How to Build a Livestock Fence: 5 Tips To Get It Right

Livestock fencing can be a challenging task for anyone who’ll do it for the first time. Yet, it’s a crucial job to safe keep the raised animals. In many cases, livestock owners hire pros to construct the livestock fence. However, this option could cost a lot of money, especially if the area to secure is extensive.

If you’re looking for a more affordable option of building a fence, you may do it yourself (DIY) way. For that purpose, here’s an article to guide you. Keep reading to know more about the materials and tips on how to build a livestock fence.

What Do You Need

Building a fence doesn’t start from scratch. You’ll need some tools, skills, and ideas on how to establish a hard-wearing boundary. In this sense, here are some of the basic stuffs you will likely need in your livestock fencing:

Fencing Pliers To Bend Wire

In most cases, wires used in fencing animals are generally thick and durable. Because of this, you should carefully choose the fencing pliers you’ll use. You’ll need some high-quality fencing pliers if you’re doing fencing regularly, such as the range from Maun, which uses parallel jaws for a more even grip on the wire.

“Maun Fencing Pliers”

Fencing Wire Or Wood To Secure The Area

Apart from the pliers, you may need to choose a high-tensile wire material. It is vital to prevent animals from forcing their way out or stray animals from breaking into the fences. To have better ideas about the wire you’ll use, here are some of the commonly used hardwires you could select from:

• Woven wire: This chain-link fence can be stretched and bent almost double its initial length and width. Typically, it comes in different eye sizes and configurations.
• Barbed wire: This can be a standalone fence wire or additional protection on a woven wire fence. Barbed wires have been used for ages because of their ease of installation.
• Welded wire: This is generally spot-welded fencing wire known for its durability but not flexibility. A welded wire could have custom-fit designs yet could be more expensive in general.

You may choose salvaged wood for wooden fences and look for them in timber houses or old barns. They’re economical in terms of wood and are also durable.

Fencing Posts

In many livestock fences, fencing posts provide the needed strength to hold the wire and provide foundational strength. If you’re planning permanent fencing, you should use durable wooden posts around 8ft. feet in length. You could bury the 3-foot bottom of the post in gravelly soil or 4ft. in loose soil. For temporary fences, you may use wooden posts with a thinner girth or steel rebars, Viking Rental may also be of help. In setting posts, you may consider the spacing between them so that the posted strength is distributed. The rule of thumb is to follow 14-16 inches of spacing for woven wire and 12-14 inches for barbed wire. Generally, the corner posts are taller and thicker than the other posts.

Tips In Building A Livestock Fence

Since you already know about building a fence, you may now check the following tips and tricks to have a highly durable livestock fence.

1. Consider The Type Of The Livestock

The type of your fence may depend on the type of livestock you’re raising. You may need to use thicker posts to ensure that the perimeter is strong enough to keep the animals inside if you’re growing cattle. On the contrary, you may install a woven wire with a narrow configuration for small farm animals.

2. Measure Your Livestock Area

After considering the livestock, you could start measuring the size of the area you’re going to fence. Check the contour of the land as well as the lows and bulges of the site. Collectively, they will be the basis for the perimeter fence.

3. Choose A Reliable Fence Material

Apart from the durability, you may need to consider the ease of installation and the stretchability of the fence. Extended fence wires have tighter connections with other wires and the posts. To make the most of this, you may tack all ends with a powerful stapler. In every mid-post, you need to ensure that every wire is attached correctly.

4. Install Corner Posts First

Installing the corner posts first allows you to estimate the spacing of each middle post. In addition, you could start with the deep digging of the corner posts to ensure stability. For a 10-foot pole, you may need to bury a quarter of it. It will add up to the fence strength. Moreover, the corner posts allow adjustments if your livestock area has an irregular shape. If this is the case, consider each ‘adjusted’ middle pole as a corner post. Hence, you need to install them after the corner posts. After establishing these posts, you may start mounting the less dominant one and the wires.

5. Use Heavy-Duty Hinges For The Gate

You may need to ensure that the hinges can bear the weight of the gate and more. For a 5-foot-high gate, you may need to attach four hinges—two on top and two at the bottom. To complement the hinges, you may need sturdy posts where you’ll connect them. For the same reason, the posts should also be able to carry the gates. After nailing the hinges, try to move in and out of the gate. If it won’t make a squeaky sound, it’s more likely to be a fit than not. If it’s your first time attaching a hinge, you may prepare for it by making a small gate to get you into the groove.

Final Thoughts

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Since livestock fencing is a procedural task, it may get easier every time you build one. When you construct, you may start with the tools and materials to use. You’ll need high-quality wires and pliers to cut, bend, and twist the wires. You may also need to plan out so you can finish a reliable livestock fence in time. If you are troubled in any part of the fencing, you could go back to this article. You could retake the insights that would help you build the livestock fence to secure the goats, swine, and cattle you keep and raise.