question on field fence

[jpover]

Friends,

I'm installing a perimeter fence (3200') and am considering going with woven/field fence instead of 5-6 strand. Short term goal is property line marker and longer term is a milk cow or 2, sheep and 1 or 2 horses. Of note, we have a large wild hog population.

My big question is how to keep the fence clear without spraying. All the field fence I've seen (limited) is installed down to the ground. Does anyone install it 6" or 8" off the ground to allow for better weed control access? Does coming up off the ground a bit defeat the purpose of the fence?

I realize no fence is really predator / hog proof but am trying to figure on how I can best limit breaches as well as control the weeds.

Any tips or advice are much appreciated,


Joe

 

[oosik]

I have a mile and a half of barbed wire - 4 strands - around my 80 acres. I don't worry about weed control and, fortunately, no wild hogs. My goal - keep the neighbor's cows on their own property. First strand is a foot off the ground and it goes up a foot for each added strand.

Not even an eight foot high woven wire fence will stop predators. They will dig under if they want to be on your property. My fence does not stop any of the wildlife in my area - deer, elk, moose, coyotes, skunk, badger, raccoon - you get the idea.

Again, I say, my goal is to keep the neighbors cows where they should be. My barbed wire fence has done this well, for almost 40 years now.

 

[Tinhack]

You plan on walking that with your Weed-Eater or something? My 4' field fencing goes to the ground then I have two strands of barbed wire above that. I don't much worry about what grows at the bottom. I cut what I can as close to the fence as I can during the growing season. It seems to die back (off the fence) during winter and the hot summer period. Or some animals are eating it. :confused3: I used to go out in the fall and cut down any tree starts provided by the birds. I haven't been out there since before my hospital say about three years ago. I know I have some down fence out there too.

I thought I'd be out fixing fence by now but this cold snap is keeping me inside the house or barn. I've got a lot of metal projects in the shop to get caught up on too.

One thought to keep in mind; Fences only keep out honest people. Everything else comes and goes.

 

[zzvyb6]

As I recall, somebody ( DR ? ) makes a 3 point fenceline following industrial strength weed whip that can cut under a wire fence and dodges fence posts with a spring loaded follower arm.

 

[MoKelly]

As I recall, somebody ( DR ? ) makes a 3 point fenceline following industrial strength weed whip that can cut under a wire fence and dodges fence posts with a spring loaded follower arm.

You are correct. Plus it is on sale!



MoKelly

 

[jaxs]

Tips and advice? Unless you can't live without them,ditch the horses,with exception of "No Climb"they destroy net fence. If sheep are for yard art,consider goats instead,they are far less likly to be killed by dogs and coyotes. If you go with sheep,consider a donkey to discourage dogs and coyotes coming around. Wild hogs? There's a long standing rule about hogs and fence. "If a hog can get his nose through it,he can go through it if he wants to". Depending on how you train it,a dog can be your best friend or worst nightmare on the farm. Catahoulas have been all around best for us but I don't reccomend them unless you are capiable and willing to train. Most folks are better off with a 20-30 lb dog that thinks they own the place but incapiable of maiming humans or livestock. The small dog alert's so master can handle it.
If only follow my advice on one thing,fit in and make friends with neighbors.

 

[TnAndy]

6-8" off the ground won't even slow up hogs.....they'll just raise it up and be under as if there were no fence.

Here's handy dandy fence dispenser I made to feed the wire out...you're probably gonna want something for 3200' of fence. There is a pc of 2" square tubing up the center of the roll. To load a roll, I remove the top link pin, raise the lift and let the vertical go horizontal, slide the roll on while on the ground, then lower the lift, tip the roll up and reinsert pin.

I nail the wire to the first post or two, the drive down the line letting it spool off. I'll stop after about half the roll is played out, stick a crowbar in the roll letting it come around it hit the lift arm, the use the tractor to carefully inch forward and stretch the wire. All in all, a pretty hand setup.

One improvement from the photo...don't use a square plate at the bottom...It catches the wire on the corners. I had to sandwich a round plywood plate on top the metal plate to prevent that.

 

[sea2summit]

If I was trying to keep hogs out that fence would be on the ground and I'd welcome all vines/weeds/crap that wants to grow into it. It wont stop them but if there's nothing they want on the other side they might walk around it.

 

[riptides]

You do barbed wire....ditch the horses. They will find it in the worst sort of way.

 

[rgr33]

I have 3600 ft of 48” field fence, down to ground, with barb wire on top of that. Because We grow wine grapes, that the local deer think is delicious, I have barb wire over the top up to 8 ft high. The woven wire part is over 30 years old, and still in decent shape.

A lot of work to install initially, but many years ago, I got side tracked on a major building project, and the deer broke through a stretch in the back, and ate 20% of the crop that year. It was a significant loss.
Anything smaller than a coyote can still get in, but I welcome them for their varmint control results.