Perimeter Fencing

[sros990]

I would like to background 2-3 cows when I retire and would like to know the best kind of perimeter fence to use—woven fence, or high tensile electric fence, or other.

Gene Logsdon the author of All flesh is grass recommends woven fence over electric because woven fence is more effective and sturdier than electric fence. He recommends woven fence even though woven fence is a "little" more expensive and harder to build correctly than electric.

Mr. Logsdon also says that for very small areas, around 5 acres, he would use cattle panels even though the cost is twice as much as woven fence.

Do you agree with Mr. Logsdon assessment if you were only fencing a few acres?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Sir Loin]

Steve,
What's wrong with barbwire?

 

[ga. prime]

Mr. Logdon apparently never built a fence.
Five acres enclosed by corral pannels is ludicrous to put it mildly. Use two strands 12.5 gauge electric.

 

[ga. prime]

To further elaborate, the elec. will be far, far, far, easier and less expensive to put up and take down and will keep the cows in as well or better than Mr. Logsdon's alternative suggestions.

 

[MikeC]

Mr. Logdon apparently never built a fence.
Five acres enclosed by corral pannels is ludicrous to put it mildly. Use two strands 12.5 gauge electric.

It would take 155... 12 ft. cattle panels to cover a 5 acre square. Let's see.......times... say $40 for the cheap ones.

$6,200

Tell you what. I'll put you a nice barbed wire fence up for $5200 and furnish the materials and labor. Deal?

You'll save a $1,000 bucks!

 

[curtis]

I use high tensile electric, it works for me.

 

[Crowderfarms]

I would like to background 2-3 cows when I retire and would like to know the best kind of perimeter fence to use—woven fence, or high tensile electric fence, or other.

Gene Logsdon the author of All flesh is grass recommends woven fence over electric because woven fence is more effective and sturdier than electric fence. He recommends woven fence even though woven fence is a "little" more expensive and harder to build correctly than electric.

Mr. Logsdon also says that for very small areas, around 5 acres, he would use cattle panels even though the cost is twice as much as woven fence.

Do you agree with Mr. Logsdon assessment if you were only fencing a few acres?

Thanks,
Steve

Mr. Logsdon must own some TSC stock. I would go with 4-5 strands of 15.5 Barb Wire, or if you want to save even more $, go with 18 ga. Barb Wire, and electrify it with a GOOD charger. The cattle Panel suggestion was at the least, ridiculous.

 

[KenB]

If I were fencing a 5 acre field for a couple of cows I would use woven wire. It will keep most anything in, won't cost much more then barbed wire and you won't have to worry about maintaining a fence charger or keeping the weeds off of an electric fence.

 

[Cowdirt]

I would like to background 2-3 cows when I retire and would like to know the best kind of perimeter fence to use—woven fence, or high tensile electric fence, or other.

Gene Logsdon the author of All flesh is grass recommends woven fence over electric because woven fence is more effective and sturdier than electric fence. He recommends woven fence even though woven fence is a "little" more expensive and harder to build correctly than electric.

Mr. Logsdon also says that for very small areas, around 5 acres, he would use cattle panels even though the cost is twice as much as woven fence.

Do you agree with Mr. Logsdon assessment if you were only fencing a few acres?

Thanks,
Steve

Well giving Mr. Logsdon the benefit of doubt, he probably meant the heavy ga. welded wire panels. But I think the idea is still impractical and expensive. My vote would be for 5 strand barb or woven fence.

 

[Sir Loin]

Another thing you need to consider is "what do you want to keep out".
Electric, then barb seems to work best for neighbor's kids, while woven works best for neighbor's dogs.
I don't know about alligators and wives and mother-in-laws.

 

[novatech]

I would like to background 2-3 cows when I retire and would like to know the best kind of perimeter fence to use—woven fence, or high tensile electric fence, or other.

Gene Logsdon the author of All flesh is grass recommends woven fence over electric because woven fence is more effective and sturdier than electric fence. He recommends woven fence even though woven fence is a "little" more expensive and harder to build correctly than electric.

