Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Cattle Fencing Options Commonly Available

By Janet Murray


The main purpose of a fence is to protect the livestock from wild animals and small pests. It also keeps them away from human and car traffic while keeping them away from crops. The fence controls their movement and keeps them in their pasture area. Cattle fencing is most effective when it can withstand the strength of the animals pushing and rub against it.

The fence you put up should be strong enough not to fall on the cows. With the different agricultural fences available in the market, you have a wide variety to choose from. A key thing to consider is the type of traffic near your livestock and the need to protect them from skidding vehicles and motorcycles.

The most effective and economical permanent fencing for cows is the use of barbed wire. It has been in use for over a hundred years and its basic concept has not changed. It still remains the classic solution when it comes to a permanent fence. Two to five strands of the barbed wire are enough to easily contain the animals. The major disadvantage of the barbed wire is the relatively high cost and the need for frequent maintenance. This is mainly due to the pressure exerted by the animals and the action of the weather. The wires need to be tightened every now and then.

There is a fencing option that is gaining popularity over barbed wire. The high tensile wire fence is relatively more affordable than barbed wire with lower maintenance costs. A major advantage it has is that it can also be electrified. This increases its effective rate over the common barbed wire.

In an area that is rocky or that has hard soil, erecting posts for a fence may prove to be difficult. A good option is the use of Russell fences. This fence type does not require posts to be put up. It is very easy to set up even on hills and valleys. All you need is an abundant supply of wood, labor and a lot of time.

There are other types of fences that can be used temporarily for cattle. Temporary fences are needed to keep them concentrated in the grazing area. It is best applied in rotational grazing where cattle are left to graze in an area called a paddock for a period of time till they graze everything. They are later moved to another paddock with greener pastures.

The best solution for rotational grazing fencing is the use of temporary electric fences. They are cheap, affordable and very easy to install. After some training, cattle get to learn to keep away from the fence. One electric strand on the fence is enough to make them stay away. Calves, however, may need more strands before they learn to stay away.

The use of visual barriers as a fencing option is a new method that is still under research. It works by keeping the cattle away through the use of alternate light and dark barriers. A common area for them is near streams of water. The cattle learn to stay away from the barrier and avoid crossing it. The method is however not so common.




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