6 Electric Farm Gate Installations For Sheep That Prevent Common Escapes

There’s no feeling quite like the slow-motion dread of seeing your flock grazing peacefully in your neighbor’s prize-winning garden. More often than not, the point of failure wasn’t the fence—it was the gate. A reliable electric gate is the cornerstone of a stress-free sheep operation, yet it’s where many systems break down.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

Understanding Common Sheep Gate Failures

The biggest challenge with sheep and electric fences is their wool. A thick, dry fleece is an excellent insulator, allowing a determined ewe to push against a single-strand gate without feeling much of a shock. They learn to "test" the fence, and once one discovers a weak point, the rest of the flock will follow her lead. A gate that relies on a single, weak connection is just an invitation for a breakout.

Another frequent failure is poor grounding, especially at the gate handle. If the handle is cracked, the connection is corroded, or the ground system for your entire fence is inadequate, the circuit won’t complete. The sheep feels nothing. To them, it’s no longer an electric barrier, just a flimsy piece of rope to be pushed aside.

Finally, simple mechanical failures are rampant. Springs lose their tension and sag, creating a perfect gap for lambs to slip under. Polytape gets twisted in the wind, reducing its visibility and effectiveness. The constant opening and closing wears out connectors, leading to intermittent power that teaches sheep the fence is unreliable.

Gallagher Bungee Gate: Flexible and Visible

The bungee gate is a fantastic solution for high-traffic areas. Its bright, multi-strand cord is highly visible, creating a strong psychological barrier before the animal even touches it. The real magic is in its flexibility; if an animal (or a tractor) pushes against it, the gate stretches and then snaps back, often delivering a memorable shock in the process.

This design makes it incredibly forgiving. Unlike a rigid gate that can be damaged or a spring that can be permanently stretched, the bungee absorbs impact and returns to form. The multiple electrified strands also increase the chance of making solid contact with a sheep’s nose or ears, bypassing the insulating wool. It’s an excellent choice for main pasture entrances where you and your equipment are constantly moving through.

The tradeoff is longevity. The elastic material will eventually degrade under constant UV exposure, losing its stretch and conductivity. You have to inspect it seasonally, checking for fraying and testing the voltage at the far end. While more expensive than a simple spring gate, its superior visibility and shock delivery prevent escapes far more effectively.

Zareba Drive-Thru Gate for Easy Access

For ultimate convenience, nothing beats a drive-thru electric gate. Composed of flexible fiberglass arms that hold electrified droppers, this gate allows you to pass through with an ATV or small tractor without ever leaving your seat. The arms swing open as you move through and then close automatically behind you, ensuring the fence is never accidentally left open.

This gate shines in laneways or between large pastures where you’re frequently moving vehicles for feeding or observation. It eliminates the single most common cause of livestock escapes: human error. Forgetting to close a gate is a mistake everyone makes eventually, and this system is your insurance policy against it.

However, it’s not a high-security solution. The hanging droppers create a psychological and electric barrier, but not a strong physical one. A truly determined ewe who learns to push through the droppers can defeat it, especially if your energizer isn’t packing a punch. It’s best used for internal divisions rather than critical perimeter containment where a breakout has serious consequences.

Dare Insulated Pipe Gate for High Pressure

When you need a gate that can withstand serious stock pressure, the insulated pipe gate is the answer. This is less a specific product and more a robust style of gate you assemble from heavy-duty components. It uses a rigid, insulated pipe as the handle, with a heavy-gauge wire running through it, creating an incredibly secure and conductive connection when latched.

This design provides a formidable physical and visual barrier. Sheep see a solid object, not a flimsy wire they might be tempted to test. It’s the ideal choice for high-density areas like holding pens, sorting yards, or narrow laneways where animals might crowd and push against the gate. The solid connection ensures anyone touching it gets the full, attention-grabbing force of your fence charger.

