Wire Spacing for Cattle

Help Support CattleToday:

roxie

New member
Joined
Nov 5, 2024
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
Texas
Howdy!

We're getting ready to put up about 3 miles of new perimeter fencing. The fence will be 6-strands of barbed wire. The posts are set at 54" tall, with the top wire is slated to be at about 52" and the bottom wire about 12" off the ground. The property will be used primarily for stocker calves (4-5 wts.). The place has a fair number whitetail deer, so we need to take them into consideration.

The most common wire spacing for a 6-strand barbed wire fence in our area is 8" apart--equally spaced (Option A in photos). This seems to work well for cattle, however, a top spacing of only 8" might be a little tight for deer if they get caught jumping over. However, I have yet to talk to anyone that's had issues with the deer getting caught up on the top strands. (But I'm sure it happens.)

Another consideration is to space the top few wires a little farther apart to allow some wiggle room for the deer in the event that one does catch the top wire (Option B in photos). As a result of a wider top spacing, the lower wires are then set a little closer together to help detour cattle from grazing the other side of the fence.

What are your thoughts on wire spacing? Option A? Or Option B?

(A) 8 Barbed Wire.jpg
(B) 10-9-7 Barbed Wire.jpg
 
I like 18" for bottom, 44" is plenty for top, 42" is better. Like Brute said, wildlife go under or over. Every time I do a repair or replace a staple around here I lower the top wire and raise the bottom.
I don't live anywhere near a major road but if I did woven wire might be something I would consider.
 
Last edited:
We build fence like example B except with 5 wires. I'd have to measure the bottom wire to be sure on height. We space the top two with 1 notch more spacing than the bottom 3. On overall height it's hard to call it a fence if less than 52" tall. A bull can easily jump over anything shorter and a horse will mash it down trying to get to the other side. We've never had any issue with deer since building like this. I do worry about the babies getting across the high tensile fixed knot fence but never noticed any stranded.
 
A lesson I learned with a low bottom wire is that the fire ants will build their mound up along the fence line and encase the bottom strand. This will cause it to rust out very quickly. I would also go 16 or 18"
 
A lesson I learned with a low bottom wire is that the fire ants will build their mound up along the fence line and encase the bottom strand. This will cause it to rust out very quickly. I would also go 16 or 18"
Another lesson learned with low bottom wire is if it's too low hogs will hit it when spooked breaking the wire.
 
Because of all the fence we are having to build after the fire the government is cost sharing on it. They gave me the NRCS specs on wire spacing. No 6 wire fence. But on a 5 strand the spacing is 15" off the ground for the first strand. Then 5, 5, 5. And 12 inches to the top strand which is 42 inches maximum height to the top strand.
 
Its splitting hairs between A and B. When deer jump a fence, they jump just high enough to barely clear their back feet. Doesn't really matter if its 45" tall or 60" tall, every once in a while one gets lazy and drags its back feet. If a foot gets between the top two strands, thats how they get caught. So the greater the distance between those two strands, the less likely one will get caught.
 
Because of all the fence we are having to build after the fire the government is cost sharing on it. They gave me the NRCS specs on wire spacing. No 6 wire fence. But on a 5 strand the spacing is 15" off the ground for the first strand. Then 5, 5, 5. And 12 inches to the top strand which is 42 inches maximum height to the top strand.
I have some EQIP fence that uses this spacing on a 4-wire (seems bottom wire might be more like 18" off the ground for antelope to crawl under. But then 5", 5", 12". When I built it, it needed to stay configured as contracted for 3 years. It looked goofy to me and I was pretty sure I would put a fifth wire in the gap between the top wire and the second wire, but it is effective fence so no need. I have built a couple other fence segments since and went with the NRCS "wildlife friendly" configuration. Best thing I have done is all new barbed wire is now the high tensile Cattleman's Pro 14 ga. It never sags once you stretch it tight and if your end braces don't move. Even big snow drifts don't seem to affect that wire compared to regular 12.5 ga. barbed wire.
 
Would elk do less damage negotiating this type of fencing ? Woven wire definitely does not do well with elk traffic, barbed wire might be easier to maintain.
 
We build fence like example B except with 5 wires. I'd have to measure the bottom wire to be sure on height. We space the top two with 1 notch more spacing than the bottom 3. On overall height it's hard to call it a fence if less than 52" tall. A bull can easily jump over anything shorter and a horse will mash it down trying to get to the other side. We've never had any issue with deer since building like this. I do worry about the babies getting across the high tensile fixed knot fence but never noticed any stranded.
I think a horse will methodically mash any fence. A hot wire offset on top and close to bottom is a fence saver with horses.
 
I Had to look up the NRCS standard. They say posts no more than 75 feet apart and wire stays no more than 15 feet apart. I never go any where near that 75 feet. I normally go 12 feet on the posts. Range fence I go 30 or 40 feet between posts with a stay or 2 between posts.
 

Latest posts

Top