Good Fences Make Good Neighbors … and Better Producers by Macey Mueller for the Red Angus Magazine For busy producers, there are few things more frustrating than cattle getting out or unwanted cattle getting in. It’s added time, stress and in some cases, it can reduce profitability when calves are conceived at the wrong time or with the wrong genetics. When northwest North Dakota rancher Jim Enge signed a long-term lease on 960 acres a few years ago, he immediately started improving the perimeter fences of the property to keep his commercial Red Angus cowherd in and the neighbors’ cattle out. “The existing fence was literally one places certainly wire i iin n some pl laces andd ce rttaiinly l able hold hee ssaid. nott abl ble tto oh old ld ccattle,” attl ttle,,” h aid id. ““The The Th
property is 15 miles from my home, so getting it secure was important for my peace of mind. “The property is also landlocked with other pastures that share fences, and while you always run the risk of commingling cattle, a strong fence helps keep out unwanted bulls. When you’re strictly red you want to avoid issues with the neighbors’ cattle.” With the help of Jacobson Fence, Enge tackled the project over two years, first outlining the perimeter with a four-strand barbed-wire fence and then cross fencing with a two-strand high-tensile electric high hi gh-ten t sil ile el lecttric i wire i ffence ence tthat hatt respect. his cows kknow hi now tto o respe p ct. t
Enge utilizes a rotational grazing program on the six quarters of land, where cows are moved through three different cells twice over during the grazing season. The program has allowed him to considerably increase his stocking rate without overgrazing. “That’s the beauty of cross fencing,” he said. “You can usually increase your numbers without ruining a pasture because you’re taking the pressure off that one particular cell for an extended period of time. “I have also seen our conception rate for the cows improve because we’re breeding breedi dingg in in smaller small ller parcels.” parcels.” l ”
Not only does new fencing provide peace of mind, it can add value to a pasture that is leased or on the market.
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RE R ED AN A NG GU US Magazine Maaggaazziine M ne | JJa annuuaarry 220 02222 RED ANGUS January 2022
