Choosing the Right Fence for Your Farmland

by Caroline Kirby Owning and managing a ranch or farm is undoubtedly a rewarding experience. Apart from enjoying wide open spaces, the outdoors, and the simplicity of rural life it’s a great opportunity to invest your money in something safe. Ranch lands appreciate at a higher rate and can even bring in profits from the products and/or livestock raised on the land. Whether you’re looking into buying new ranch land or for ways to improve your existing property, read on for more tips. Long-time ranchers and newcomers alike will appreciate the following topic—choosing the right fencing for your property. While those without experience may think fences are purely decorative they actually play many roles in the function of your ranch land.

Why Fences Are So Important

Are you a ranching veteran? Feel free to skip to the next section. The following information is helpful for those looking to break into ranching. Fences play an essential part of successful farming and ranching for many reasons, like: • Defining your property lines. • Containing your animals and keeping other animals out. • Discourage thieves and trespassers from entering your property. • Manage property more easily by separating production zones. • Comply with local zoning laws and legal regulations. • Add aesthetic value and definition to your agricultural spaces. Now that you can understand why fencing is so important to a successful ranching operation let’s take a look at your options. The type of fence you choose will largely depend on your specific needs. Here are the most common fence types for farms and ranches:

1. Barbed Wire

a farm fencing classic that is great for confining cattle but won’t keep other animals out of your fields. The downside? Some areas forbid the use of barbed wire and it’s not the most attractive option.

2. Wooden Fence

a popular choice thanks to its’ decorative value, long life span, and ability to create a sense of privacy around a property. Wooden fences are great for separating large cattle and preventing your animals from getting distracted or spooked, but will require regular maintenance like staining and painting every few years.

3. Chain Link

if your land seems to have problems with people wandering into unsafe areas (like electrical units) this may be a good addition to your land. Chain link fences are reliable and sturdy, but notoriously difficult to climb. Many ranchers use them to define dangerous areas around the property.

4. PVC Fence

these synthetic fences are growing in popularity because they’re easily seen, attractive, and usually have a lifetime guarantee against rotting, rusting, or peeling among other things. You can also find types of PVC fences with an electric guard to isolate aggressive animals or keep trespassers out. Others are specifically designed to be flexible upon impact which can decrease the chances of injury to your livestock. Depending on the size of your property, the cattle, and the functions of your land you may choose one or even a mix of some of the above fence types. Whatever you choose in the end should be decided with optimizing your land in mind. If you’re looking for more resources head over to our blog. 85% of land buyers look online first and LandHub has made it easy to search or sell by giving you the freedom to review land listings by price, property type, and location. Like this article? Please feel free to share or post a link on your site: https://www.landhub.com/land-news/choosing-the-right-fence-for-your-farming-land/