Jun 13, 2020
Secure Fencing For Your Farmland Or Ranch Construction Project: Types & Benefits
Are you in need of a wire fence to keep your cattle? Are you looking for a woven wire to protect your garden or keep chickens outside?
When it comes to protecting livestock and crops, the most important thing before choosing the type of fence is to know:
- What are your requirements for the fence and what functions do you want it to perform?
- How much money you can spend on the construction?
- What are the legal requirements for the type and size of fences in your area (if any)?
The fencing of farms and ranches is one of the most important elements of a farm or ranch fence construction project. A fence can give the finishing touch to your farm and give a new look to your house.
Only a high-quality secure fence gets the job done!
Usually, when I think of fences on farms, the first thing that comes to my mind is an industrial wire fence.
In a recent chat with some local landowners, I was amazed by the fact that there are a variety of field fencing options that can help meet various functional, budgetary, and construction goals for your farm or ranch construction project.
Some types of fences commonly used on farms include woven wire, concrete, wood, metal, plastic, and other materials.
According to John Harold, an expert in fencing and owner of Harold Fence & Livestock - Cache Valley Fencing Company in Utah, the most popular cattle fences in America have a physical barrier, but the best is a braided wire.
His company Harold Fence & Livestock offers many high-quality fences that can be used to protect crops, farm animals, or your property.
Types of Fences And The Different Ways You Can Use In The Property
Barbed wire is the classic farm fence for cattle confinement.
A barbed-wire fence consists of several strands of galvanized steel wire twisted into two or four barbed wire. Barbed wire is recommended for relatively docile animals who prefer larger spaces.
Yet, some large, aggressive animals can easily break through the barbed wire: animals can quickly learn to stay away from the fence and the painful stings. Because of this effect, barbed wire fences restrict livestock to small areas, such as the back of a barn or even to the middle of the field.
Barbed wire is a low-cost option if you want to enclose a large pasture for your cattle.
They are inexpensive and require only wire fence posts and staples as fasteners.
You can also use a welded wire mesh fence and opt for a woven wire mesh fence to protect your gardens and keep your chickens inside.
Woven wire provides a great, durable, and affordable fence which, however, can be harder to install and maintain. The woven wire fence is reliable and strong enough to house cattle, sheep, goats, and horses.
The real estate fences are typically horizontal hardwood boards that are nailed and screwed into even posts. A ranch can also have a residential fence, such as a fence at the back of a house or even on private property.
Electric fences can also be used for securing your property and farm animals.
Steel, aluminum and high-voltage wire conduct electricity more effectively over long distances and are harder for livestock to see through. If your land is stony and hard, consider a high-strength electric fence (see later in this article) that can be installed with a few poles.
Properly built electric fences can be more expensive than braided wire and concrete fences, but they are not as effective.
Permanent or Temporary: Which type of fence is best suited to your needs?
If you have experienced the frustration of chasing a runaway sheep, you know that a good cattle fence is essential to keeping your cattle, whether you have one or 100.
Temporary fences are usually cheaper to build and can be moved from pasture to pasture or from pasture to other properties.
A permanent fence could be made of wood, stone, steel, glass or other non-electric fences…
To decrease a bit the cost for the fence, you can place the fence posts can further apart, if the size of the animals allows it. At the end, the type of fence you need will depend on the size of your ranch and the number of animals you have.
Even if you have a more limited budget, you should not be afraid to make a bigger investment in an agricultural or construction fence: this is an investment that provides security for your livestock; it protects your territory or land so that you can carry out your agricultural activities… worry-free.
