres, that difference adds up quickly.
You’ll save ongoing costs too, no energizer to purchase, no solar panels to maintain, no monthly electricity draw if you’re running AC-powered units. The fence either works or it doesn’t, with no batteries to check or charge levels to monitor.
This portable 200W solar panel provides reliable power for camping, RVs, and off-grid living. It features highly efficient solar cells with up to 23.5% conversion and multiple output ports to charge various devices simultaneously.
The downside shows up in labor hours. Installing non-electric fencing on hills takes longer because you’re compensating with physical barriers what electric systems achieve through deterrence. Budget extra time for proper staking and tensioning.
3. Gallagher TurboLine Goat Fence Netting
Gallagher brings decades of electric fencing expertise to this netting design. The system works particularly well when you need semi-permanent fencing that can still be moved seasonally or adjusted as pasture needs change.
The orange color stands out against hillside vegetation, which matters more than you’d think. You’ll spot fence problems from a distance rather than walking the entire line to find where a tree branch fell or a post came loose.
Lightweight Design for Easy Setup on Hills
At roughly 30 pounds per 164-foot roll, you can carry this fencing uphill without a vehicle. That’s useful when you’re working steep terrain where ATVs can’t safely navigate.
The lighter weight comes from thinner vertical strands and more space between horizontal conductors. You get nine conductive lines instead of the twelve you’ll find in heavier systems.
This design choice means faster installation but requires consistent voltage to compensate for the reduced physical barrier. A goat that’s determined to push through will have an easier time with this netting if your energizer drops below 4,000 volts.
Conductivity Performance on Challenging Terrain
The stainless steel conductors maintain charge better than copper alternatives when fence lines stretch long distances up and down hillsides. Resistance stays lower across elevation changes, keeping voltage consistent from top posts to bottom stakes.
You’ll notice the difference most in dry conditions. Rocky, drought-affected hillsides don’t provide good grounding, which makes fence conductivity crucial. Poor conductors lose too much voltage over distance, while these stainless lines deliver shocking power even at far corners.
The system includes integrated grounding clips at each post. Use them. They’re easy to skip during rushed installations, but proper grounding at multiple points along a hillside run prevents dead zones where voltage drops too low to deter goats.
Pair this netting with a low-impedance energizer rated for at least three miles of fence. Hills and terrain irregularities increase your effective fence length even if the physical distance measures shorter.
4. Red Brand Woven Wire Goat Fence
Red Brand’s woven wire takes a fundamentally different approach than portable netting systems. This is permanent fencing designed to last decades, even on terrain that tries to tear lesser fences apart.
You’ll invest significantly more time and money upfront. The payoff comes in year ten when your neighbors are replacing their third generation of temporary fencing while yours still looks like new.
Permanent Fencing Solution for Steep Slopes
The 12.5-gauge wire construction holds tension across dramatic elevation changes. This isn’t mesh that flexes with the ground, it’s a rigid barrier that forces terrain to conform to the fence line.
That rigidity requires proper installation techniques. You’ll need line posts every 12-15 feet and corner braces that can handle serious load. On steep slopes, that means setting posts deeper and using concrete for end posts.
The graduated spacing starts tight at the bottom (closer vertical stays) and widens toward the top. This pattern stops kids from squeezing through low gaps while using less material up high where goats can’t reach anyway.
Tensioning Techniques for Hilly Installations
Install this fence in sections between high and low points rather than trying to tension across an entire hillside in one run. Each valley or peak becomes a natural breaking point where you anchor the fence and start fresh.
Use a come-along or fence stretcher to achieve proper tension before stapling to posts. Under-tensioned wire sags in the middle of uphill runs, creating push-through points. Over-tensioned wire pulls posts out of the ground or snaps at stress points.
The sweet spot comes when you can lift the wire six inches at mid-span between posts and it rebounds firmly. Any more movement indicates insufficient tension. No movement means you’ve pulled too tight.
