Fences are often a large part of investment in farms and serve various purposes like defining the property’s borders, protecting farm animals from predators by preventing intruders, and preventing the animals from going astray beyond the farm that can expose it to dangers.   Livestock farms can consider using barbed wire fencing to protect the farm animals and ensure their safe movements within the farmland.  At the same time, it prevents human transgression within the property by unauthorized people.

The little barbs of the fencing cause cuts and bruises on the body when attempting to negotiate with the fencing act as the perfect deterrent for both humans and animals.  However, the barbs can injure the farm animals if it accidentally grazes along with the fencing or tries to push its body through the fencing as it is unaware of the dangers.

Knowing the types of fencing usually available should help you decide which type would be right for you. Indeed, you must consider the purpose of fencing because the kind of fencing that is good for protecting crops in agricultural land is quite different from the fencing used for protecting farm animals and livestock.   

Rail fences

Rail fences are ideal for demarcating properties like homes and farms. It is excellent for confining horses within the perimeter of the fences and best for horse farms that have expensive horses.  Typically, border fences are available in the form of boards made from PVC, treated wood, wooden boards with vinyl coating, and painted wood. PVC board fences are cheap and do not require maintenance because periodical washing with water is enough to retain a clean look.  Board fences are available in various sizes, with the height varying between 4 to 5 feet, ideal for protecting livestock and animals. However, the installation cost of rail fences is higher than other types of fences because it requires a lot of other materials to complete the labor-intensive installation.

Barbed wire fences

Standard fences

Barbed wire fences consist of twisted strands of galvanized wires with barbs jutting out at close intervals. The barbed wires are available in rolls. Stretching the wire fence between the posts placed at a gap of 10 to 12 feet and creating several rows to achieve the desired height of fencing is the standard way to install the fencing. The fencing is available in three strands and five strands of wire that offer different strengths.

Suspension fences

Suspended barbed wire fences are much stronger as it usually has four to six strands of wire that helps to maintain wider gaps between the line posts which can be as high as 60 feet. The strength of the wires restricts the sagging to a maximum of three inches. The interim support of fiberglass or twisted wire stays placed at a gap of 10 to 12 feet ensures that the fencing remains tightly stretched and taut its entire length. The long gap between line posts keeps the fencing suspended, which sways in the wind or when some object of animal collides against it. 

Cable wire fences

Cable wire fences consist of plain steel wires 3/8 inch thick with a smooth surface and tightly stretched between the anchor posts. Each cable has seven strands of thin wires twisted to achieve the desired thickness of the cable.  For shock absorption, each end of the cable has a spring arrangement. For wooden posts, the cables pass through the holes in the post, and for other types of posts, it is necessary to attach the cables to the posts with heavy wires. A fence with six rows of cable is most common, although it can have any number of rows that suit users. The gap between the rows depends on the kind of protection desired and the size of the animals that remain within the fenced area. The size of the intruding animals is also a consideration. Since cable wires are expensive, they are suitable for specific corrals or feedlots and holding pens.

Woven wire fences

Woven wire fences consist of individual wires placed in several rows close to one another and separated by placing vertical stays at some intervals. The spacing between the wires varies, and the smallest gap of 1.5 inches is at the bottom to prevent small animals from passing through the fencing. The gap between the rows of wire decreases as the height of the fence increases. To prevent small animals, the gap between the stay wires usually is 6 inches, and it is 12 inches for bigger animals. Most woven wire fencing varies between 26 inches to 48 inches in height.  The fencing is available in various combinations of wire sizes, and spacing and the choice of fence height is flexible according to user needs.

For stronger fences and better protection, high tensile wire fences and wire mesh fences are good options.