Barb Wire - any words of wisdom?

[CrealCritter]

Soon I'll be stretching barb wire for a 5 acre pasture. I've taken out and repaired barbwire fencing but I've never installed any new. Thinking about it and that some common sense should help. I don't have a spooler for the tractor but I have a drawbar that I could slide a roil on to roll it out and also use the drawbar as a anchor for stretching.

I guess you still staple and tie off to the corner post and staple to the brace post, then stretch to the other corner post staple and tie off. I have wooden corner posts.

Thinking about how I might do this it would also make sense to work from the top down. I'm sure this stuff will stick to most everything. So working from the bottom up seems like it would create more problems than working top down

As far as spacing the runs of wire. I've seen 4 runs, 5 runs and 6 runs. 6 runs divided by 4ft works out nice for 8" spacing and also looks nice and tidy. But is it really necessary for cows? IDK that's why I'm asking. Who knows what might eventually be in this pasture though?

This is the barb wire I plan to use, it's for cattle and bison. Each roll is 1320 ft my 5 acres is 330 ft x 660 ft, my t-posts will be on 10 ft centers so 1 roll should get me 2 runs on the long sides or 4 runs on the short side (hopefully).

Also thinking... that you really should avoid touching this stuff unless you enjoy blood squirting from your body and scratched up arms and hands (both will probably happen anyways 🙄). So I plan on using a story stick for consistent spacing and grabbing the wire with vice grips.

Any other words of wisdom? I'm a totally motivated green horn.

Thanks

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[Alaskan]

For dealing with barbed wire fence... I liked to double up. One pair of doeskin gloves (they are like painted on gloves, and act as a callous, so if you are doing the weekend warrior thing you don't get huge blisters), and then a pair of thick bull hide gloves over.

With that combination I could grab the wire, pull it, etc, and the only issue was if I was stupid enough to let it twist around my legs.

Talking of.. . don't wear your Muck boots. For this you want proper working leather cowboy boots. The boots will better protect your feet and lower legs. The smooth leather will not catch up on the barbs as readily as muck boots.

 

[farmerjan]

You use a pair of heavy cowhide type gloves to handle. NO LOOSE CLOTHING TO GET CAUGHT. Pliers will be awkward and will not allow you to have any give. You stretch the whole length you have between brace posts then go back and nail off or put clips on. moving the wire up or down the post to conform to the contour of the ground. Moving it up or down a notch or bump on the post will also make it tighter...

 

[CrealCritter]

My neighbor showed me a t-post clip tip today. I will show you the visual. This is the coolest time saving tip I've been taught in a long time. Forget the fence pliers, use a Philips screw driver instead👍

Place the clip and screw driver as shown.

Push screw driver under the wire and pull it back over top the wire. Then pull out the screw driver. Your barb wire is now tightly attached to the t-post and just look at that pretty single twist that took only a few seconds to make. If your a twister and want two twists then do it again before removing the screw driver for two pretty twists.

I don't see any reason this couldn't be uses on woven wire, just use a stubby philips screw driver that will fit between the horizontal wires

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[farmerjan]

ALWAYS work barbed wire from bottom to top. ALWAYS ... for new fences. Patching you do whatever you have to.
Stretching and all is the same with any fencing. Pull the wire tight; do not overstretch.
High tensile will snap and coil if it gets away from you as opposed to the older wire, so be very careful to not overstretch or it will bite you and can really cause some problems if it gets tangled around you. Plus high tensile has to have a little more give so it can "bounce back" if something falls on it.

I would check your local laws on fencing. There are usually some requirements for number of strands and or fence heights. Here a LEGAL fence is 7 strands of wire... and if you do not put up a legal fence, and animals get out, then there are different consequences than if the fence was legal.... SADLY, all things nowadays have to be done with the legalities in the back of your mind due to liability laws and idiot people suing.... Doesn't matter how far out in the country you are... there are stupid people and clueless people and a constant stream of city people moving out to the "countryside" and down the road it can make a difference to you maybe having a problem and maybe losing your farm.
The idea is to "overfence" if in doubt.

Barbed wire will mostly not keep in goats or sheep or hogs. Nor will it keep out predators. Deer can get hung in it and they will find a spot and go through or under it which is actually their preference to going over....and they get hung easily in it.

