Electric cross fences

[T & B farms]

I'm looking to setup a new 160 with several electric cross fences for an intensive grazing system. We have a very heavy deer population, so needing something strong and visible. They are going to be 1/2 mile long and either 2 or 3 strand. In the past I have used regular 14 gauge wire from the farm store and t-post with plastic insulators. I am always replacing insulators, and patching wire the deer break. I'm looking to build something low maintenance, and permant.
This is the wire I had in mind, I have never handled this type of wire. https://kencove.com/fence/Max-Ten_detail_WM2.php
Open to any suggestions. Going to need a very large quantity, so trying to keep price in check.
Would a single 10-12" hedge post concreted 8' deep be adequate without a brace? Generally we have 8-15" of good topsoils, then heavy clay. What kind of strainers would be recommended?
What about line post? What would be my max spacing?
What kind of insulators for corners?
Any advice/ recommendations are appreciated

 

[T & B farms]

Anyone?

 

[Texas PaPaw]

I use electric polywire crossfencing for all my interior fences. Have 14 ga steel wire on offsets along my perimeter fence to feed my crossfences. Don't have a lot of deer pressure but having a broken polywire is extremely rare as when animals go thru it they may stretch it and maybe pull it off an inline post but it usually springs back. Without more details about what you're trying to do with your crossfencing will have to give you my SWAG. IMO both high tensile and 3 wires are overkill for interior fences. For last 15 years, a single polywire has done the job very well. Suggest using a single Kencove braided polywire for your crossfences. Be much cheaper, plus much easier to setup and also easier to modify your setup when you figure out it needs some changes. Can use 1/2" fg post for ends and corners and the 3/8" work well for line posts. By using all fg posts you minimize the opportunity for shorts compared to metal posts. Thing to keep in mind is electric fence is not a physical barrier but a psychological barrier, so doesn't have to be that physically strong.

Suggest reading Greg Judy's book "Comeback Farms". He has a lot of good ideas and recommendations for using electric fence.

 

[T & B farms]

I use electric polywire crossfencing for all my interior fences. Have 14 ga steel wire on offsets along my perimeter fence to feed my crossfences. Don't have a lot of deer pressure but having a broken polywire is extremely rare as when animals go thru it they may stretch it and maybe pull it off an inline post but it usually springs back. Without more details about what you're trying to do with your crossfencing will have to give you my SWAG. IMO both high tensile and 3 wires are overkill for interior fences. For last 15 years, a single polywire has done the job very well. Suggest using a single Kencove braided polywire for your crossfences. Be much cheaper, plus much easier to setup and also easier to modify your setup when you figure out it needs some changes. Can use 1/2" fg post for ends and corners and the 3/8" work well for line posts. By using all fg posts you minimize the opportunity for shorts compared to metal posts. Thing to keep in mind is electric fence is not a physical barrier but a psychological barrier, so doesn't have to be that physically strong.

Suggest reading Greg Judy's book "Comeback Farms". He has a lot of good ideas and recommendations for using electric fence.

That is good Info. Sounds like we do things alot alike. I have a few farms with 14 gauge ran along the interior of a 6 stand barb wire. All to does it carry my charge and eliminate having to move the charger. I use Gallagher turbo wire and geared reals. Makes it very easy to move them. I'm looking to do things a little differently on this new farm. It is a very good 160, Good dirt and the grass is in pretty good shape. Going to lime it and spread chicken littler this fall. It is setup perfectly to intensive graze. Pond is at the top of a hill at north end of the property, so the waterer options are unlimited. I'm having a hard time describing what I'm waning to do. I will draw up a picture and see what everyone thinks.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

I use electric polywire crossfencing for all my interior fences. Have 14 ga steel wire on offsets along my perimeter fence to feed my crossfences. Don't have a lot of deer pressure but having a broken polywire is extremely rare as when animals go thru it they may stretch it and maybe pull it off an inline post but it usually springs back. Without more details about what you're trying to do with your crossfencing will have to give you my SWAG. IMO both high tensile and 3 wires are overkill for interior fences. For last 15 years, a single polywire has done the job very well. Suggest using a single Kencove braided polywire for your crossfences. Be much cheaper, plus much easier to setup and also easier to modify your setup when you figure out it needs some changes. Can use 1/2" fg post for ends and corners and the 3/8" work well for line posts. By using all fg posts you minimize the opportunity for shorts compared to metal posts. Thing to keep in mind is electric fence is not a physical barrier but a psychological barrier, so doesn't have to be that physically strong.

