Supplement Fencing Solu ons for farms
your animals escape from another type of fencing, you lose certain protections that are afforded under the state ' s fence law.
Woven Wire Fences Sheep, goats, pigs and poultry are difficult to contain. �ey climb, dig or y through many fences, so for years woven wire has been the choice for these animals. It ' s also favored by many horse owners— as horses are less likely to get tangled in woven wire than in barbed wire— and because of its sturdy character, it ' s o�en used for corrals and night-holding pens in areas with predator problems.
A well-made, woven wire fence can last for 20 years with moderate maintenance— unless you live in a high-snow region where the weight of the winter ' s snow tends to pull it down. Initial construction of a woven wire fence requires heavy-duty wooden posts to support the weight.
High Tensile Wire Fences High-tensile wire fencing is effective in both smooth and woven wire designs. Unlike traditional galvanized wire, high-tensile wire is extremely strong and has a life expectancy up to 50 years, with minimal maintenance. Initial construction costs can be high, and it requires specialized equipment and skills that the neophyte fence builder might not have, but it is perhaps the most economical and trouble-free fence if amortized out over the life of the fence. It is like the Humvee of fences: durable and heavyduty.
Synthetic Fences When synthetic fencing hit the market in the 1970s, it had a reputation for failing or looking shabby a�er a few years in the sun. But the class of synthetic fencing that ' s been around for the last decade has improved tremendously and now o�en comes with a lifetime guarantee against discoloration, rusting, peeling, rotting or splintering.
�ere are many types of synthetic fencing. PVC fencing is hollow rails sunk into heavy-duty posts. High-tensile polymer rail fences are exible systems where rails slide through postmounted brackets. Rail sizes can vary, but are designed to ex upon impact to reduce livestock injury. Like high-tensile fences, PVC requires a substantial up-front expenditure, specialized tools and skills to install, but with their longevity, their long-term cost is very reasonable. Because of their cost, they are most o�en used for horses and exotic animals, like llamas, alpacas or emus, in suburban areas, but are rarely seen in remote rural areas.
Electric Fences Electric fencing provides great exibility and exists with fairly low maintenance if constructed properly. It is also a fairly inexpensive option, regardless of what you need to fence in( or out). Electric fence is effective largely because it offers the same type of reaction that livestock are accustomed to in a herd environment. �ose who challenge the herd leader receive an immediate, aggressive response. �ose who challenge electric boundaries get an instant bite as well, thereby establishing the rules.
Contributors
1. Sta x Electric Fence and Security Systems- Electric fencing, a better management tool �ere ' s nothing new about using electricity to control livestock. For over a hundred years farmers have been successfully using electric fences to control their domestic livestock. In more recent decades electric fences have also been used very s u c c e s s f u l l y t o c o n t a i n A f r i c a n wildlife and they are now even being used i n t h e u r b a n environment as a very effective security tool. �e answer is quite simple; it ' s versatile, e ff e c t i v e a n d economical. Versatile portable strip grazing e l e c t r i c f e n c i n g s y s t e m s g r e a t l y r e d u c e w a s t a g e enabling farmers to m a k e o p t i m u m utilisation of their expensive planted pastures and even their extensive natural veld. �e short, sharp, powerful yet safe shock delivered by an electric fence energizer into a well erected fence line makes the fence an extremely effective psychological fear barrier and management tool. �is means that once trained to it farmers can use far lighter materials and fewer strands of wire when constructing their fences making it an extremely economical form of livestock control.
Modern high powered electric fence energizers are capable of powering many kilometres of multi-strand electric fencing making it a practical and very effective management tool. However, as with all tools, the user needs to be competent and to have a sound understanding of the basic principles of electricity and the techniques used when erecting an electric fence. �e design and the materials to be used to erect an electric fence will dependent on the animals that are to be controlled. For example, for tame domestic dairy animals a single strand of poliwire will be sufficient whereas a game fence may require many more strands depending on the species to be controlled.
Today ' s energizers are also capable of being monitored making them a popular perimeter
July- August 2017
FARMERS
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