wover-wire / field fencing -- is Redbrand worth the extra

[kansascats]

Local TSC has Redbrand 4" for 249/roll. Another store has OK brand 4" for 219/roll (plus a 10% discount for kid's 4H).

Is $50/roll justified for Red?

[dpb]

Gauge and purpose????

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[hrhofmann]

I get $30 difference.

[dpb]

Neglecting the discount...

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[kansascats]

The ones in comparison are 11ga.

The purpose is to contain goats and later horses. There is 5 strand barbwire on 2 sides of the area now. So we either want to add some strands there or enclose the entire are with 4" or 6" square woven wire fence.

Yes, after discount, the OK brand will be $200 for 330' roll vs $250 for Redbrand (both 11ga).

[Colbyt]

The purpose is to contain goats and later horses. There is 5 strand barbwire on 2 sides of the area now. So we either want to add some strands there or enclose the entire are with 4" or 6" square woven wire fence.

Yes, after discount, the OK brand will be $200 for 330' roll vs $250 for Redbrand (both 11ga).

4" woven wire is dangerous for horses. To easy to get a foot through and then break a leg.

Either will outlast the goats.

Compare the degree of galvanization. The weight of the plate if you prefer that term. For so little difference in price I suspect the extra $30 is going for advertising.

Colbyt

[DD_BobK]

where are two two items manufactured? If one is US and the other china......

service environment? If one has heavier galvanize then it might make a difference

can you see or feel any differences?

cheers Bob

[Dean Hoffman]

I see you mentioned horses and goats further down the thread. Barbed wire fencing and horses are supposedly a bad combination. Horses have a thinner hide than cattle and could get cut up if they bolt for some reason and get tangled. We had ponies and an odd horse or two and never had any problems but I guess it could happen. The horses usually ran with the cattle. Another solution could be the electric fencing tape. Tractor Supply does have some. I'll put this on the misc.rural group. There should be a couple people there with better first hand knowledge.

[Larry Caldwell]

Woven wire fence will last longer than you will. Fence longevity is much more dependent on workmanship in building the fence than on the brand of the wire. The corners need to be well braced diagonally, and the fencing needs to be stretched really tight. Staple one corner firmly, then staple the other end to a 2x4 sandwich and use a 1 ton comealong and chains to stretch the wire tight. Hook the comealong to a convenient tree, or at the least a pickup bumper if there is no convenient tree. Then start at the first corner stapling posts toward the comealong, tightening the wire if any slack starts to develop as you pick up the sag.

Goats will climb right over or under woven wire, so you need to have an electric standoff tape at the top, and probably at the bottom of the fence. Electric tape at the top will also keep horses from reaching over the fence and breaking it down.

[Jim]

that's a good fence construction technique. seen it done and it worked well to produce an attractive fence as well as one that lasted.

[kansascats]

Yeah, I read recently the idea of a strand or 2 of barbwire at the top to help keep what's in - in, and what's out - out. In my case that will be goats/horses and cattle on the other side. The point about

4" being bad for horses --- does that imply 6" is better?

[aasberry]

Find out what the tensile strength of each is. a soft wire will stretch if something leans against it. Then you have a loose fence. I have some 25 year old Redbrand that is dull but not rusted.

You say it is 11 gauge. Is that 11 top and bottom wires and the field is 14 or is it the 9 top and bottom and the field is 11?

If you plan on goats, get ONLY 12" vertical stays. Otherwise you will have goats hung up all athe time. With 12", they can turn their heads sideways and get out. Definitely put a hot wire on top or horses from both sides will walk it down. Horses respect nothing except pipe and hot wires. I've had them walk down 1/4" welded wire panels.

Whether using wood or T posts, put a barb wire right on the ground to help stop dogs from digging under. Then set the woven down to the ground also.

With 65 years of livestock experience, I've never seen a goat climb over a fence. They will stand up with their front feet on it to reach browse.

[Larry Caldwell]

Horses have a way of getting wound up in barbed wire, and goats will ignore it. That's why you should use the white electrical tape. Horses will run through anything they can't see.

I think the thing about 4" is that horses will put a hoof through and get tangled. Maybe. If you're concerned about that, 2" welded mesh would be better, but more expensive.

[Colbyt]

Smaller is better if you need to use wire for horses. 2x4, 2x3 or that triangle woven one whose name or brand I do not recall.

I see that triangle weave used quite often with a top board on production horse farms.

The top board is a nice safety feature since as I understand it they can't see the wire as well as other animals. It also offers some smash protection to the wire fence.

Colbyt

[Grizzly]

The triangle brand is called Diamond Mesh. It is wonderful horse fencing, non climb, small enough mesh to keep your animals in and wildlife out. It is expensive though, If I win the lottery, I will fence my property with it and use plastic posts and pvc top sight boards all around..Its on my wish list as one of the safest horse fences available.

I've had three horses electrocuted by my horseguard electric fence over the past 8 years. They snag a hoof in it and wrap around once while rolling next to it and wind up jolting out. If you use electric fence tape with a high break strength you really need to get a fencer that shuts off after three jolts or you'll be calling the dead stock wagon.

[Colbyt]

Grizzy,

Thanks for posting.

As expensive as you make it sound it has to be cheaper over the long term than a 3 or 4 board fence?

I just live here, I don't have a horse farm.

Colbyt

[Grizzly]

In the configuration I would like to have it would be one of the longest lasting safest options. Three or four board wood fence looks nice, but breaks legs and skewers horses sometimes and it must be painted periodically to keep from rotting away. They also tend to eat wood like beavers sometimes so the plastic posts and rails would deter that. With the Diamond mesh if they hit it they bounce off of it. In the long run it would likely be cheaper than wood.

[enigma]

Larry Caldwell wrote in news: [e-mail]:

really? my friend with horses (Thoroughbreds)has only hot wire for the pasture fences, no tape or even the white/yellow wire. the horses stay put. i keep my llamas in with one (non-electric) wire at 4' as well in the winter. the main pasture has 4' high woven wire with a wire on top around 3 sides & 4 strands of hot wire on the 4th side (to keep the stupid goats in & the neighborhood dogs out. it doesn't keep coyotes out. with the llamas, i think i could use string & they'd stay put. if they do get out (like when someone forgets to close the gate to the sugarbush), they just walk around & end up in my backyard. they don't really go anywhere. lee

[kansascats]

It's Redbrand vs OK brand. OK looks to be US made.

The mesh wire is 11 ga and the top/bottom are 9ga.