How many strands for barbed wire fence?

[lliefveld]

We have an existing barb wire fence on the south end of our property that in well inside our property line. We want to install a new fence on the actual property line. We need to keep barb wire because occasionally cattle break through another fence into that area, and we want to keep them out. We're total newbies at this. We originally thought we would install 4 strands, but we're wondering if 3 strands would be enough. Also, we're considering 6 1/2' T-posts, and installing them 18-24 inches in the ground. Is that enough? I would appreciate anyone's thoughts. We'd like to do this as inexpensively as possible right now.

[pappy19]

Three strands might work on grown cows, but if a calf gets througha 3 wire, momma will come get him. I suggest a 4 wire and have an experienced fence builder do the install. Otherwise, you'll just waste your time and money. Make sure that whoever does the work uses "H" bracesat all corners, 1/4 mile breaks and on either side of gates. Powder River gates are inexpensive and work pretty good. Also instead of cattle guards, you can stretch cut-up truck inertubes across at ground level, that way you can drive over them but the cows won't cross it.

[JazzDad]

I agree with Mike. If a bovine wants in, they will get there (short of pipe or a solid masonry wall).
See what others in your area are doing, and how it works for them.
Oh, and welcome to CBN! [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[jimbrown]

The others are correct. You must build the fence so that calves do not get under it. If not and a calf goes thru it the mother cow will tear down the fence to get thru. You need the wire down low more so than up high. Four strands will work but be sure to use spreaders no more than 6 or 7 feet apart to keep them from putting their head between the wire and walking thru. That will keep oput most domesticated cows. Now if you have wild range cows like we have out here in Az they will go thru anytime they choose to and no amount of wire will stop them. I watched a group of cows who wanted to get to a calf line up side by side put there heads down hook the wire with horns and procced to walk forward and tear down several hundred feet of wire.

[Pooh_Bear]

Gosh, all the cows around here are in fields with just one strand.
I fenced off half my yard last summer with just one strand.
Sure, a calf could walk under it in some places.
But the calf usually just went right back to its mother.

I can run one strand about 2.5 feet off the ground around any part
of the field and the cows will stay inside that fenced area.
I put T posts at the ends of long straight runs
and rebar posts support the fence in between.

Maybe the cows are just different around here.

Pooh Bear

[Handyman]

You guys must have some pretty dumb cows over in your part of the country... LOL [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I've seen small farmers keep small herds contained around here with one strand of electric wire 24" off the ground , no other wire [img]/forums/images/icons/ooo.gif[/img]
For the life of me, I don't know what actually keeps them in, but it works, [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]

I have 4 strans of wire with 6' T posts dove down 24" every 20 feet.

Might I suggest that you run a couple hot wires, one on top and another about two feet up. Power it with a solar powered box (aprox $170).

[Bird]

Some folks used electric fences quite successfully, but with just barbed wire, my neighbors and I ran 5 strands.

[Pooh_Bear]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
You guys must have some pretty dumb cows over in your part of the country...

[/ QUOTE ]

My friend/neighbor that owns the cows is always saying,
"Cows is so stupid." "And they tear up everything."
But they leave the electric fences alone.

Of course he takes real good care of the cows. He is here twice a day
like clockwork to check them over and feed them some grain.
The cows come down to my house to get water.

Sometimes (rarely) one will get out and come up in my yard
and start munching away. Then it will go back when it's done.
Happens mostly in the winter when grass gets scarce.

They seem content to stay where they are supposed to.
Spook one and that's a whole different story.

Pooh Bear

[Pat]

I have some 5 strand and some 6 strand fences with 12-15 foot between T posts, depending. Some of the preexisting wire is two barb but I only install 4 barb. I put stays between posts, typically 1 if the posts are 12 foot or closer and two stays between 15 foot separations

I have some electric fence which is all two wire right now.

I have a friend who manages his intensive grazing program with an easily moved one hot wire system. His fence charger is just a step below the thing Dr. F used to animate his monster.

Later I intend to put up some ornamental vinyl stock rated fencing (looks like wooden horse fencing.) I will drill the vinyl posts and run a hot wire between the horizontal "boards."

Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[lliefveld]

Thanks, everyone for the advice. There are very seldom any cattle on that property - mostly when they break through from somewhere else. The property to the east has lots of cattle, and a very, very old fence..... barbed wire has grown into the trees in places - then the tree falls down, and we get cattle in our place. We're getting used to herding cattle back again [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Guess we'll use at least 4 strands.