FG2 sheep netting fencing on Mid tier stewardship

Devonian

Member
We have got 3000m of FG2 (sheep net fencing) to do under the capital grants scheme. It specifies that you need to use 1.8m long stakes and 2.15m long straining posts. We would normally use 1.65m (5ft 6in) stakes and 2.1m (7ft) long strainers. I'm thinking of going for the 6ft stakes, but very reluctant to start using 8ft strainers. Obviously they cant see what length youve used once in the ground but unless you can get the supplier to alter the invoice info you're probably gonna get flagged for it!!

Just wondered if there were others on here that have already done fencing on the scheme and whether they risked it, or did it by the book???

Another thing... The height of fence specified is 1.05m. I'm hoping this is including a strand or two of barbed wire on top, so we can use the normal 80cm stock netting. Or does it mean we have to use 1.05m high netting before the barbed wire?
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
to the op i dont ,know
but what i have seen on here is pictures of ordinary uc4 woodwork used amidst comments "of thats looks good " etc, well yes it looks good atm but in 12 to 15 years time it will be falling over and someone will have to tidy up and refence.

To my mind its a waste of public money.

good for contractors though i guess.


i use clipex and reputable pressure treated creosote and even concrete as well sometimes as well as galvanised gates and post and those gates and posts at least if not driven into will last at least a mans career and more ,fact.


its got me thinking ,what actually is the reason for claiming grants :unsure:
 

upnortheast

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Northumberland
Claim is on standard costs. You just have to provide a pic of the finished job. Never heard of a request for sight of invoice
Inspections & queries seem rare ( Unless anyone knows different )
 

upnortheast

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Northumberland
The Satellite they use, can be used to check work and it zooms in fairly well apparently :sneaky:
Can not see it would show any more than the pics you have to provide with your claim.
9a-qH0X6hMDmZtjlA3xln15vxWYfQKSj3zn6DTtFYrZpN_aJbNOQdEoXG_Uh6SoAfbP0YkCPT1X9ZL219fe_mXcVZM4I5u...jpg
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Thanks, that what i thought, but wanted someone else to agree with me
you are right 2100 strainers are just right wont go in any deeper on some ground without a struggle and too much above ground is a waste and i dont know why they put them out of the quote
and the only 1800 stakes we use are clipex and they wont allow them :rolleyes:
have sometimes used 6ft wooden stakes tho and they arent so difficult to get a quote on and in someground / conditions nicer to work with.
 

Devonian

Member
to the op i dont ,know
but what i have seen on here is pictures of ordinary uc4 woodwork used amidst comments "of thats looks good " etc, well yes it looks good atm but in 12 to 15 years time it will be falling over and someone will have to tidy up and refence.

To my mind its a waste of public money.

good for contractors though i guess.


i use clipex and reputable pressure treated creosote and even concrete as well sometimes as well as galvanised gates and post and those gates and posts at least if not driven into will last at least a mans career and more ,fact.


its got me thinking ,what actually is the reason for claiming grants :unsure:
Gonna use creosoted posts I think. The payment more than covers the extra cost.

I think its quite good really. We wouldnt have been able to afford to do it without the grant, so i thibk it gives farmers an incentive to do work they otherwise probalbly wouldnt have done.
 

tepapa

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Wales
The quoted sizes are the 'minimum' expected, there's no reason you cant go bigger/longer, they'll never know the length of the posts so don't worry about that.

1.05 height is the height to the top wire so it's fine using 800mm netting. Wire wires above.

7' long strainers are a waste of time unless your over rock. If you can get them in the ground use 8's.
 

Devonian

Member
you are right 2100 strainers are just right and i dont know why they put them out of the quote
and the only 1800 stakes we use are clipex and they wont allow them :rolleyes:
have sometimes used 6ft wooden stakes tho and they arent so difficult to get a quote on and in someground / conditions nicer to work with.
They probably do it to try and catch people out so they can wriggle out of paying them. Why else would they specify a strainer that is 50mm longer than the standard size and a size you cant even purchase.

I havent got too much of a problem with the 6 foot stakes. Hopefully in our ground they shoudnt be too difficult to work with
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Gonna use creosoted posts I think. The payment more than covers the extra cost.

I think its quite good really. We wouldnt have been able to afford to do it without the grant, so i thibk it gives farmers an incentive to do work they otherwise probalbly wouldnt have done.
creo is good yes but make sure they are well pressure treated .

The incentive is there for a committed long term stock farmer anyway.
stock fencing in this way three times in a farmers possible career is frankly going to be gutting tbh .

also wooden gates and posts drugging in the ground dont appeal to me at all ,and wastes hours of time and energy.

but yes with age and experience you view things differently.:cautious:
 

Devonian

Member
7' long strainers are a waste of time unless your over rock. If you can get them in the ground use 8's
Interested to hear why? We have always used 7 foots and never had any issues. I'm guessing from your profile pic you do a fair bit to fencing, so you obviously know what youre talking about.

Certainly wouldnt want to dig one of those buggers in the ground for a 4 foot high fence. Saying that have just converted my old man to the way of thinking that knocking them in is much better and more importanly EASIER!!! Digging post holes is one of the most tedious jobs you can do.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I’ve never had a 7’ strainer move, assuming it was strutted (or H braced) properly. Rot off yes😡, but never had one move.

I don’t know about the English grant spec, but over in Wales, it specifies lengths and diameters of posts, but not how far they have to be in the ground iirc. An 8’ post sticking 6’ out of the ground is less than ideal maybe?
 

tepapa

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North Wales
Interested to hear why? We have always used 7 foots and never had any issues. I'm guessing from your profile pic you do a fair bit to fencing, so you obviously know what youre talking about.

Certainly wouldnt want to dig one of those buggers in the ground for a 4 foot high fence. Saying that have just converted my old man to the way of thinking that knocking them in is much better and more importanly EASIER!!! Digging post holes is one of the most tedious jobs you can do.
Getting an extra 1' of depth to the strainer will double the holding force. It's all about trying to reduce the chance of the strainer failing, mechanically that is not by rotting.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
Interested to hear why? We have always used 7 foots and never had any issues. I'm guessing from your profile pic you do a fair bit to fencing, so you obviously know what youre talking about.

Certainly wouldnt want to dig one of those buggers in the ground for a 4 foot high fence. Saying that have just converted my old man to the way of thinking that knocking them in is much better and more importanly EASIER!!! Digging post holes is one of the most tedious jobs you can do.
A hydraulic earth drill ime is best for hole digging. with the right diameter auger even a pilot hole can be bored for a strainer to its correct depth then knocked in with a post knocker and for it still to have enough suction and a kick back base in the bottom to keep it in the ground to do its job.
You can hire hydraulic drives/ augers on mini diggers , the likes of Richard Smith from N. Molton has one that can it can come with a digger ,its a HD one as well.
 

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