If you own any sort of agricultural property, it’s important to buy the right ag fencing to match! There are numerous types and designs of agricultural fencing, each intended to bring different benefits and solve different problems you may face.
So in this article, we’ll be talking about the most critical factors to consider before you invest in ag fencing and some of your options.
- The Most important Considerations
1 – Cost and Budgeting
Buying enough fencing to cover multiple acres can become very expensive, very quickly. There’s a wide range in prices, depending on the materials you choose, but you should have a budget in mind from the outset. Just be willing to adapt to reality, and have some extra cash in reserve, if your budget doesn’t match the reality of what it costs to protect your property.
2 – Materials
There are a huge range of materials you can use for a fence, including wood, metal, wire, and more – plus optional tactics such as electrifying the fence. We’ll discuss individual materials later in the article, but be aware that this is going to be the biggest choice you make.
3 – Installation Issues
Buying the fence materials is one thing – properly planting them in the ground so that they can last for years is another thing entirely. You’ll want to have an understanding of the ground and soil on your property, and what sort of preparation will be called for. This may even affect your material choice. If your ground is hard and brittle, for example, you would probably want to stay away from fencing materials that require significant buried elements to stay upright.
4 – Maintenance Costs
Be sure to look ahead to the future, and research the maintenance needs of different fencing materials. Some, like wood, can be cheap to install but will be expensive to repair if they are damaged. On the other hand, chain link is expensive to deploy but can be easily ‘patched’ with small additional bits of chain link if one area gets damaged.
5 – Aesthetics
Finally, keep in mind that your fence will have a major impact on the looks of your ranch. If you’re business-first, this may not matter – but at least be aware of what the aesthetics will be.
- Common Types of Ag Fencing Materials
What are the most common types of fencing? Here are the popular options.
1 – Wood
Wood is a classic, and great if you’re concerned about looks since it’s such a classic style. However, wood fences aren’t all that tough, and are typically low to the ground. Also, while they’re cheap to install, you must keep up on painting and finishing or else they’ll quickly be damaged by weather or pests like termites.
2 – Wire mesh
Wire mesh is probably the most popular all-around ag fencing material. It’s flexible, versatile, and has a good balance of costs vs benefits. Plus, there are numerous sizes, thicknesses, and gauge options available depending on your specific needs.
3 – Barbed wire
Barbed wire used to be popular, but many are moving away from it due to its potential to genuinely hurt animals and humans alike. Still, it can be effective in high-security situations, or as a fence topper to deter people or animals from climbing over other types of fencing.
4 – Electric fences
Electric fences are generally considered a more humane alternative to barbed wire since you can set the current at a point where it will be an impossible-to-ignore deterrent without actually harming anything that touches it. The downside is that it’s expensive to install and, as with anything electrical, must be well-maintained to prevent accidents or shorts.
There also options for electric netting, basically an electrified mesh which brings the benefits of both electric fences and wire mesh.
5 – Post-and-rail fencing
Post-and-rail fencing is basically two types in one. A series of posts and crossbeams are placed every 20-30 feet, made of either metal or wood. These then hold up mesh or chain link material which fills in the gaps. It’s an extremely secure type of fence and can be quite strong as well – although at a high cost.
6 – Temporary fencing
You should have some temporary fencing on-hand, as it can be extremely useful for containing animals or crops during maintenance, rotation, and other work. This can also be a good choice if you plan on cycling through a lot of different crops or animals.
If you’re having trouble choosing the best ag fencing for your needs, an experienced fence builder can help! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need professional advice.
