Homesteading Multipart Series Part VII – Fencing Cattle

 

So far we have talked about fencing hogs, goats, and sheep. Today we are going to talk about fencing in cattle. I will not be talking about fencing in horses in this blog because I simply do not have enough experience to give you any knowledge when it comes to horses. But cattle are pretty straight forward.

The average cow weighs between 600 and 1500 lbs. They are skittish and willing to run over stuff. But, as with most animals, if they are given sufficient room and food they are mostly content to remain within the confines of the pasture as long as you are not planning to go anywhere. Then they will roam wherever they want so you will come home to put them up. It is a rule, get used to it.

In yesteryears farmers used 3 or 4 strands of barbed wire in order to keep cattle in. It is a very effective method of containing cows but can be worrisome when it comes to vet bills. Today the modern homesteader has a world of other options.

The first of which is the old “stand by” field fencing. Regular field fencing in not welded but twisted/woven to create a stronger fence material than welded wire. The holes in the fence range from 6 inch squares to 6x12 rectangles. The gauge of the field fence enhances it capabilities. For example the typical field fence is anywhere from 14 gauge down to 9 gauge, The smaller the number the bigger the wire and the stronger the fence material.   12.5 is probably the best size for the average homesteader for a field fence.

This wire is sufficient for most homestead animals at the most effective cost. For example as of this writing the cost of wire 12.5 gauge 47” tall field fence is $210 for a 330 foot roll. With a wooden post every 30 feet and 2 t-post between each wooden post that comes out to about 14 wooden posts and 24 t-posts for this stretch of wire. So the minimum cost of installation for 330’ of field fence will be approximately $490. This does not take into account any bracing or concrete that will be needed for the corner posts, nor fence staples. T-posts alone are insufficient for exterior pasture fencing. Wood is your best bet and even better if you can use your own cedar or locust posts. This really drives down the price but increases the time. Some folks have a source for steel pipe that they often fill with concrete that can be an acceptable alternative to wood fencing.

Most of the time, a single strand of barbed wire at the top will be necessary to keep the cattle from riding on the fence. This is where I prefer electric. While many cattle operations have such long fence lines electric may not be practical the small homesteader often can easily use a single strand of electric around the fence to great effect.

Some folks are proponents of rotational grazing, AKA the Mob, Mow, Move solution to grazing. In this method they use a single strand of electro braid and move it from every 1 to 3 days and allow the cattle only to graze a small enough area that they eat it down very well and refertilized and the section is left to regrow for the next 2 months before the cattle come back. While there are great advantages to this type of grazing it does have intensive work requirements. Also for Liability sake it really is necessary to have a good boundry fence. If something happens to the electric then the cattle are still contained within the confines of the larger pasture. This mobile fence setup is probably the most work intensive but the cheapest method of containing cattle.

Finally as with goat and sheep we get to the high tensile fence. This fencing option is generally cheaper than field fence but requires high tensile wire. As of this writing high tensile wire is about $120 for 12.5 gauge 4000 feet in length. So how does it compare to the field fencing in cost. On the surface it looks way cheaper. However, most high tensile fences consist of 6 – 8 strands, starting at 6” off the ground and going to 50” tall or higher. So lets compare it to 330 ft of field fence. 4000’ of high tensile will make 12 runs of 330’. So the cost for covering a 330’ run with 6 strands is about $60. The post costs are going to be about $280 like the field fence. Then we add in the tighteners, insulators, (Or special insulated posts made of fiberglass) and the fence charger. We are looking at approximately $400 for that same 330’ of fencing.

So really it is up to you what you choose. Cattle are not nearly as prone to predation as say sheep or fowl. The small homesteader is very likely to run multispecies on their pastures. So you need to choose well. The high tensile fence has many advantages over field fence but field fence has a greater life expectancy. A good field fence setup can easily last 20 to 30 yrs if taken care of. Welded wire will be lucky to get 5 yrs. Save it for garden fencing only or to wrap trees in your pasture. I just don’t recommend barbed wire for anything other than field fence topping.

I hope this finds you well. Send up a prayer for us and we will send up one for you. The old saying was “good fences make good neighbors.” I want to carry that just a little further. Good fences Make Happy Homesteaders. A bad fencing job can leave you with a bad taste in your mouth for homesteading in general. A bad fencing job is a weekly headache. If you can afford for a pro to install your fences it will make a big difference. But you can do it yourself if you take your time and pay attention to the little details. But always remember that Homesteading, Like Life, is a Marathon Not a Sprint – Slow Down and Enjoy the Ride.    

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