CattleCattle are generally the easiest animals to fence in. If they escape, however, they can pose quite the challenge to recapture. Fences “designed” for cattle range from single hot wires to guardrails on pipe posts. A single strand of hotwire, albeit effective with tame cattle, is not generally advisable for a perimeter fence. On the other hand, guardrail fencing is typically reserved for working facilities or crowding areas. Most cattle fence lands somewhere in the middle, so that’s what we’ll address.
Barbed Wire: Barbed wire is widely regarded as the first economical solution for cattle containment or exclusion and continues to be a viable option. 3-strand livestock fencing is common for the vast pastures of the West, increasing to 5 or 6 as you head East, and even 10- or 12-strand where goats might be introduced. Post spacing is generally no more than one rod, or 16.5 feet. Our preference is 14-gauge HT 4-point from Tornado, available in 1,320-foot and 5,280-foot rolls for increased efficiency on big jobs. We recommend that barbed wire never be electrified.
