You need the right fence in the right place for the right reasons, said Randy Cutler of Milladore, Wisconsin, during his presentation at the 2017 Grassworks Grazing Conference.
“What fence works best really depends on what you need,” he said.
Cutler advised when planning, don’t look at the old fence design; look at the land like it was a clean slate without old fence lines. He said to consider the following: soil types, topography, water movement and livestock access. Ask yourself: Will there be possible succession? How permanent should your fence be?
Once you have your ideas down, seek some help from a professional to draw up a design. They can help you consider lanes, gates and handling areas. “It’s also important to place your fence to avoid erosion,” he noted.
Where to put the gates is an important decision when building a fence, Cutler said.
“Each gate adds to the cost of the fence, but not having enough or not having them in the right place can cause a lot of extra work throughout the life of the fence. The main two reasons to put in a gate are: one, to move livestock, and two, to give machinery access to the area. The first for livestock is always best served in the corner, as animals will move easier. For machinery access, however, it is usually best to place the gate in the middle of the line.”
There are more types of fencing than many farmers realize: pipe, panel, cable, board, welded wire, woven, barb, hedge, vinyl and high tensile. There are also different types of electric fencing. Talking to a fencing professional or a grazing expert may be helpful to determine what is best for a given operation. If you don’t want to work with a fencing professional, inquire with your local extension office, NRCS or county conservation program.
One of the major considerations is what species of animals will be kept, and if there will be bulls or rams.
Dairy cattle can be contained with a three-wire high tensile electric perimeter. Interior lines and lanes need to only have one wire.
Beef cows with calves should have a four-wire electric perimeter and a one- or two-wire interior. Adult horses need a hot wire at 48 inches high and usually require coated wire, tape or rope electric fences. High tensile wire is not recommended for horses.
Sheep and goats need a five-wire electric or woven wire. Cutler said he likes to put a barb wire on the ground below the woven wire to prevent predators from digging under.
A five-strand barb wire will be a good fence for any type of cattle and is darn hard for people to get through.
In general for fencing, Cutler recommended the following to save money on fencing:
- Plan ahead
- Reduce the number of wires
- Reduce the number of posts
- Do it right the first time
- Be flexible
- Use materials made for the job
- Do some of your own work
- Use resources available
A general rule of thumb for electric fences is to have it at chest level for the animal you are trying to contain, but fence height should vary for other types of fences as well. “If you have several species on the same farm, you will need to build a fence to contain the species most difficult to contain. For example, if you have horses, you need the top wire at 48 to 50 inches, but for sheep or hogs, your top wire may be at 36 inches or maybe even lower.” He added, “Goats will climb a fence; horses will rub on it; and sheep and hogs will go under it.”
For any type of permanent fencing, posts are important. Line, brace, corner and end posts all have special considerations, and longevity for all types should be a priority. Cutler also noted that all treated posts must be pressure treated and not just dipped or painted on.
The only benefit of steel T posts over wooden posts is ease of installation. Barb wire and woven wire require the same type of bracing and post spacing. You will need to use wood posts at every hill, dip or curve. Steel T posts will bend or pull out.
Cutler said for electric fences, he prefers to use line posts made from plastic, fiberglass or dense wood because the posts themselves are insulated and therefore do not require an attached insulator. Fiberglass posts will deteriorate in the sun and be hard on hands within a few years. He said PVC may be a better choice.
Posts made from denser woods such as locust, eucalyptus or white oak usually last longer. White cedar posts can last up to 20 years.
Corner posts, end posts and vertical brace posts should be 5 inches in diameter, and line posts should be 4 inches in diameter.
“Corner posts should be put at least 45 inches in the ground. If you are working with boggy soil, you will need a longer post. If you want the top wire to be at 48 inches from the ground, you must leave 52 inches above ground,” Cutler said.
He added that most treated posts are not approved for organic operations.
When putting up electric fences, the most expensive cost is the posts and wire. “Spacing your posts is key to reducing your cost. Some people traditionally think a 20-foot space is needed between posts, but with a two-wire high tensile fence, you can place the posts 100 feet apart if on level ground. I like 45 feet as a compromise, but if you are on a budget, push the post spacing,” he said.
If a grazier is exploring the possibility of grant money for fencing, such as through NRCS or county land conservation programs, be sure to talk with those administering the fund to make sure you are using the right materials and meeting all other requirements.
Do some research before purchasing wire as well, Cutler advised. Gauge is the measure of the diameter of the wire. The higher the number, the smaller the diameter, which means it was made with less steel and will have a lower price, but the material matters as well. “Fourteen-gauge high tensile wire is as strong as 12-gauge aluminum soft wire,” he said.
No matter what kind of wire you choose, Cutler recommended not buying the “cheap stuff.” Class 3 galvanized wire will last longer than Class 1. Cutler said, “A better coating is worth the extra cost. Some wire companies add a coating that has more longevity than Class 3 galvanization. Some wire coatings may protect the wire up to 30 years.”
Remember that the wire is protected by a coating; scratching, burning or acid chemicals can remove the coating and rust can appear in one year or less.
When choosing a charger for an electric fence, do not install a charger that is too large or too small for the area being fenced. An average size livestock farm (80-300 acres) will require a charger of 10 joules or less, Cutler said. The joule rating is a measurement of a charger’s ability to overcome a certain level of resistance.
The amount of voltage is the strength of shock an animal will receive when they touch it. Dairy cows generally can be contained with 3,000 volts; beef require 3,000 to 4,000; and sheep require 4,000 to 5,000. Goats, he said, will always be a challenge.
Do not choose the voltage based on the livestock’s past behavior. “Teach them to respect the fence; don’t go for revenge from the last time they got out,” Cutler said. 
Kelli Boylen is a freelance writer based in Waterville, Iowa.
