Never really used a food plot. Got cows on my place and hogs.

Would a strand or two of electric fence keep our cows and hogs?

Would need battery powered. Any idea on how long a charge lasts? Solar panel would work?



Thoughts????

We have cows and hogs and never fence them out. Our plots are bigger though, like 5 ac, so it can handle it. Big ranch so rotate grazing and all plots wont have cows on them. We have hogs but maybe they arent as many as some places. Between all animals they certainly get eaten down but we arent trying to grow a crop so as long as there is some growth it seems to draw them in. With 10 plots, 25 stands/feeders there is just too much work to want to deal with fences. Im not saying not to fence, just offering our situation. In a perfect world we would probably fence but just too much going on. Also, we only do in cool season as an attractant and not in warm weather.
Others will more directly answer your question but I think one strand will usually keep cows out but not much will keep hogs out. Pretty sure solar way to go but others will reply.

I have cows and don't fence them out and feeders run year around.
I do rotate the cows to pastures that we are not hunting during deer season to minimize bovine interference.

There are fence chargers that are battery powered and have a built in solar panel to keep battery charged.
They two I have came from Tractor Supply.

Two strands will usually keep cows out but you have to monitor it to keep the fence wires from grounding out.
A pig will walk into it, get shocked and then usually jump and run forward and tear up your electric fence.
Once a pig knocks down the fence and grounds it, everything will walk over it.

I do use fence chargers on the feeders and electrify the cage to keep critters off of it.
Love to watch coons and squirrels eject themselves from the feeder when they reach over and grab the cage.

If cows are around; you need a fence. Two strands, tractor supply is your friend, 5 mile solar charger, more power is better, 2 ground rods, 2 ground clamps, 2 ratchet fence tighteners, yellow warning tape between t posts. Tractor and disc and your done.

They will work for cows, they will not keep hogs out.