How to Set Up a Solar-Charged Polywire Paddock

By Paul Luna

4 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUILDING YOUR PADDOCK

1. Before installing a large paddock, train your cattle on the polywire line by setting up a small electric fence near a watering trough. Remember, polywire is only a psychological barrier.
2. Look at the grade of the area where you are going to build your paddock. Grade will determine the kind and number of posts you use.
3. In some cases, you may need to add a second polywire line below the main one, especially where stockers will rest and in low-lying areas where cattle could travel under a single line.
4. Weight of stockers, number of head, stocking density and forage availability are the main determining factors when deciding the size of the paddock.

WORTH THE INVESTMENT

A geared fence reel can save time when stringing fence and reduce repetitive stress on your shoulder. You also can use it to run polywire off the back of your side-by-side for larger installations.

Purchase a larger solar charger than you think you’ll need.

A good fault finder is worth the extra expense.

MATERIALS:

• Electric gate handle
• Fiberglass posts
• Drilled fiberglass corner posts for corners and ends of gates
• Double foot tread-in fence posts
• Metal T-post for charger (optional)
• Insulated wire
• Turbo wire or polywire
• Geared fence reel
• Grounding rod
• Solar charger with battery pack
• Fence charger alligator clips
• Fault finder
• Survey flagging tape

BUILDING THE PADDOCK:

1. Connect a gate handle to the end of your polywire wound on a geared fence reel.
2. Attach the gate handle to a permanent fence or t-post using an insulated wire at desired wire height for the paddock.
3. Place a drilled fiberglass corner post on the other end of the gate.
4. Wrap the polywire through drilled hole at the desired height for the wire and then around the top of the corner post.
5. Drive another corner post into the ground at the next corner of the paddock, repeating the tie process.

Tip: Paul uses a polywire height of 36 inches for cows and 33 inches for stockers