Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
You can install a fence yourself or hire a contractor to do it. Here are some tips for putting up
fence yourself:
• If you put fence posts up by hand, wear thick gloves and eye goggles.
• Call your local utility companies to check for buried lines before you dig.
• Dig deep enough that the post will not lean; this is usually about one-third the height of
the fence. Virginia Tech has a good guide to installing high-tensile wire fences that also
includes good instructions for end posts and brace posts at
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/442/
When installing a fence, put up end posts first. Run a temporary wire from post to post to help
keep line posts straight. The spacing between line posts will depend on the slope of the land
and the type of fencing you use. (For example, you can space posts further apart on flat land,
and the heavier the fence type, the closer together the posts need to be.) Posts between woven
wire need to be closer than the posts for other fencing types because woven wire is heavier
and needs more support; posts for woven wire should be about 10 to 14 feet apart. Line posts
for barbed wire should be 14 to 16 feet apart. Posts for high-tensile wire, which is lighter than
barbed wire, can be 15 to 20 feet apart, and posts for lighter electric fences can be spaced at
least 40 feet apart on flat land.
Gates always should go in corners because it is easier to funnel cattle toward corners than to-
ward a gate in the middle of the fence line. Avoid low spots because cattle like to walk uphill.
Gates should be wide enough to provide access for farm equipment or trucks. Add a smaller
gate to allow access so people do not climb the fence or the large gate.
Components of an electric fence system
Here are terms you may encounter as you develop an electrical fencing system:
•
Wires:
For permanent fences, use a thick wire because they carry current farther than thin
wire. The USDA recommends 12.5 gauge or higher. Temporary fences can use lighter,
six-strand polywire or polytape.
•
Posts:
Your fence will need end posts, which can be wood or fiberglass. Line posts can
beT-posts, which must bepoundedinto the ground.Step-in posts, which feature aflange
you can step on to push them down, are much easier to put in the ground and are a good
option for temporary fencing for paddocks.