Building one requires more effort than clipping on a bungee cord. You need well-anchored gate posts and proper tensioning hardware to make it work. It’s also completely unforgiving if you drive into it. But for permanent installations where reliability is non-negotiable, its durability is unmatched.

Speedrite Multi-Strand Gate for Lambs

Lambs are escape artists. They are small enough to slip under a sagging spring and quick enough to dart through an opening before you can react. A standard single-wire gate is practically a welcome mat for them. A multi-strand gate is the only reliable solution when lambs are in the pasture.

These kits typically include three or more strands of polywire or tape connected by rigid plastic spacers. This design effectively "fills in" the gate opening, creating a barrier that works for animals of all sizes. The lower wires are positioned to meet a curious lamb’s nose, while the upper wires contain the ewes.

These gates are often sold as all-in-one kits and are remarkably easy to install and move, making them perfect for temporary fencing or setting up creep feeding areas. The key to their success is maintaining good tension across all strands. If you let them sag, you’re right back where you started, with a lamb-sized hole at the bottom.

Patriot Spring Gate for Rotational Systems

The simple spring gate is the workhorse of many rotational grazing systems, and for good reason. It’s inexpensive, lightweight, and can be moved in seconds. For quickly subdividing a pasture, its convenience is hard to beat.

However, a single spring gate is one of the worst possible choices for containing sheep. The open coil design and tendency to sag in the middle make it incredibly easy for a woolly animal to push through or slip under without getting a proper shock. A smart ewe will have it figured out in minutes.

If you’re committed to using spring gates for their cost and simplicity, the only way to make them effective is to use two. Install one at normal height and a second one about 12-18 inches off the ground. This two-wire setup closes the gap that lambs exploit and increases the odds that a larger sheep will make contact with an electrified wire instead of insulated wool.

DIY High-Tensile Gate with Strainrite Parts

For a permanent perimeter gate that you want to build once and trust for decades, nothing beats a custom-built high-tensile wire gate. This approach lets you match the gate’s strength and conductivity to the rest of your high-tensile fence system. It’s the ultimate solution for containing valuable stock or fencing along a busy road.

This involves using quality components: robust end-strain insulators, a reliable gate latch kit (like those from Strainrite or Gallagher), and the same gauge high-tensile wire as your fence. You can easily build a multi-wire gate with three, four, or even five strands, electrified to your specifications. Using underground insulated cable to carry power under the gateway ensures a clean, reliable connection without interfering with vehicle traffic.

This is not a beginner project. It requires specific tools for tensioning the wire and knowledge of how to properly insulate connections. The upfront cost in components and time is higher than any pre-made kit, but the result is a professional-grade gate that won’t sag, stretch, or fail under pressure. It’s a true "set it and forget it" solution.

Matching Gate Type to Your Flock and Fencing

The perfect electric gate doesn’t exist. The best gate is the one that fits the specific needs of its location and your management style. A gate for a temporary lambing paddock has vastly different requirements than the main gate to your farm.

Start by assessing the situation. Is this a high-traffic area for vehicles? Is it a high-pressure point for livestock? Are there lambs present? Is it a temporary or permanent installation? Answering these questions will narrow your choices significantly.

Here’s a simple framework to guide your decision:

• High-Traffic & Convenience: Choose a Zareba Drive-Thru or Gallagher Bungee Gate.
• High Stock Pressure & Security: Build a Dare Insulated Pipe Gate or a DIY High-Tensile Gate.
• Containing Lambs & Ewes: Use a Speedrite Multi-Strand Gate.
• Temporary & Rotational Fencing: A Patriot Spring Gate (use two!) or a multi-strand kit works well.

No matter which gate you choose, its effectiveness depends on the energizer behind it. Always check your gate’s voltage with a fence tester, just as you would any other part of your fence line. The gate is the most dynamic and frequently-handled part of your fence, making it the most common point of failure. A few seconds with a tester can save you hours of chasing sheep.

Ultimately, a well-chosen and properly installed electric gate is an investment. It protects your flock, your property, and your peace of mind, letting you focus on farming instead of fence mending.