Predator Protection Benefits
The tight weave at ground level keeps digging predators out better than any portable netting system. Coyotes and dogs that would tear through mesh or slip under electric strands hit a wall with proper woven wire.
You can bury the bottom six inches if predator pressure runs high in your area. Dig a six-inch trench along your fence line, set the wire in, and backfill. It’s tedious work on hillsides but virtually eliminates under-fence access.
The trade-off for this security is flexibility. Once installed, you can’t easily move this fence to rotate pastures or adjust grazing areas. Plan your permanent paddock boundaries carefully before committing to installation.
5. Zareba Electric Goat and Sheep Net
Zareba’s budget-friendly netting serves hobby farmers who need functional containment without premium pricing. This system won’t match the longevity of high-end options, but it gets goats fenced on hills without emptying your wallet.
The green color blends into hillside vegetation better than bright orange alternatives. That matters if you’re navigating HOA restrictions or prefer fencing that doesn’t dominate your viewshed.
Portability for Rotational Grazing on Hills
At 35 pounds per 164-foot roll, this netting hits the sweet spot between sturdy enough to contain goats and light enough to move regularly. You can set up temporary grazing paddocks on different hillside sections throughout the season.
The posts stake into ground easily, maybe too easily on loose hillside soil. You’ll want to check them after heavy rain when runoff loosens earth around stakes. A quick walk-through to reset any listing posts takes five minutes and prevents gaps.
Rotational grazing on hills requires thinking about water access and natural congregation points. Goats will wear paths along contour lines and around obstacles, creating bare spots that erode during rain. Move your paddocks before vegetation disappears completely.
Power Requirements and Solar Compatibility
This netting works fine with lower-voltage energizers than premium systems require. A 0.5-joule unit provides adequate charge for up to 25 acres of hilly terrain, though you’ll want more power if vegetation constantly contacts your fence.
Solar compatibility makes this option practical for remote hillside pastures. A basic 0.5-joule solar energizer costs around $100 and eliminates the need for trenching power lines uphill or maintaining battery systems.
The catch comes in winter or heavy shade situations. North-facing hillsides or areas with dense tree cover don’t provide enough solar input during short days. Plan for supplemental charging or position your energizer where it catches maximum sun.
The thinner conductor strands lose voltage faster over long distances than heavier-gauge alternatives. Keep fence runs under 1,000 feet from your energizer, or use multiple energizers for sprawling hillside properties. Splitting your fencing into separate powered sections costs more initially but ensures consistent deterrence across all paddocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best goat fence netting for hilly terrain?
Premier 1 PermaNet Plus Electric Netting excels on hilly terrain due to its double-spike posts that stay vertical on slopes and UV-stabilized mesh that flexes with contours without sagging, providing reliable containment for most goat breeds.
How do you install goat fence on steep hills?
Start at the highest point and work downhill to maintain tension. Space support posts closer together—every 10-12 feet on steep sections—and use insulated posts at low points to prevent the bottom strands from touching ground and shorting out.
Can electric goat netting work on rocky hillside terrain?
Yes, but rocky terrain creates grounding challenges. Choose netting with stainless steel conductors like Gallagher TurboLine, pair it with a low-impedance energizer, and ensure proper grounding at multiple points to maintain consistent voltage across elevation changes.
What mesh size prevents goats from getting their heads stuck in fence netting?
A 4×4-inch mesh stops most adult goats from pushing through, though horned breeds may still get heads caught. For horned goats, consider 6×6-inch mesh with added electric wire for better safety and deterrence.
How long does goat fence netting last on hillsides?
UV-stabilized electric netting like Premier 1 PermaNet lasts 7-10 years with proper care, while permanent woven wire fencing like Red Brand can last decades. Exposure to wind and weather on hills may require additional anchoring for longevity.
Do you need electricity to fence goats on hills?
No, non-electric options like Kencove Heavy-Duty Goat Netting rely solely on physical barriers. They’re ideal for remote hillsides without power access, though they require more installation labor and careful tensioning to prevent goats from pushing through.
