What Kind of Fencing is Best for Your Farm?

Strong, reliable agricultural fencing is crucial to keep farm animals in or out of an area, as well as to keep the public on the correct paths. But there are so many different types of fencing; it can be tough knowing what is best for the job. In this post, we’ll cover the main types of agricultural fencing and when they should be used on your farm. 

​Wooden Fencing

Wood has always been a popular choice for fencing since it’s easy to source and simple to custom make to fit different layouts.

However, in the past, farms would use hardwood trees which were rugged with an incredibly long lifespan. These days, wood fencing has around a 20-year lifespan as long as it gets regular maintenance and painting.

Since it needs regular maintenance, wooden fencing is best for small pastures where you need to separate small livestock. Anything larger, and it’s going to become more trouble than it’s worth.

Barbed Wire

Barbed wire is used to keep intruders or vandals out of a property, but it’s risky to use with livestock because of the risk of injury. In fact, we will never recommend barbed wire for a horse enclosure because of the risk of jumping and getting snagged.

However, a row of barbed wire with woven wire can be used if you need to discourage cows from leaning over or sheep crawling under a fence.

Smooth Wire

Smooth wire is a much better choice since it cuts out the risk of lacerations and doesn’t need the same level of maintenance as wooden fencing.

However, animals are more likely to jump over smooth wire or crawl through and get caught. But it is an inexpensive alternative for horse paddocks.

High Tensile Wire

This type of wire has more spring than smooth wire, and so it doesn’t warp or loosen as easily when animals lean against it.

It is more expensive than smooth wire, but it needs far fewer posts, so the cost works out roughly the same. It’s also much more hardwearing, and animals are less likely to get trapped since it doesn’t go loose.

For large enclosures, this is a great option if you’re looking for something long-lasting and low maintenance.

Woven Wire

Woven wire is a popular choice for pigs, sheep, or goats and can be incorporated with barbed wire or electric fencing to prevent leaning over and digging.

It’s a costly option and time-consuming to install, but it’s safer for the animals and still cheaper than wooden fencing.

Synthetic Fencing 

Finally, synthetic fences incorporate different materials and products to give a long-lasting option for both small and large enclosures.

They usually include vinyl coated, high-tensile wire and can also incorporate electric fencing if needed.

Synthetic fencing is one of the most expensive but is sturdy, low maintenance, and a good option for important areas where animals need to be very secure.

Get agricultural fencing in Salisbury

At PA Lumber Fencing, we provide all types of agricultural fencing to our clients in the Salisbury area. For over 27 years, we have worked alongside farmers within a 30-mile radius to provide reliable, secure fencing for their farms, no matter how large the project. Call us today to talk to our experts and arrange a free call-out and quote: 01722 718 660