The foundation of any fence is the post. You can choose metal or wooden posts for your goat pen, though some goats might nibble the wood. The most important aspect of the posts is they must be sturdy. They'll need to be stabilized with concrete. You may also choose to have top and bottom rails installed to keep the goats from pushing the top of the fence down.

When it comes to the actual material for goat fencing, you have a few options. One of the best options is chain-link fencing. You'll want to choose a heavy-gauge wire so it resists your goats' best efforts to destroy it. You'll also want to choose narrow holes so your goats can't get a good foothold to climb the fence.

Another good option is woven wire fencing. This style of fencing is woven at a factory, creating a mesh of metal wires that are twisted together. The woven corners are almost impossible to break, so even tenacious goats can't push their way through. That said, the contractors must secure the mesh to the posts tightly to ensure the goats don't push it down.

Barbed wire is not recommended for overall goat fencing. They'll push their way against the wire until it hurts. However, because goats are stubborn, they may keep pushing until they're injured.

Welded wire fencing is also less than ideal because goats can break through the welding, which is surprisingly more susceptible to their tenacious pressing than woven wire.

As noted above, your fencing needs to be well-constructed to ensure goats don't press their way over or through. Therefore, consider hiring professional fencing contractors.

For height, a goat fence should be at minimum 48 inches tall to keep goats from just jumping over. If you're raising a species of goat that's particularly good at jumping, you may consider a higher fence.

Many goat owners also look into electric fencing. They electrify a top wire to discourage goats from jumping over. They may also electrify wires along the center of the fence to keep goats from pressing their way through. Electric wires also help deter predators.

Though barbed wire isn't ideal for the overall fencing, you can use it underground as an addition to the bottom rail. Buried barbed wire helps prevent predators from digging under to get at your stock. Some goat herders also install barbed wire above the top rail to prevent predators from leaping over to get the goats.

Clever goats will figure out how to open many kinds of gates. So in addition to ensuring the gate is sturdy and tall enough, you need to choose a goat-deterring latch. Hook-and-eye latches are almost useless - even your less clever goats will quickly figure out how to open such latches. A padlock is a better option.

Also, ensure the latch is on the outside to make opening it more difficult for the goats. Have the gate swing in. If the gate swings into the pen, the goats will find it harder to press it open.

Design a fence that keeps your goats in and their predators out. Pioneer Fence of Greenville can provide the supplies and installation needed for your goat pen.