I grew up with barbed wire and we kept horses in it. People have heart attacks now if you mention horses and barbed wire. It works good for cattle if it is tight. The old saying about a fence
"it should be horse high, bull strong and hog tight."
Yes it is alot cheaper than woven wire... and a good fence will work good. But here we never put up less than a legal fence except through woods where there is no temptation to go through for the "better morsel of grass" next door.
Just saw a new barbed wire fence on an adjoining pasture to one we rent... it is 7 strands. They were fencing out their woods from their cattle. Our rented place adjoins their woods so cattle do not actually touch there. They did not have to inform the landowner of the fence since the land that the cattle run on does not adjoin. If there is a possibility of the livestock being on both sides of the fence ( different owners) ... different states require different things... but here the owner wanting to rebuild a boundary fence HAS to notify the adjoining landowner... if there is not a "gentleman's agreement" then the notification HAS to be done in writing... 60 days prior to any work... which gives the adjoining landowner a right to protest. What it gets down to is often the cost. Say you want new fence, animals on both sides... you want to contain goats or sheep... adjoining owner has a couple of cows... you want woven wire (field fence) ... he does not want to go the extra cost over the existing barbed wire or high tensile smooth wire... BY RIGHTS here in Va , each landowner is responsible for HALF the common boundary fence... if both have animals. So it has to get mediated on costs etc.
Most never go that far... and then if there are no animals sharing the boundary fence... responsibility changes because we are in a "fence out " county here... and the places we rent in the next county north is a "fence in" county.

If it is not a boundary fence, then do whatever you want. But just realize the limitations. Once an animal can get it's head through the fence, they will push and push to get the "better grass on the other side of the fence"... regardless of how good it really is on their own side.... High tensile has some give so they actually can reach through and it will give more than the old style barbed wire... and believe me, gently reaching through and pushing against it is alot less painful than to try to "run through it" and animals will do it if it is not maintained. Closer together is better than further apart.
You have smaller cattle with smaller heads... they will push through more easily than bigger cattle...

 

[CrealCritter]

Barb wire pulling fiestia of so much fun we could stand anymore is done for the day. My neighbor, son and favorite daughter in law helped. It was a great day to pull barb wire. Cool and overcast, with a slight breeze to make it comfortable in our coats, hats and gloves. But it was mucky mud that turned to sloppy soup the more we worked in it.

I learned a lot, most definitely start with the top wire and work your way down. The wires get tangled and stuck together very easily as your stretching them from off the ground.

It helps to have two tractors, farm truck and a gator in the pasture plus at least two of every kind of tool your going to use or else your walking to grab a tool.

We are a little over 2/3rd of the way done and we pulled right over one of the two gate openings. We'll will leave it that way for a while because it's so muddy we want to let the posts settle in a little bit before we cut and tie the wires.

We did 6 runs of barb wire top wire is 4' off the ground, for a spacing every 8" down to the ground. It looks better than I imagined it would and the gaucho barb wire should turn any medium to large animal, I want to put in there. I don't see any cow rubbing this fence the barbs are cut at 45 degree angles and are sharp. Cows will quickly learn to stay away from the fence I'm sure.

Upper right is my neighbors John Deere, we used as an anchor at about a 45 degree angle on the corner post so we could stretch two sides with a chain and come along without having to move the tractor each time. We used the my Allis Chalmers with a drawbar to roll out the wire corner post to corner post. The gator was in case we needed to get out of there quickly (safety) and my daughter in law took it up to the house a few times to use the bathroom. Plus we piled in it for trip to the house for lunch. Farm truck carried first aid kit, water, rolls of barb wire, t-post clips and tools.

Once we got in the groove, it went smooth and no one got hurt, not even one drop of blood was shed. Before we started we talked about how we were gonna work this wire. we all worked slow and cautiously. Using vice grips and pliers to grab the wire.

I have to admit, it was a fun filled day and all, but man, I'm simply partied out. I will sleep like a rock tonight no doubt. I don't know how many miles I walked but it was a lot and this is just a 5 acre pasture.

All in all I rate this project moderate, only because it's labor intensive and time consuming, but it's great exercise. Put safety first, go slow, use common sense, look out for your working partner at all times.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[CrealCritter]

Farm life will keep you healthy and in good physical shape. Work is good for the soul.

I agree... working around the farmette is great exercise and I kind of go out of my way to even get more exercise. I'm trying to rebuild my upper body strength.

New 5 acre pasture north side fence row. 6 runs of barb wire 8" spacing. Neighbor said if this fence doesn't turn a bull, he doesn't know what will. Although I have no plans for a raging hormone bull out here 🙄

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[CrealCritter]

Finally finished stretching the last 660 foot side, just tractor and me. It would have been easier if the spring/creek weren't there, tractor could have walked the wire from corner to corner. But there's always two feet and a stick, to get er done. I think the hardest part is done. Just a little short hammer stretching, t-post clipping remaining posts, standing up a heavy duty panel across the creek and gate hanging left to do.

