Fencing your stead or agricultural land is vital if you want to safeguard your farm animals and discourage wildlife from entering your property. Keeping your livestock and crops from external danger begins with the right choice of fencing materials. Before erecting the fence, you should know the different types of fences and find out which one is appropriate for your stead.
What are the Common Materials for Rural & Farm Fencing?
An agricultural or rural fence is usually four feet high, but it all depends on the regulation in certain areas in your country. Fences are designed to suit your farm location, terrain, and livestock. Before purchasing the fencing materials, you must know the local law.
Take a sneak peek at the different fencing materials:
1) Wire Fences
Wire fences are sturdy and can hold pressure compared to wood and net fences. This fencing material has high tension support, so it does not lose shape or sag. The wire can be stretched between the wired posts at the corners or ends of the fence. It has an interval of 50 to 300 meters of long stretches.
Wire fences are commonly attached to wooden posts cut from trees on public lands or plantations. There are metal posts or wooden posts between the braced posts to keep the wires upright and in the proper spacing, which is usually ten to twenty feet from each other.
The standard material in wire fences is galvanized-mild steel, and in recent years, manufacturers developed galvanized-high tensile steel, which is sturdier than the former.
2) Wood Fences
Wood fences are aesthetically appealing. It is less costly than other fencing materials, but it depends on the wood finish you want to install. The longevity of wood fences cannot last for years due to their susceptibility to the elements.
Although wood does not last, you must consider other factors when buying wood. The wood material should have a polyurethane covering to withstand flooding and pests. Combining wood and electric wire fencing is ideal for confining cattle and horses.
Whether you are using it to fence your home or farm, there are certain things to consider before buying the material.
Weather Condition: The type of weather in your locality may affect the longevity of your wood fence. It is unsuitable if your place often experiences heavy rains, storms, or freezing temperatures of more than 100 degrees. If you want a wood fence, you must choose suitable wood that can withstand decay.
Wood Species: The type of wood for your fence is another thing you must consider, as some species can withstand the elements, and some do not. Pressure-treated wood and those that do not have natural repellent properties are not suitable for fencing.
Cost: The cost of wood material may impact your decision about the type of wood you want to install. With a big budget, you can pick the best wood that can last for years. The advantage of a limited budget is that it does not hurt your pocket if you decide to move out to a new location in the future. It saves a lot of money if you buy durable wood.
3) Pipe Fences
Pipe fences are an affordable way of containing your farm animals. They are customizable according to your specifications and are excellent materials for corrals and pens.
PVC pipe fencing is the cheapest method to mount a fence. They are a substitute for wooden stakes and pickets to protect your ward. The PVC sleeves reinforce the wooden posts, which are less laborious and costly.
4) Netting
If you choose to install net fencing for your farm, consider the type of material you want to install for its purpose. It is economical to secure your farm and livestock.
They come in wire net or nylon net. Net wire fencing, also known as wildlife fencing, is popularly used by farm owners to secure their livestock. It is sturdier than nylon netting, even in harsh environmental conditions. It can withstand heavy impacts from horses, cattle, and other large animals.
A nylon netting fence is suitable for chickens, ducks, geese, and small livestock as they are not strong enough against heavy pressure.
Types of Farm Fencing
1) High-Tensile Wire
A high tensile wire fence could be costly, but it is worth the price. The springy steel hard wire has been gaining popularity since its introduction in the 1970s. This type of fence can withstand animal pressure as heavy as 1,650 pounds.
The wire could be woven mesh, barbed wire, or single-strand plain, which is more durable than mild steel. It can hold pressure and tension, making it a practical fencing option because it can last for years.
A high tensile wire is adjustable as you can stretch it. It is versatile because you can use it to electrify and insulate farmhouses. An electrified high tensile fence effectively contains farm animals compared to permanent and non-electrified fences. This material allows wider post spacing, where you can attach wood or metal spacers between posts.
The downside of high tension wire is that it is difficult to join because it is rigid and solid. You can join the wire by using proprietary clips. HT wire might be expensive, but it is cost-saving if you calculate what you spend for mild steel.
The wire does not require many posts, so you can save much money than installing a mild steel fence. Farm animals are less likely to get entangled in HT wire because it is not stretchable compared to other wire types.
2) Barbed Wire Fences
Barbed wire was introduced in the mid-19th century as an economical way of confining farm animals and claiming exclusive access to water sources and pasture land.
The traditional barbed wire consists of two mild steel wires twisted together. The steel barbs are joined together every ten to twenty centimeters. They come in 12 to 14 gauge and 15 to 30 twists per meter.