Suggest reading Greg Judy's book "Comeback Farms". He has a lot of good ideas and recommendations for using electric fence.

That is good Info. Sounds like we do things alot alike. I have a few farms with 14 gauge ran along the interior of a 6 stand barb wire. All to does it carry my charge and eliminate having to move the charger. I use Gallagher turbo wire and geared reals. Makes it very easy to move them. I'm looking to do things a little differently on this new farm. It is a very good 160, Good dirt and the grass is in pretty good shape. Going to lime it and spread chicken littler this fall. It is setup perfectly to intensive graze. Pond is at the top of a hill at north end of the property, so the waterer options are unlimited. I'm having a hard time describing what I'm waning to do. I will draw up a picture and see what everyone thinks.

First thing that comes to mind is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" Also K.I.S.S. Think you may be overcomplicating this. At least start with polywire and if that won't work with the deer then go to HT. Think the braided Kencove poly will be stronger than the turbo wire and also think is a little cheaper than turbo.

Again, really recommend reading Greg's book. Has a lot of good ideas that were really helpful to me. He describes a situation that sound slike yours and even has a diagram of it. Should be able to order this book from powerflexfence.com

 

[T & B farms]

I will check that book out.
I don't think I am over complicating it. I'm wanting to make something where I can move 70-80 pairs very quickly and efficiently. Moving 1/2 mile of hot wire will takes me about 30 min. I have a few ideas I will draw up tonight when I get in. They are going to be costly upfront, but I think will easily pay for themselves in a few years.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Greg's book will show you how to set up for quicker fence moves. Sure won't cost much to try the polywire before spending the money on more permanent fencing. Also been my experience that the correct paddock size is greatly different in the spring than in middle of summer or fall, so portable polywire allows for variable paddock sizes to meet those situations.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I'm looking to setup a new 160 with several electric cross fences for an intensive grazing system. We have a very heavy deer population, so needing something strong and visible. They are going to be 1/2 mile long and either 2 or 3 strand. In the past I have used regular 14 gauge wire from the farm store and t-post with plastic insulators. I am always replacing insulators, and patching wire the deer break. I'm looking to build something low maintenance, and permant.
This is the wire I had in mind, I have never handled this type of wire. https://kencove.com/fence/Max-Ten_detail_WM2.php
Open to any suggestions. Going to need a very large quantity, so trying to keep price in check.
Would a single 10-12" hedge post concreted 8' deep be adequate without a brace? Yes. That will be more than substantial. An 8" post 4' deep would be sufficient. Generally we have 8-15" of good topsoils, then heavy clay. What kind of strainers would be recommended? I use regular ratchet type strainers.
What about line post? What would be my max spacing? 50'
What kind of insulators for corners? I use the ones that look like a water hose wrapped around the post. Terminate the wire at the corner and use a jumper wire with a connector on each end to continue around the corner.
Any advice/ recommendations are appreciated Whatever you do, do it right the first time and you'll reap benefits down the road.

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

I'd call 844-48-FENCE if I wanted professional advice and good service with better prices. 200ksi wire is too hard to be durable.

 

[T & B farms]

I'd call 844-48-FENCE if I wanted professional advice and good service with better prices. 200ksi wire is too hard to be durable.

Thank you, I will give you guys a call when the time comes.
I give up on trying to post pictures

 

[JMJ Farms]

Three options when doing anything.
1) Good
2) Fast
3) Cheap
You can only pick two of the three.
1) If it's good and fast it ain't cheap!
2) If it's good and cheap it ain't fast!
3) If it's fast and cheap it ain't good!

 

[Farm Fence Solutions]

Three options when doing anything.
1) Good
2) Fast
3) Cheap
You can only pick two of the three.
1) If it's good and fast it ain't cheap!
2) If it's good and cheap it ain't fast!
3) If it's fast and cheap it ain't good!

X10!

 

[T & B farms]

https://postimg.cc/kDYbLT8Q

Here is my crude drawling. I know, looks like my daughter sketched it up for me.

