The main goal of your alpaca fencing is to keep predators out of your alpaca fields. Alpacas will not challenge the fence.
TYPE OF FENCING
We like 2×4 mesh wire fencing. It keeps alpacas from sticking their head out through the fencing and ,also, keeps predators from sticking their head in through the fence.
We made our fence six feet high because we had deer and elk that would jump the fence. Most perimeter alpaca fencing only needs to be five feet high.
Part of our fence belongs to the state game department and is field fence. We do not recommend this type of fence for alpacas.
KEEPING PREDATORS OUT
Neighborhood dogs are our greatest problem. We designed our fence to keep them out.
We went to the extra measure of attaching chicken wire to the bottom of our fence and burying it so it would be harder for a predator to dig under the fence. The chicken wire extends two feet out along the perimeter. Be sure there are no gaps in your perimeter gates. We made the gate in the picture below ourselves. Note the bottom of the gate where we placed a board to keep predators from digging under the gate. Our fencing is reinforced by Sam our livestock guardian.
We recently read an article about bear attacks. This is not a problem here but I thought I would pass along what I read.
The article suggested putting ammonia soaked rags every four feet along your fenceline anywhere from two to four feet high to keep bears out. You must periodically resoak the rags in ammonia. If bears are a problem in your area, we suggest you do more research on this claim.
CRIA SAFETY
We kept in mind that we were going to have cria and planned our alpaca fencing accordingly. We made sure that there were no gaps in any of the gates, including the cross fencing. We did not want Mama and baby to become separated due to a cria accidentally getting through the fence.
We felt that state game department field fencing was a potential problem.
We didn’t want to spend money to fence an area already fenced. To keep cria from sticking their head through the fence, we put chicken wire up along the field fencing about four feet high. It was less expensive and took care of the problem.
In conclusion, when designing your alpaca fencing keep in mind the type of local predators and your cria safety. And a gentle reminder…if you open a gate, close a gate. Don’t go to all the trouble of putting up a good fence and then let the predators in or your alpacas out into harms way.