Usually, barbed wires have two to four points with 15 to 30 twists per meter. The ideal fence using barbed wires consists of five strands. The older version of barbed wire had three strands.
In the United Kingdom, farmers use two-strand barb wires to contain adult cattle. Sheep and cattle farmers use one or two strands of barbed wire alongside woven wire to discourage the sheep from crawling under the fence and the cattle from reaching the top of the fence.
The downside of using barbed wire is that it can be dangerous for farm animals to slash their skin when they bump into the fence, especially if they move fast and get entangled in the strands.
Driving wildlife and deer away from your homestead is ineffective if your fence is barbed-wired. Some states discourage barbed wire fencing, so check if it is allowed in your area.
3) Smooth Wire Fence
Installing a smooth wire fence is a safe method of containing farm animals as it does not inflict lacerations and cuts. Smooth and barbed wire follow the same style: single strand or two-wire twist strands.
Smooth wires do not have barb spikes, while a barbed wire consists of two-wire strands of twisted metal with spiky barbs. Another advantage of using a smooth wire is that it is ideal for an electrified fence by combining it with an electric fence charger to drive the animals away from your land.
A non-electrified smooth wire is not rigid due to its elasticity. Falling trees or large animals that lean on the fence may cause them to lose shape.
If using non-electrified wire, use smooth wire to strengthen the post braces. A combination of electric fencing and smooth wire is a less expensive way to reinforce the posts for temporary fencing.
4) Welded Wire Fence
Welded wire fence is a type of rural fencing that offers an extra shield against farm intruders and keeps your animals inside the premises. It is a solid material to enclose farm animals and livestock.
The cross sections and wires are welded together to form a stronghold. It is usually used for pens and chicken wire. The standard grid squares have a measurement of four inches tall and two inches wide with 14 or 16 gauge.
Welded wire is appropriate for small livestock as the wire easily bends if there is heavy pressure on it. Coyotes, foxes, and other predators cannot penetrate a welded wire fence.
However, zookeepers use welded wire fencing panels to cage monkeys, zebras, lions, and other animals for display and to protect onlookers. This type of welded wire fence is more durable than ordinary welded wire. This material is resistant to the elements, even intense hurricanes.
The customized welded wire panels are easy to install and do not require cutting. The welded wire fencing rolls are laborious to install. It needs a professional installer and tools to mount the fence.
5) Field Fence
Securing large animals and livestock is practical if you install a field fence. It is a sturdy fence due to its heavy gauge wire and crimped joints for reinforcement. Usually, the field fence has a wire gauge of 12 and 10 for the top and bottom additional strength. Here are some types of field fences:
Fixed-knot fence: This fence has a separate wire to lock the vertical wire or stays to the line wire. Its purpose is to reinforce the strength and wider spacing between the posts. This fence does not sag when animals bump into it.
Hinge-joint knot fence: This pre-fabricated fence is trendy because of its lateral strength and flexibility without causing breakage in the wire when there is heavy pressure on the fence from large animals. The wire intersection is strong enough as the vertical lines wrap the horizontal wires. The downside is that animals can climb to the top of the fence, causing the horizontal wires to slip.
Woven field fence: The horizontal lines of woven wire are interwoven with the vertical wires or stays. The wire consists of graduated spacing, in which the horizontal wires have closer spacing near the bottom and a bit apart towards the top. It is ideal for goats, sheep, or poultry, where the animals can ram or push a fence. As they hit the fence, the crimped joints spring back as they are flexible.
6) Electric Fence
Electric fences look unattractive, but they effectively drive away unwanted farm guests. The fence has pulsating current to the wires, which block the animals that bump into it. Brushing the fence may produce an electric shock to the animals.
7) Post & Rail Fencing
Post & rail fencing refers to a style that uses durable timber for posting and horizontal rails attached between the posts. It is usually installed on the ranch’s corners, tree boxes, gate ends, gateways, road frontage, and buildings. It is simple to mount and less expensive. You can install it quickly using a hammer and nails.
8) Snow Fence
Snow fencing serves as windbreakers so that the snowdrift cannot cause blockage on the field roads and driveways. The narrow wooden vertical slats are joined by wire to stop the formation of snow drifts on farms. The snow fence’s downside is that it needs regular maintenance and replacement due to decay.
9) Metal T-Post Fence
Metal T-Post Fence has various sizes, from four to eight feet, and they are in five groups. This fencing style is recyclable, durable, and transferrable if you move out to another location. You need a sledgehammer and t-post driver when mounting the fence and insulators or clips to attach to the fence.
