Barb spacing
- Thread starter dun
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Dun, you're up bright & early. I would guess the spacing would be the same as hi-tensile. Without going outside & getting a measuring tape, I will give an "about" answer. I think you will find it varies quite a bit. I pick the HEIGHT I want the fence to be (eyeball - about 50-55") than I pick the height of the bottom strand (about 10" off ground). I space the lower strands closer together than I do the upper ones. In other words, the space between wires gets wider as they go UP.
Hows that for an exact answer????
Hows that for an exact answer????
sidney411
Well-known member
We build all our fences with 6 wires 8 inches apart.
Hasbeen
Well-known member
The length of the handle of the hammer I'm using to nail it to the post. (about 8-10"). No particular reason except that is the way all the existing fence is built and I just continue on.
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
ive used 10" in the past but the cows can get there head threw it and pop the ties and loosen wire id go 8 inchs apart on five strands
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
For 5 strand, the first strand is about 15 inches up. The next one about 8 inches above it, then 10 inches or so apart after that, depending on the T-Post. I never build a 4 strand. T posts are on 10 foot centers and I like to tie cedar staves in between. Corners and braces are 3 inch or larger steel pipe, only because of the fire hazards in this area.
For six strand I start about 12 inches up and pretty much do the same spacing, give or take.
For six strand I start about 12 inches up and pretty much do the same spacing, give or take.
Running Arrow Bill
Well-known member
All of our fencing is 5.5' high. Next to the highway, we use 8 strands of barb wire. Interior and "non-highway" side fences are 7 strands. First strand is about 6" off ground. Rest of wires are about 9". 2-7/8" steel corner braces, T-posts 10' on center.
Susie David
Well-known member
Hate to admit it but I start with the top wire where we want it to be and eyeball the tits on the post on the way down. A few less on the lower strands...the wire appears to be level I feel OK. Set dead-men in the valleys where the tension pulls upward. We set posts five paces (15') apart and "H" braces where they are needed. Working wire this week, never have got the hang of it, arms always look like a bleeding Myan sacrifice, just clumsy I guess.
Dave Mc
Dave Mc
TheBullLady
Well-known member
How funny! I thought we were the only ones that used the old "length of the hammer" trick.
We probably do things differently on the bottom wire. Around here seems like everyone has a wire almost on the ground. Our bottom wire is about 12-14" off the ground.
We probably do things differently on the bottom wire. Around here seems like everyone has a wire almost on the ground. Our bottom wire is about 12-14" off the ground.
Requirements for state trust and public land in my area are 4 wires at 16, 24, 32 and (get this!) 44 inches off the ground. not high enough for a lot of my stuff, if any pressure is on them. Oh and bottom wire is to be smooth.
good for wildlife, not really a good holding fence for range cattle in my opinion.
Posts can be 30 feet apart with w/stays, 20 max otherwise (min 5.5 ft above ground)
Because we are in very rock country, the posts don't all get down the same distance so we measure from the bottom and then count "bumps" - makes a nice looking fence when the wires are done right.
good for wildlife, not really a good holding fence for range cattle in my opinion.
Posts can be 30 feet apart with w/stays, 20 max otherwise (min 5.5 ft above ground)
Because we are in very rock country, the posts don't all get down the same distance so we measure from the bottom and then count "bumps" - makes a nice looking fence when the wires are done right.
milesvb
Well-known member
4 wire is 10"-11" , 5 wire is 8"-9" , both with bottom wire 16"-18" off the ground for deer to pass
This is how I've been building them anyway.
This is how I've been building them anyway.
I'm about to start putting up HT wire, and I'm planning to start at 9" off the ground and go 9" between all 6 wires.. That's 54" total. With "1" being the bottom wire, I was planning to electrify 1,3, and 6. I'm planning to isolate 1 from 3 and 6 with a floodgate controller so that if the weed load gets too high, it doesn't short the whole fence until I can take care of the situation.
I'm also planning to put a so-called "100-mile" low-impedance energizer on about 2 miles of fence, drive at least 3 ground rods in the runoff of the barn, and run *2* strands of HT wire from the box to the grounds.
And then I'm gonna buy about three bred cows, because that's about all I'll be able to afford once I get this rickafracken fence done. :lol:
I'm also planning to put a so-called "100-mile" low-impedance energizer on about 2 miles of fence, drive at least 3 ground rods in the runoff of the barn, and run *2* strands of HT wire from the box to the grounds.
And then I'm gonna buy about three bred cows, because that's about all I'll be able to afford once I get this rickafracken fence done. :lol:
I have to chuckle a little at ya'll. 8 strand fence? :shock: I have a bit of everything here, wood, woven wire, barbed, wire panels, etc. One 5 strand barbed wire fence, appears to be 8-9" apart. A few 4 strand barbed wire fences around 12" apart, and then I have one pasture fenced with 3 strands evenly spaced, bottom one about 20" or so off the ground -- I usually keep 600lb'rs and over in that pasture, but I have kept 200lb calves in there without problems. Can't imagine doing an 8 strand. Probably cost about the same as just putting up 16' wire calf panels.
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
got some bottom land that can flood pretty good on the lower corner the wire there need too be a least 10-12" apart to let debris go threw or it will lay the whole works down
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
milkmaid":xcfyv7ap said:
Milkmaid, in the summers we have continual brush fires and cows start getting jumpy when the smoke gets bad. You can have an excellent plowed firebreak, and an interior pen to hold the cows, but you are still going to have problems.
The cows were bellering last week. I went up to see what was happening. A neighbor lost his round baler about a mile down the road. It was on fire. Smoke was bad until they put out the fire. Cows were all jumpy and bellering nonetheless.
Building fence has much more to do with adverse conditions than it does normal conditions. Under normal conditions, none of us have any worries.
milkmaid":1cxfgnm9 said:
Panels are probably cheaper than most fence, if you look at the super extra really long term investment... If barb only holds up for, say, 20 years, and rolls of it cost $150 by then, you lost money by not putting up panels when you had the chance all those years ago..
Ya know I started this post to be toungue-in-cheek, but now that I think about it... :lol:
backhoeboogie
Well-known member
cmjust0":1ydspmly said:Panels are probably cheaper than most fence, if you look at the super extra really long term investment...
Ya know I started this post to be toungue-in-cheek, but now that I think about it... :lol:
Panels are great and they cost less than a dollar a foot. They are easily moved/removed too. Put them up with T-posts and you can easily pull the posts with a tractor bucket, later on. There are cows that will go over them (only 52 inches tall for standard panels) but they are few and far between. Panels and T-Posts don't burn. If you want to break through the fence, it is easy and it doesn't take out all of the tension like it would if you were to break a passage in a conventional fence. I have fencing that consists of panels and T-Posts in areas and so far I have had no draw backs.
When I replace the fence on the road, it is going to be sheep panels in lieu of cow panels. Sheep panels are 5 foot tall and have 4 inch mesh, and run just under $2 a foot. I am going tube steel with a top rail. My cost is going to be about $5 a foot.
Running Arrow Bill
Well-known member
milkmaid":roahjrz3 said:
Yep!
Milkmaid, if you're referring to "our" fencing...
When you live on the Canada To Mexico US 83, with frontage on 83, 8 strands is just good insurance. We see hundreds of vehicles daily, including many semis, etc.
;-)
