There is a tremendous variety of farms and farm fence varieties follow suit. Farm fence is typically used most commonly for cattle, sheep and horses and the most common type is barbed wire. It is hard to beat basic barbed wire on cost and simplicity for large animal containment, especially for large ranges and farms where the cost per foot must be minimal to be affordable. There are many other types of farm fence to consider outside of basic barbed wire and they each have their place:
- Wooden fences: This type of farm fence will have a wide range of types from split rail fencing to post and rail fencing and hybrid varieties such as wooden posts and wire rails or wooden posts and wire mesh.
- Electric fences: This style of farm fence is popular as a barrier for cattle and horses because the shock the animal receives when it touches the fence keeps it away from the fence. It serves more as a psychological barrier than a physical one. It offers the advantage of being relatively inexpensive to install and maintain. However, since the bare wire is hard for the animal to see, especially horses which are generally farsighted, they can run through the fence and incur devastating injuries. Improvements have been made to electric fencing to make them more visible, including rails made of tape with a conductor imbedded, and rails made of plastic extrusions with wire or rope-like braided strands with a conductor weaved in. All electric fences use a similar high voltage source and suffer the same problem with chronic power outages. The farm fence is a minor barrier when the power is turned off since the animal can easily fall right through the fence rails and escape. The risk of serious injury still remains.
- Post and rail fences: Definitely the most popular type of farm fence, post and rail has become the tradition in fencing for horses. Originally made of wood, more and more vinyl (or PVC) options are gaining in popularity and so are the steel pipe varieties. The wood post and rail farm fence was popular because it was the only choice for so many years and was relatively inexpensive. A fence made of wood though requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep because the wood must be continually painted to protect it from the elements. It falls into disrepair quickly if not properly maintained. Vinyl has become a popular option because it does not require regular painting and has the traditional look of wood. While the maintenance and upkeep are less than wood, vinyl suffers from the affects of changing temperatures. Both the wood and vinyl as a farm fence require regular replacement of rails to keep the barrier safe and effective.
- Steel farm fences: Welded steel pipe fence became popular in the Southwestern U.S. for cattle and horses because it is made from used and discarded oil well casing tubes. The tubes are welded into post and rail fences that function well as barriers and last much longer than wood or vinyl fences. While not the best looking, welded pipe fences are strong, long lasting and safer than wire fences.
If you want the latest and best in farm fencing, call us to discuss your options 877-306-4024.
We offer the Steel Board Fence made of galvanized powder coated steel. It has the look of a traditional board fence. We also offer a pipe style fence, our Alumashield Fence. It is made of Aluminum allow tubes reinforced with steel tubes and powder coated. The main advantages of our fence systems include:
- Strength and Durability. The posts and rails are strong and elegant and will not break, warp or splinter.
- Zero Maintenance. The powder coated finishes will not crack or peel and have superior resistance to corrosion and color fading. No painting required.
- Safe for Horses. The highly visible fence components are smooth and rounded and the rails will flex and cushion the horse that leans on the fence.
- Easy to Install. The patented designs eliminate the need for nails and screws. Once the posts are set correctly, the rails are easily mounted in place.
Confused about different types of farm fencing?
Call us today for answers: 877-306-4024.