T-posts may last two to eleven years if made of class 1 galvanization. The best material is class 3 galvanization, lasting thirteen to thirty years. If you live in a coastal area, the post may rust and last for two years or less.
10) Chain Link Fence
A chain link fence looks similar to woven wire fences due to its twisted vertical wires. It is the ideal fencing style for livestock containment. Due to its maintenance costs, it is not a popular fencing choice as it quickly loses its shape by livestock in small enclosures. The diamond pattern has mesh wire gauges of 9, 11, and 11.5 and is available in fifty-foot rolls.
Guide on Choosing the Best Farm or Rural Fences
The choice of agricultural fences depends on many factors, such as the kind of livestock, budget, maintenance costs, and weather conditions. Ask yourself some questions before buying the fencing materials, such as:
- Do I need flexible and portable fencing?
- Do I have a permanent pen and paddocks?
- Am I going to have this farm permanently?
- How much can I afford for the fencing?
- What animals do I want to keep in my stead?
- How big is my farm?
- What is the freezing temperature of my farm location?
These are some of the questions that will guide you in choosing the best fencing style for your livestock.
For Horse Fencing:
Horses are heavy and have a penchant for escaping, running, and jumping over fences. Farm owners should contain the horses in sturdy fences while they can graze freely in pastures.
A field fence of poly rope or poly wire works best for them. You can combine the field fence with electrified wire for reinforcement.
Mesh wire fences are another option as they are sturdy and safe for horses. They are also affordable compared to rail fences but slightly more expensive than woven fences.
A V-shaped mesh wire is a safe fencing option as the horses cannot get entangled in broken or loose wires.
For Hog Fencing:
Hogs are fond of running at fences. Confine them in feedlot panels, which are safe and durable fencing styles. Feedlot panels are easy to install and configure according to your specifications.
Another fencing choice for hogs is welded wire, which animals cannot loosen when they hit the fence. A combination of electrified and welded wire fences offers security to your farm animals.
For Cattle Fencing:
Cattle have the mastery of escaping, so you need a fence made of high-tensile and barbed wires. You can also mount an electrified wire fence. Since cattle are tall, the fence should be more than 54 inches.
For Goat Fencing:
Goats use their horns to trample themselves on fences. Like cattle, a goat is a master of escaping too. You must confine them in a woven wire fence, ensuring you secure the wire to post well. The height of the fence should be four feet or higher. You can also install an electrified fence to drive wild animals away.
For Deer Fencing:
Deer are best at jumping, so you must build a taller, sturdier fence on your farm. There are many choices for deer fencing, such as metal wire fences, polypropylene mesh fences, electric wire fences, chain-link fence, and privacy fences.
A heavy-duty and tall fence made of wire with grids can deter the exit of deer from your yard. The fence wire is made of metal, woven or knotted with grids to prevent smaller pests from entering the deer area.
For Bird Netting:
Controlling the invasion of pest birds into your farm can be troublesome. Birds like barn swallows, doves, and pigeons create their roosting and nest anywhere on your farm. The best way to drive them away is to install bird netting properly to prevent small species from getting trapped in the net, which can cause damage to their extremities.
For Poultry Fencing:
You can use many fencing methods to protect your chickens, ducks, and geese from going outside your yard. Experts recommend electric netting, a woven wire consisting of small openings and chicken mesh wires.
Choose a lightweight welded mesh wire with 2×4 inch openings. Chicken wire fencing is another option. Aside from its affordability, it is available everywhere and easy to mount.
It creates barriers to brooders and drives critters from the pens. Hang the mesh wire onto the small hooks of the metal posts, and then poke it into the soil using a rubber mallet.
A four feet width chicken wire is ideal for this project as it is easy to transfer with a metal post system. They are also attractive and add a rustic look to your farm.
Another option is electric mesh fencing for portable enclosures and more extensive areas with a size of 10by10 feet or more. Electric netting is ideal for both temporary and semi-permanent fences for bird control.
Lumber with slight thickness and width is perfect for forming ten feet extended frames for a 10by10 feet area. Cover the structures with chicken wire/poultry mesh. Enclose the space by putting the panels together.
Conclusion
Fencing your agricultural land should be one of your top priorities. It protects your livestock and large animals from soaking in snow and discourages stray animals from entering your homestead. Before installing a farm fence, you must identify the type of fencing material and style to confine your farm animals. We hope this article has answered your queries about the best fences to contain your fowl or livestock.