Mr. Logsdon also says that for very small areas, around 5 acres, he would use cattle panels even though the cost is twice as much as woven fence.

Do you agree with Mr. Logsdon assessment if you were only fencing a few acres?

Thanks,
Steve

The good part about woven is you can change to goats, sheep, dogs or nothing, plant a garden what ever.
With electric someone has to watch and maintain it. Makes it hard to leave town.
What ever you use, maintain with herbicide 2 times a year.

 

[Limomike]

ditto on that Nova... I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[dun]

For that small of an area I would lean towards field fence with 2 strands of barbed on top. Larger I would consider 5-6 strand barbed. I'm just leary of hotwire for external fences.

dun

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Well, I'll put my two cents worth in.

I think if you are considering electric fence you probably ought to think about where you are in relation to your neighbors. What I mean by that is city folk don't cotten too much to anything electrified. Country folk understand what they are looking at and don't touch it or pee on it. Cost wise it's probably the least expensive way to go (and maybe the most effective).

Cattle panels are absolutely ridiculas(sp). Last time I bought panels from TSC the 16 footers were about $22 each. So even at that price you can take a wheel barrow full of money down there and get your panels but keep another wheel barrow full for putting it up.

I don't want to start another long discussion on fencing so don't go there. This is my suggestion and mine alone.

You can put up a pretty good barbed wire fence at a resonable cost that will hold most anything you may want to run. I would use 15 1/2 ga Goucho wire times four or five strands. Use two "T" posts to every "substantial" post (Iron pipe or cedar), "H" bracing every couple hundred feet and substantial corner and brace posts.

I would not consider net fencing unless you were trying to keep small animals in or out. Barbed wire will do the job of keeping your beef in.

 

[moocow]

We have a variety of fence around the place and all seems to do well for what they were put in place for. Some of the perimeter fence on the place is wood posts with 5 strands of HT wire (top 2 hot) and strand of barb on top. If you go the wood post route, you can substitue metal T post every other one to save a buck or two. Cost of wood post, metal posts and wire is going through the roof, so buy soon, it's only going to go higher.

 

[Double A Ranch]

You can put up a pretty good barbed wire fence at a resonable cost that will hold most anything you may want to run. I would use 15 1/2 ga Goucho wire times four or five strands. Use two "T" posts to every "substantial" post (Iron pipe or cedar), "H" bracing every couple hundred feet and substantial corner and brace posts.

5 strand Gaucho with an electric fence on the inside. The electric fence will keep your cows from being tempted to try to stick their heads through it to see if the grass is really greener on the other side. lol.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

For that small of an area I would lean towards field fence with 2 strands of barbed on top. Larger I would consider 5-6 strand barbed. I'm just leary of hotwire for external fences.

dun

I generally agree with Dun.

Perimeter fencing should be substantial and there's nothing like 5 to 7 strands of 12.5 guage barbed wire. A determined (or careless) animal can easily go over a hotwire. Hotwires are best used for cross-fencing and temporary fences.

Whether you are keeping something IN YOUR area or keeping OTHERS animals out of your area, substantial perimeter fencing is essential to avoid livestock getting out, run over, and potential lawsuits. ;-)

 

[dieselbeef]

i do my perimeter with cattle rated 9 ga field fence and then 5 rows barbed wire inside cross fences

 

[McPherson Fencing]

well, I'm buildn 6 strand for cattle perimeter or interior. I use 12.5 gauge 2 point. Netwire is a great fence, real solid and all
but its a ton more expensive. I've never built electric fence, don't really care 2 either.

 

[KenB]

well, I'm buildn 6 strand for cattle perimeter or interior. I use 12.5 gauge 2 point. Netwire is a great fence, real solid and all
but its a ton more expensive. I've never built electric fence, don't really care 2 either.

I haven't priced wire lately, but if you figure $35 for a 1320 ft. roll of barbed wire vs about $140 for a 330 ft. roll of net wire the cost would be the same for a 4 wire barbed wire fence.