Woven Wire Goat Fence: Height And Mesh Size Buying Guide

Choosing a woven wire goat fence starts with the animals that will use it. Young goats, or kids, may slip through openings that hold adults. A horned goat may reach through the wire for forage and then struggle to pull its head back out.

Start with the smallest animals and any horned goats in your herd. Then compare fence height, mesh openings at every height your goats can reach, and the posts and braces that will support the wire. A taller roll is useful only if the rest of the enclosure also fits the herd.

Table of Contents

· Choose A Fence For Your Herd

· How Tall Should A Goat Fence Be?

· Choose Mesh For Kids And Horned Goats

· Check The Wire, Knots, And Coating

· Compare GARVEE Fence Sizes For Your Layout

· Before You Order: A Goat Fence Checklist

· Common Questions About Woven Wire Goat Fence

Choose A Fence For Your Herd

Before ordering, list the goats that will use the enclosure now and during the coming kidding season, when new kids arrive. A pasture for mature, hornless adults has different needs from a pen for small kids and horned goats. Plan for the animals you expect to keep, rather than relying on a product label that simply says “goats.”

 

If you plan to add kids next spring, include them in the decision now. Also decide whether this will be a permanent boundary or an internal division you expect to move. That choice affects the supports, gate locations, and installation work.

How Tall Should A Goat Fence Be?

A 4 ft fence is a common starting point for goat pens. Cornell’s goat facilities guidance describes woven net fencing at least 42 inches high, with 48 inches preferred. Use that as a starting reference, then consider your goats’ size and behavior and the shape of the enclosure.

Compare The Finished Height

The GARVEE rolls compared below are 4 ft and 5 ft tall, or 48 and 60 inches. The taller roll adds 12 inches of fence height. It does not resolve wide openings or a gap beneath a gate. Measure the finished height from the goats’ side, especially on slopes or raised ground.

Remove Nearby Climbing Opportunities

Walk the fence line and look for stacked materials, rocks, equipment, or vegetation that could give goats a foothold. UC ANR’s meat-goat guidance notes that goats climb more than sheep and also try to go through or under obstacles. Moving a tempting climbing aid can be as useful as adding height.

Choose Mesh For Kids And Horned Goats

A label such as “4 ft × 328 ft” gives the roll’s height and length. It does not describe the openings. For each opening, width is the distance across between upright wires; height is the distance between horizontal wires. With graduated mesh, row heights can change along the fence.

Read opening width and height separately. This illustration does not show the dimensions of either GARVEE SKU.

For Horned Goats, Understand The Two Approaches

Texas A&M AgriLife’s fencing advice recommends openings less than 4 inches wide to limit head entry. Cornell’s facilities guide describes a different approach: 12-inch spacing between upright wires for horned goats, allowing room to withdraw a head that has passed through. These are different strategies for reducing entrapment, rather than interchangeable sizing rules.

The 12-inch spacing is not a general recommendation for mixed herds. If kids or small breeds share the enclosure, the complete mesh pattern must also contain those smaller goats; separate pens may be needed.

For this guide, start by looking for mesh that limits head entry. Even openings under 4 inches wide need to match your goats’ head size and horn shape. Have a local livestock Extension adviser or an experienced fencing contractor assess a horned herd’s proposed pattern before buying.

For Kids, Check The Lower Openings And Gates

Start at ground level. Inspect the lower openings, the gap beneath the wire, and both sides of every gate. A fence that contains full-size adults may still leave room for smaller kids. UC ANR recommends smaller openings to help reduce head entrapment. Match the lower mesh to the smallest kids you will keep, including planned additions.

Ask for a drawing that gives horizontal width and row-by-row heights, clearly marked top and ground. Include the bottom, middle, and upper sections in the review. If those dimensions are missing, set that roll aside for a kid pen until you can assess the complete pattern.

Check The Wire, Knots, And Coating

 

Official GARVEE product illustration for the 5 ft × 328 ft roll. It is not a measured mesh diagram.