The entire square is a 160.
The dotted lines will be portable fence. Originally I was thinking about making that high tensle, but that would make spraying or spreading Fertalizer a major pain.
The solid line through the center I want to have some kind of permanent fence. Thinking 2 or 3 stran hot fence. There will be a 18' gate in between every paddock.
The small squares you see will be the waters. Thinking an 8 ball waterer, that making 2 holes per paddock. For a total of 5 waterers. (Will 2 holes be adiquate for 60-70 pairs?) there should be plenty of drop from the pond.

Maybe I am way over complicating this. Just need something very quick and simple. Days we are farming, I leave in the dark and get home way after dark. I have an retired neighbor that looks after some of the cows when I am busy, so need to be simple for him to move them.

 

[MtnCows93]

id use 2 strand high tensile, one at 18'' and the top at 36'', on the hedge posts if they are straight enough to drive id drive them, concrete is a waste of time and money in my opinion

 

[ddd75]

sounds like a lot of waterers and expense and time.

why not just use a moveable tank with a float valve? or are you going to be wintering these on this ?

 

[fasttommy]

The wire you are looking at is great. It will last a really, really long time. Just do not monkey with knotting it, make all connections with crimp sleeves. The 200ksi is too stiff for easy knotting. But it is quite a bit stronger than 170ksi. It is super cheap for what you are getting and it goes up really fast. Plus you are only doing it once, instead of putting up and taking down all the time (i.e. doing everything with polywire). One strand should work fine, unless in your soil you need to run a ground wire for electric functionality, then use two. If it were me, I would use diagonal braces rather than a single post brace, but maybe your soil is more stable than mine. I'd probably put 3 permanent cross fences in (2 more parallel to the one in your drawing so you have four roughly equal size pastures that are 660' wide. This is much a more manageable distance for setting up/taking down polywire. Gates on the ends. The trouble with that would be water, you'd have to run two waterlines (one down each of the outside fencelines) rather than one. Yes, portable tanks would be great if you can pump water from the pond so that you can keep the tank full when cattle are drinking. Otherwise put in about 6 or 8 tire tanks (several along each waterline) with float valves and gravity flow if you can. I have no clue if you have enough elevation drop for gravity flow though, maybe that won't work. No need for "hole" style waterers, just use either portable or tires. Portable tanks take a bit more time to move around though. With the tire tank setup, just run out your polywire break, let the cows through, and go home.

 

[T & B farms]

All good info and I apreciate it very much. Yes there will be cows wintered here, so watering system has to be freeze proof. Once the grass is mostly gone (most years jan-mid March, I quick rotating them so much and feed hay) although, if I decide to go with Bermuda on this 160, I will drill wheat or rye into it. I can't picture how a portable tank will work? I'm not overly concerned about a little extra work and money if it is worthwhile. I am young, enterjeric, and have most all the tools I could ever need to Lay water lines and such.

Edited to add there is no power on this property, so any type of electric heater is out. Unless there is some kind of solar powered heater I am not aware of

 

[ddd75]

All good info and I apreciate it very much. Yes there will be cows wintered here, so watering system has to be freeze proof. Once the grass is mostly gone (most years jan-mid March, I quick rotating them so much and feed hay) although, if I decide to go with Bermuda on this 160, I will drill wheat or rye into it. I can't picture how a portable tank will work? I'm not overly concerned about a little extra work and money if it is worthwhile. I am young, enterjeric, and have most all the tools I could ever need to Lay water lines and such.

Edited to add there is no power on this property, so any type of electric heater is out. Unless there is some kind of solar powered heater I am not aware of

we've had down to over -5 here several days in a row and i'm happy with my Cobbett waterers. no heat.

 

[T & B farms]

All good info and I apreciate it very much. Yes there will be cows wintered here, so watering system has to be freeze proof. Once the grass is mostly gone (most years jan-mid March, I quick rotating them so much and feed hay) although, if I decide to go with Bermuda on this 160, I will drill wheat or rye into it. I can't picture how a portable tank will work? I'm not overly concerned about a little extra work and money if it is worthwhile. I am young, enterjeric, and have most all the tools I could ever need to Lay water lines and such.

Edited to add there is no power on this property, so any type of electric heater is out. Unless there is some kind of solar powered heater I am not aware of

we've had down to over -5 here several days in a row and i'm happy with my Cobbett waterers. no heat.

I like the looks and design of those, just not sure they would accommodate as many head as I'm needing. I'm not sure what I will do as of yet. You guys have given me a lot of good advice and things to research. Thank you all much