January 2017 Articles

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Farm Fences Continued from December Issue

Farm Fences Continued from December Issue

Fencing Materials Board and chain link fences, if maintained properly, will work for many years, but their cost makes them impractical for most operations. These materials would be good choices, however, for around farm buildings, yards, gardens or where expensive horses or other animals are housed in small Farm Fences Continued from December Issue Fencing Materials Board and chain link fences, if maintained properly, will work for many years, but their cost makes them impractical for most operations. These materials would be good choices, however, for around farm buildings, yards, gardens or where expensive horses or other animals are housed in small areas. They can improve or enhance the appearance of a home or yard. Cable or pipe is another good fence material for specific applications. These materials work well when used for holding pens or dry lot operations. Cable and pipe make strong fences. Cables allow for some give to the fence; pipe is rigid. Again, the costs of these types of fences are prohibitive for most applications. Barbed wire is probably the most common type of wire used today. The typical barbed wire fence will have three to six strands of wire and is used for cattle or horses. This type of fence is not suitable for control of smaller animals or for wildlife control. Barbed wire is generally sold in rolls of 80 rods (80 rods = 1320 feet = 1/4 mile) long and is available in several styles and sizes. A standard barbed wire fence has five to six posts per 100 feet and may have wire stays between the posts. High-tensile fences are popular and can be used in place of barbed wire. These fences are made of smooth wire and generally have from five to 10 strands. The wire is stretched between pull posts, with tension being maintained by springs in the fences. Devices placed in the run allow you to adjust tension if needed. The advantages are that high-tensile fences are somewhat easier to handle, easier on livestock and easy to adapt. They are generally more economical than other fences and have a longer life expectancy. High-tensile fences work well for large livestock and can be adapted better than barbed wire. Woven or net wire fences, also known as hog wire fences, are best suited for small animals such as sheep, goats or hogs, and for controlling some types of wildlife. The wire is a series of horizontal wire held apart by vertical stays. The square or rectangle gaps in the wire generally get smaller toward the bottom of the fence. The wire generally comes in 26- to 48-inch heights and is more expensive than barbed wire fence. In many applications a single strand or barbed wire is place above the net wire to help keep animals from jumping or to keep large animals from reaching over the top. A barbed wire at the bottom of the fence will do the same to discourage animals from going under the net wire. Electric fencing has become more popular because of their effectiveness and ease of making quality temporary fences. Electricity can be added to any fence with a little modification. Electric fences can be temporary or permanent. Permanent electric fences generally use high-tensile fencing materials and are either fences by themselves or used as a single wire added to an existing permanent fence. Temporary electric fences can be extended from them. Adding an insulator is all it generally takes to make the conversion from a regular to an electric fence. Offset stays are used to add an electric wire to existing conventional fences. In a new application in high-tensile fences, every other wire or each wire can be "hot." To make an electric fence effective, you need a good fence charger. The setup of the charger is important. A charger that is not well grounded will not be effective. You also need to follow recommendations for lightning protection provided by the manufacturer. Poor installation or lack of maintenance can make electric fences very dangerous. Homemade chargers and improper installation can result in serous injury or death. The fence needs to be grounded to work. Most have every other wire hot. The other wire acts as a ground. In single wire applications, the moisture in the ground allows for completion of the circuit and improves effectiveness of the fence. When selecting a charger, be sure to consider current and future plans. Chargers are designed for a specific length of fence. If you exceed that length, you reduce the effectiveness of the fence and, in some cases, can render the fence useless. Adding cut-off switches and spring gaps also improves your ability to work on a fence if problems occur. Again, planning is important to decide the best strategy for your situation. Post Selection Fence posts are a fundamental part of a fence, and proper selection and installation will determine the life of the fence. Three basic materials are used for posts: wood, metal and fiberglass. Plastic and some other recycled or composite materials also are used but are not common in most areas. When selecting post materials, look at ease of installation, longevity and availability. The type of the fence, permanent or temporary, will play a role, too.
areas. They can improve or enhance the appearance of a home or yard. Cable or pipe is another good fence material for specific applications. These materials work well when used for holding pens or dry lot operations. Cable and pipe make strong fences. Cables allow for some give to the fence; pipe is rigid. Again, the costs of these types of fences are prohibitive for most applications. Barbed wire is probably the most common type of wire used today. The typical barbed wire fence will have three to six strands of wire and is used for cattle or horses. This type of fence is not suitable for control of smaller animals or for wildlife control. Barbed wire is generally sold in rolls of 80 rods (80 rods = 1320 feet = 1/4 mile) long and is available in several styles and sizes. A standard barbed wire fence has five to six posts per 100 feet and may have wire stays between the posts. High-tensile fences are popular and can be used in place of barbed wire. These fences are made of smooth wire and generally have from five to 10 strands. The wire is stretched between pull posts, with tension being maintained by springs in the fences. Devices placed in the run allow you to adjust tension if needed. The advantages are that high-tensile fences are somewhat easier to handle, easier on livestock and easy to adapt. They are generally more economical than other fences and have a longer life expectancy. High-tensile fences work well for large livestock and can be adapted better than barbed wire. Woven or net wire fences, also known as hog wire fences, are best suited for small animals such as sheep, goats or hogs, and for controlling some types of wildlife. The wire is a series of horizontal wire held apart by vertical stays. The square or rectangle gaps in the wire generally get smaller toward the bottom of the fence. The wire generally comes in 26- to 48-inch heights and is more expensive than barbed