Woven wire joins upright and horizontal wires with knots. Welded wire joins them at welded intersections. The two constructions can look similar at a distance, so read the selected listing rather than judging only the photograph. For the other construction type, see GARVEE’s welded wire fencing overview.

Hinge-joint and fixed-knot describe how the wires connect. Neither term gives the opening dimensions. Wire gauge describes thickness; “high tensile” refers to resistance to pulling forces. A gauge number alone does not establish tensile strength.

 

UGA Extension’s farm fencing guide explains how wire spacing and zinc coatings affect fence selection. Galvanizing helps protect steel against rust, but “heavy zinc” is not a coating class. Compare the documented specifications rather than assuming a service life from a marketing phrase.

Compare GARVEE Fence Sizes For Your Layout

These two GARVEE listings offer the same 328 ft roll length in different heights. The table separates published features from mesh information that still needs confirmation for the selected SKU.

 

If your enclosure plan calls for a 48-inch roll and the opening pattern fits your herd, compare the 4 ft option. For 60 inches, compare the 5 ft roll.

Before choosing for kids or horned goats, contact GARVEE support with the SKU and request the opening width and each row’s height in a drawing marked top and ground.

Estimate How Many 328 Ft Rolls You Need

Measure the actual fence route, not just the enclosed area. Subtract the gate openings, then add the wire needed for end wraps, joints, and your installation layout. Divide that total by 328 ft and round up to a whole roll.

For example, a rectangular paddock measuring 100 ft by 80 ft has a 360 ft perimeter. One 12 ft gate leaves 348 ft of wire run. An illustrative 5% allowance brings the estimate to 365.4 ft. Dividing by 328 ft gives about 1.11 rolls, so the starting estimate is 2 rolls.

Worked example using an illustrative 5% allowance. Set the allowance for your actual layout and installation.

The 5% allowance is an example, not a manufacturer’s installation rule. Set your allowance using the specified end wraps and joints, the terrain, and the actual run lengths. Plan posts, braces, gates, and fasteners separately; two rolls of wire are not a complete fence kit.

Before You Order: A Goat Fence Checklist

Use this short list to check the whole enclosure before ordering:

· Herd: Account for kids, horned animals, small breeds, and planned additions.

· Mesh: Obtain the width, row heights, and marked top/ground orientation for the exact SKU.

· Height and ground: Check the finished height, slopes, footholds, and gaps beneath the fence.

· Supports and gates: Match posts, braces, and gate clearances to the installation plan.

· Quantity: Measure each run and budget for gates, end wraps, joints, and hardware.

Langston University’s fencing guidance emphasizes planning permanent routes and providing proper braces and supports. After installation, inspect the enclosure from the animals’ side before introducing goats. Look for loose wire, gate gaps, and openings that could trap a head or horn.

Common Questions About Woven Wire Goat Fence

Is A 4 Ft Fence Enough For Goats?

It can be a starting point for some herds, but height alone cannot answer that question. Consider jumping behavior, nearby footholds, the mesh pattern, and the finished ground line. A goat that can stand on a rock beside the fence faces a different effective height from one on level ground.

Can I Use A Cattle Field Fence For Goats?

Only if its openings and installed layout suit your goats. A cattle label does not establish whether the same fence will contain kids or accommodate a horned herd. Compare the opening pattern with the smallest animals you need to contain and the horns of any animals that can reach the wire.

Should I Add An Electric Offset Wire?

An offset wire is an electrified strand held away from the main fence on insulated supports, typically on the animals’ side. Its purpose is to discourage contact with the physical fence. Oklahoma State’s goat-fencing guide describes systems that combine woven wire and an electric offset.

Have the system planned for your herd and site. It needs a suitable energizer, grounding, animal training, and ongoing checks for vegetation or damaged wires. An offset does not make an unsuitable mesh pattern suitable.

Compare GARVEE livestock fence sizes and check the mesh specifications for your herd.

More to read

Secure & Stylish Fencing at GARVEE — an overview of welded wire fencing.