Feedlot fencing

[BWeir]

Hi, new to the board.

I'm am in the beginning phase of setting up a new farm to background calves on. The plan is to acquire them around 500lbs and sell at 800lbs. I am going to build pens to hold 100hd each. What kind of fencing if recommended for these lots? In my area here, all fencing is woven, barbed, or hi tensile, with occasional plank. I don't want barbed in this situation, but would be fine with woven if believed it would have sufficient strength.

My plan now is to drive steel pipe for line and corner posts, with the corners being larger. Our soil here does well with driven wood posts being put 3'-4' deep, so I figured steel would do well too. I've been seeing online that a lot of feedlots use cable or pipe fencing out in the midwest. Since no one around me use steel or cable fences, I have no idea how to figure the cost of such. The plan was to install myself.

I would appreciate any knowledge or information you can give me on the subject, including the best place to purchase pipe supplies.

 

[Buck Randall]

Look into guardrail. If you're buying that many calves, you're bound to run into a few crazies that a wire fence won't hold.

 

[shaz]

16ft panel wire with 2x8 treated lumber along the top. If you're buying 5wt calves they will test the fence
Once they've been in the lot a couple of weeks you can't get them leave.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

16ft panel wire with 2x8 treated lumber along the top. If you're buying 5wt calves they will test the fence
Once they've been in the lot a couple of weeks you can't get them leave.

Good idea... Just to add you can put rubber washers or rubber elevator flighting between post and wire and electrify the fence.
Works best on longer runs where you have no or fewer openings. Never do this in a holding pen,,

 

[BWeir]

16ft panel wire with 2x8 treated lumber along the top. If you're buying 5wt calves they will test the fence
Once they've been in the lot a couple of weeks you can't get them leave.

Do you go with an 8' post spacing with that setup?

 

[BWeir]

Look into guardrail. If you're buying that many calves, you're bound to run into a few crazies that a wire fence won't hold.

Do you know of any good places to buy the guardrail? Definitely thinking about going this route for my working area.

 

[shaz]

Do you go with an 8' post spacing with that setup?

You could get by with 9 for your exterior. If you need more support add another 2x8 across the middle. It's considered common knowledge that a calf won't try to jump something it can't see over but you'll eventually have one that will. Your fence really needs to be about 5 1/2 feet high.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

I would recommend pipe or 6 in wood post with continuous fence pipe panels. Also, if you plan on putting 300 lbs of gain on by feeding them grain, doubt there will be any profit left in them. Probably do good to brake even. Best to graze them spring and summer and sell late fall.

 

[sstterry]

Do you know of any good places to buy the guardrail? Definitely thinking about going this route for my working area.

Facebook, craigslist or contact your local road department for old guardrails that have been replaced.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/617481319538899/

 

[SBMF 2015]

Guard Rail or continuous fence. I have a concrete yard that has 2'x2'x4' concrete blocks stacked two high. For one side. With steel prices it was cheaper than continuous. No posts required and they won't break it.

And welcome to CT!

 

[sstterry]

Guard Rail or continuous fence. I have a concrete yard that has 2'x2'x4' concrete blocks stacked two high. For one side. With steel prices it was cheaper than continuous. No posts required and they won't break it.

And welcome to CT!

You are not playing around! Is 4' high enough?

 

[SBMF 2015]

You are not playing around! Is 4' high enough?

So far, lol. I got the idea from a place I consult for. When they at full capacity they fed out 700 a yr. He said they only had 1 str almost make it.
In the yard that I may winter my bulls in I stacked the blocks 3 high.

 

[sstterry]

So far, lol. I got the idea from a place I consult for. When they at full capacity they fed out 700 a yr. He said they only had 1 str almost make it.
In the yard that I may winter my bulls in I stacked the blocks 3 high.

I have pretty big cows and calves. I am afraid that 4 is not high enough for me. I had a wild one, about 5 years ago, that jumped/crawled across a 5 ft holding pen when we were trying to load.

Edit: After thinking about this, I suppose that the 2 ft wide block also creates a pretty big barrier, more so than just a fence or panels.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I have pretty big cows and calves. I am afraid that 4 is not high enough for me. I had a wild one, about 5 years ago, that jumped/crawled across a 5 ft holding pen when we were trying to load.

That's how I feel about it too, but it was to good a deal to pass up. I got 130 blocks, which made 260' when stacked 2 high. For $1,500. That works out to $5.76 a ft. When I bought them last summer 260' of continuous fence and enough pipe posts to go on 8' spacings would have cost $3,760 or $14.46 a ft.

 

[KAstocker]

I've considered backgrounding calves in the future and have wondered what fence to use. I think I would put up continuous fence or cable around the perimeter and put woven wire or cattle panels in between pens. Unless you already have deep pockets. I would save the guard rails for pressure areas unless it's more economical than pipe or cable.

I built a receiving pen last year to keep cattle in for a week or two when buying them. I just used wire panels with 4 inch wood posts every 8 feet. Corner posts are bigger. I was planning on adding a 2x6 along the top, but figured I could add that in the future.

 

[BWeir]

I'm not that familiar with the continuous fence, but it sounds like a good thing. I take it you drive or set your posts, then attach the fence panels to that? Would it still require a lot of welding like a pipe fence? I'm not sure how much the guardrail will cost me- I'll have to check around for it. For the strength it offers, I think it may be the easiest installation.

I want something sturdy that will last for several years without a lot of upkeep, and somewhat reasonable to buy.

 

[KAstocker]

Continuous fence comes in 20 ft panel sections. If you use pipe posts, you only have to weld the panels to the posts. They make clips that fit around the panel tubes that you weld. You probably only need to weld 2 or 3 clips per post. You also need to weld the panel connectors together.

Continuous fence goes up quick if you have a buddy to help or place some clamps on one side. I paid $107 per panel 3 years ago for 7 bar continuous fence.

 

[BWeir]

Continuous fence goes up quick if you have a buddy to help or place some clamps on one side. I paid $107 per panel 3 years ago for 7 bar continuous fence.

That's not a bad price at all. I guess I'll check around on some prices, although I'm sure they're about double that now.

 

[sstterry]

That's how I feel about it too, but it was to good a deal to pass up. I got 130 blocks, which made 260' when stacked 2 high. For $1,500. That works out to $5.76 a ft. When I bought them last summer 260' of continuous fence and enough pipe posts to go on 8' spacings would have cost $3,760 or $14.46 a ft.

As I understand it, a lot of concrete companies pour their leftover concrete into molds at the end of the day and that is how they sell them so cheap. It is essentially waste material that would otherwise be unused.

 

[BFE]

That's how I feel about it too, but it was to good a deal to pass up. I got 130 blocks, which made 260' when stacked 2 high. For $1,500. That works out to $5.76 a ft. When I bought them last summer 260' of continuous fence and enough pipe posts to go on 8' spacings would have cost $3,760 or $14.46 a ft.

The local concrete plant makes them with overage they haul back in from jobs so they're cheap. I've bought the 30" x 10' (2' base) parking barriers for $55 apiece. They're handy too. Concrete wash is $7/ton delivered, makes good fill or a base, literally cheaper than dirt. Got to look around for those deals and get creative.