This is the second 16 foot gate opening and 660 foot south side. The 4 foot 8 inch story stick, marked every 8 inches was definitely one of my better ideas and well worth the time to make. It was very handy for wire spacing. I'm gonna let it sit for a few weeks before I cut and tie the wires off for the gates. I want to make sure all the posts are settled in first.

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸

 

[Okiepan]

Use a stretcher to get it tight ( come along ) a t-post tool works really nice on the clips but most importantly of all Barb wire is unforgiving avoid getting bit .
Be safe and have fun .

 

[CrealCritter]

ALWAYS work barbed wire from bottom to top. ALWAYS ... for new fences. Patching you do whatever you have to.
Stretching and all is the same with any fencing. Pull the wire tight; do not overstretch.
High tensile will snap and coil if it gets away from you as opposed to the older wire, so be very careful to not overstretch or it will bite you and can really cause some problems if it gets tangled around you. Plus high tensile has to have a little more give so it can "bounce back" if something falls on it.

I would check your local laws on fencing. There are usually some requirements for number of strands and or fence heights. Here a LEGAL fence is 7 strands of wire... and if you do not put up a legal fence, and animals get out, then there are different consequences than if the fence was legal.... SADLY, all things nowadays have to be done with the legalities in the back of your mind due to liability laws and idiot people suing.... Doesn't matter how far out in the country you are... there are stupid people and clueless people and a constant stream of city people moving out to the "countryside" and down the road it can make a difference to you maybe having a problem and maybe losing your farm.
The idea is to "overfence" if in doubt.

Barbed wire will mostly not keep in goats or sheep or hogs. Nor will it keep out predators. Deer can get hung in it and they will find a spot and go through or under it which is actually their preference to going over....and they get hung easily in it.

I grew up with barbed wire and we kept horses in it. People have heart attacks now if you mention horses and barbed wire. It works good for cattle if it is tight. The old saying about a fence
"it should be horse high, bull strong and hog tight."
Yes it is alot cheaper than woven wire... and a good fence will work good. But here we never put up less than a legal fence except through woods where there is no temptation to go through for the "better morsel of grass" next door.
Just saw a new barbed wire fence on an adjoining pasture to one we rent... it is 7 strands. They were fencing out their woods from their cattle. Our rented place adjoins their woods so cattle do not actually touch there. They did not have to inform the landowner of the fence since the land that the cattle run on does not adjoin. If there is a possibility of the livestock being on both sides of the fence ( different owners) ... different states require different things... but here the owner wanting to rebuild a boundary fence HAS to notify the adjoining landowner... if there is not a "gentleman's agreement" then the notification HAS to be done in writing... 60 days prior to any work... which gives the adjoining landowner a right to protest. What it gets down to is often the cost. Say you want new fence, animals on both sides... you want to contain goats or sheep... adjoining owner has a couple of cows... you want woven wire (field fence) ... he does not want to go the extra cost over the existing barbed wire or high tensile smooth wire... BY RIGHTS here in Va , each landowner is responsible for HALF the common boundary fence... if both have animals. So it has to get mediated on costs etc.
Most never go that far... and then if there are no animals sharing the boundary fence... responsibility changes because we are in a "fence out " county here... and the places we rent in the next county north is a "fence in" county.

If it is not a boundary fence, then do whatever you want. But just realize the limitations. Once an animal can get it's head through the fence, they will push and push to get the "better grass on the other side of the fence"... regardless of how good it really is on their own side.... High tensile has some give so they actually can reach through and it will give more than the old style barbed wire... and believe me, gently reaching through and pushing against it is alot less painful than to try to "run through it" and animals will do it if it is not maintained. Closer together is better than further apart.
You have smaller cattle with smaller heads... they will push through more easily than bigger cattle...

More info to consider... Thank you very much 👍 and yes I see a lot of horses confined in barbwire fencing around here even mini horses.

Barb wire is the most common fence around here. I've even seen goats and sheep behind barb wire. But I'll need to stop and have a closer look there might be some strands of electric also.

I already know goats are escape artists. My neighbor on the back side of me has goats and I asked him what he uses to confine them. He said he used to have a single strand of electric wire but he took that down. Now it's nothing but their imagination. They stay in the pasture along with a donkey and cows. I'm not that brave to trust an animals imagination 😂


You all have me rethinking now. I may just do this pasture in woven wire IDK...

Jesus is Lord and Christ 🙏❤️🇺🇸