wire fence. In many applications a single strand or barbed wire is place above the net wire to help keep animals from jumping or to keep large animals from reaching over the top. A barbed wire at the bottom of the fence will do the same to discourage animals from going under the net wire. Electric fencing has become more popular because of their effectiveness and ease of making quality temporary fences. Electricity can be added to any fence with a little modification. Electric fences can be temporary or permanent. Permanent electric fences generally use high-tensile fencing materials and are either fences by themselves or used as a single wire added to an existing permanent fence. Temporary electric fences can be extended from them. Adding an insulator is all it generally takes to make the conversion from a regular to an electric fence. Offset stays are used to add an electric wire to existing conventional fences. In a new application in high-tensile fences, every other wire or each wire can be "hot." To make an electric fence effective, you need a good fence charger. The setup of the charger is important. A charger that is not well grounded will not be effective. You also need to follow recommendations for lightning protection provided by the manufacturer. Poor installation or lack of maintenance can make electric fences very dangerous. Homemade chargers and improper installation can result in serous injury or death. The fence needs to be grounded to work. Most have every other wire hot. The other wire acts as a ground. In single wire applications, the moisture in the ground allows for completion of the circuit and improves effectiveness of the fence. When selecting a charger, be sure to consider current and future plans. Chargers are designed for a specific length of fence. If you exceed that length, you reduce the effectiveness of the fence and, in some cases, can render the fence useless. Adding cut-off switches and spring gaps also improves your ability to work on a fence if problems occur. Again, planning is important to decide the best strategy for your situation. Post Selection Fence posts are a fundamental part of a fence, and proper selection and installation will determine the life of the fence. Three basic materials are used for posts: wood, metal and fiberglass. Plastic and some other recycled or composite materials also are used but are not common in most areas. When selecting post materials, look at ease of installation, longevity and availability. The type of the fence, permanent or temporary, will play a role, too.
Corner posts, gate posts and all pull posts/brace assemblies need to be very sturdy to hold the tension in the wire and/or weight of a gate. You should have a brace assembly or corner post with brace every 650 feet or less along a fence to ensure good tension on the wire. Wooden posts for these uses should have a top diameter of 8 inches. Metal posts should be 3 to 4 inches minimum, with a concrete anchor 20 square inches and 3 1/2 feet deep to ensure holding. Line posts should be placed every 12 to 20 feet for wooden posts more than 3 1/2 inches in diameter or 12 to 15 feet for metal T-posts or wooden posts less than 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Fiberglass posts can be used in place of metal or wooden posts on the 15 feet or less spacing. These posts give some flexibility and are very useful for electric fences. Posts made of composites and recycled materials can be used similar to wood or T- posts, depending on their size and manufacturer's recommendations. When selecting wooden posts, consider the type of wood as well as wood treatment. Treatment can double or even triple the life expectancy of a wooden post. Black locust and bois d'arc make long-lasting posts. Pressure-treated cedar or other hard woods also have a long life expectancy. Softer woods are more subject to rot, such as hickory and red oaks. Metal posts have replaced wood posts in most areas because of their ease of handling. Metal posts are driven into the ground, and wire is attached by clips. Small wood posts can be driven, but larger ones require digging holes for proper placement. Fiberglass posts are used in the same way as metal posts but are not as strong. Metal posts can bend, and fiberglass will flex. Composite and plastic posts can be used in place of other types depending on material and construction. These materials are generally used for temporary fences and electric fences. Never use a living tree as a fence post. As the tree grows, the wire becomes embedded in the wood. This causes pressure on the wire and increases its degeneration rate and may cause it to break. It also decreases the future value of the timber. If necessary, cut trees along the planned fence line and kill the stumps. Keeping trees and other weeds from growing up around the fence will increase its useful life. Corner and Brace Assembly are one of the major challenges in fence construction is keeping the wire taut over the years. This is the job of the brace and corner assemblies. These groups of posts are designed to take the pressure and strain of keeping the wire tight and holding gates over the years without moving. Proper construction and placement will increase the life of the fence while reducing maintenance. Corner post and brace post assemblies consist of two to three large-diameter posts (top diameter 8 inches or more) and need to be supported with a cross post and tied together with a diagonal wire loop. This loop should go from the top of the post in the direction the pull is coming from and the bottom of the support post (middle in a three-post design). This allows the post to transfer the force being placed on its top to the ground level of the support post anchoring it in place. Conclusion Proper fence construction means the fences will last longer and be more effective. Many products are available for use in fence construction. This makes the planning process more important, because they are not all effective for all types of animals and in all situations. The building process should always start with a plan. The plan needs to include current and predicted future needs. Take into consideration the lay of the land and current boundaries. Be sure to clear a path for the fence through woods and thickets. This will help in building a strong fence and increase its life. Electric fences are good for keeping livestock confined. They can increase the life of existing fences. Be careful to select only quality products and have them tested regularly to be sure they are safe. Finally, remember that a well-constructed fence is no guarantee that livestock will not get out. Proper maintenance and checking for problems will reduce your chances of liability. The better the fence is constructed and maintained, the better for you. Perimeter fences are the major concern in these types of situations. For cattle they should have at least five strands of barbed wire or net wire. Electric fences are also helpful but pose their own problems. For more details about post setting and post and wire braces, refer to Beef Cattle Production in Louisiana, pages 144 and 145 or use our website, www.lsuagcenter.com