Crops - Wildlife barriers Wildlife barriers



Monofilament fencing

Monofilament fencing includes fences of ropes or metal wire, with or without electric charge and have been employed to prevent damage from a variety of animals. Ahmed and Fiedler (2002) found that in comparison to control plots, rat damage to rice tillers were slightly reduced in fields with lethal electrified barriers in the wet season (RR = 0.86) but reduced the risk to a greater extent in the dry season (RR =0.16). Non-lethal electrified barriers also reduced tiller damage both in the wet season (RR = 0.26) and in the dry season (RR = 0) in comparison to control plots. To prevent damage on a variety of garden crops in Czech Republic from European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) damage, a wire fence was observed increase the number of plants per plot by an average of 10.5 plants, in comparison to the control where no plants remained (Mateos-González et al. 2023). A electric strained wire fence also reduced rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) presence and the risk of cauliflower damage caused by rabbits in England (McKillop and Poole 1994), in comparison to an unfenced control (RR = 0.20).
A study conducted in England (Poole et al. 2002) found that electric strained-wire fencing reduced the number of maize plants per hectare damaged by badgers (Meles meles) in comparison to an unfenced control (RR = 0.05). Branco et al. (2020) also found that a procedural control fence (without deterring elements) reduced elephant crossing from a natural area into an area with cultivated crops (RR = 0.28).

Using a 5-strand monofilament fence to reduce white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) damage on soybean in Missouri, USA, did not exclude deer from fenced fields but in comparison to an unfenced control field the weight loss was 199 g less per plant. Another study evaluated three models of commercially available electric fences to reduce deer damage on corn in Wisconsin, USA (Hygnstrom et al. 1988). The study found that a 1.4-mm (17-gauge), smooth steel wire and coated with a 1:1 peanut butter and vegetable oil mixture reduced the losses by 2.9 tonnes/ha compared to the unprotected control. Fields protected by Stockman Visible Grazing Systems polytape (VGS; Speedrite Equipment, Palmerston North, N.) lost 2.2 tonnes/ha less than the control, and fields protected with Glogard (GG; imported by Live Wire Prod- ucts, Sacramento, California) lost 2.5 tonnes/ha less than the control. A two-year study from Colorado, USA, also observed a reduction of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) damage to sunflower crops protected by polyrope fencing (Electro-Braid ™ Fence Limited, Yarmouth, NS, Canada) in the first (RR = 0.31) and second (RR = 0.13) year of the study. Winged fences did not reduce damage to the same extent in year one (RR = 0.66) and year 2 (RR = 0.72) of the study (Johnson et al. 2014). Porter (1983) applied baited electric fencing to prevent white-tailed deer damage on apple orchards and found that the mean new growth was 21.5 cm greater in fenced plots compared to the surrounding unfenced area.

Referenced papers
Ahmed S and Fiedler LA. (2002). A comparison of four rodent control methods in Philippine experimental rice fields. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 49, p. 125-132
Mean rodent tiller damage was reduced in Lethal Electrified Barrier plots, and Non-Lethal Electrified Barrier plots in comparison to controls.
Beringer, J., VerCauteren, K. C., & Millspaugh, J. J. (2003). Evaluation of an Animal-Activated Scarecrow and a Monofilament Fence for Reducing Deer Use of Soybean Fields. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 31(2), 492–498.
Using 5-strand monofilament fencing to prevent white-tailed deer damage on soybean, reduced plant weight differences in comparison to exclosure, but the effect was only marginally significant when compared to a control setting
Branco PS, Merkle JA, Pringle RM, et al. (2020). An experimental test of community-based strategies for mitigating human–wildlife conflict around protected areas. Conservation Letters, 13:e12679
Experimental fences significantly reduced the number of times elephants left the park to raid crops.
Hygnstrom, S.E., and Craven, S.R. (1988). Electric Fences and Commercial Repellents for Reducing Deer Damage in Cornfields. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 16(3), 291–296.
Corn fields protected from deer by either of three varieties of electric fencing had reduced losses in comparison to unfenced controls.
Johnson, H.E., Fischer, J.W., Hammond, M., Dorsey, P.D., Walter, W.D., Anderson, C. and VerCauteren, K.C. (2014), Evaluation of techniques to reduce deer and Elk damage to agricultural crops. Wildl. Soc. Bull., 38: 358-365.
Polyrope electric fences reduced Mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk damage on sunflowers within plots, while winged fences did not reduce ungulate activity.
Mateos-González F., Poledník L. and Poledníková K. (2023). European ground squirrels in backyard gardens: Identifying and mitigating agricultural conflicts with an endangered species. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation, 46.2: 139-145
Field experiments examining the risk of damage for 18 common crops in backyard gardens, observed a larger number of plants remaining where wire fencing was used to protect plants in comparison to unprotected controls.
McKillop G., & Poole D. (1994). Developing an electrified fence to exclude rabbits from crops. Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference, 16.
Few cauliflower plants were completely eaten by rabbits in the electric strained wire fenced field while most were eaten at the control sites.
Poole DW, McKillop IG, Western G, Hancocks PJ, Packer JJ. (2002). Effectiveness of an electric fence to reduce badger (Meles meles) damage to field crops. Crop Protection, 21, p. 409-417
The electric strained-wire fence proved an effective barrier to the movement of badgers with damage to plants in the fenced fields representing only 5% of that in the corresponding unfenced controls
Porter, W. F. (1983). A Baited Electric Fence for Controlling Deer Damage to Orchard Seedlings. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 11(4), 325–327.
New growth on apple trees were larger in areas protected with baited electric fences to control white-tailed deer browsing.