Pros and Cons of using livestock panels as perimeter fencing

[Hermein]

First of all, I’m not wild about non-climb fencing, don’t like to stretch it, don’t like that it rusts, don’t like that the ends sometimes pop out and scratch the horses, etc.

I’m ready to start fencing our new digs, and am thinking of using the livestock panels that look like this: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded-16-ft-4-Gauge-Cattle-Panels-33150739/202820268

I used them before at our previous place, and they’re still there; keeping horses, calves and goats where they belong.

I like the strength, the easy install and the durability. I suppose a horse could get a hoof caught were s/he to kick the fence just right, but I’ve never seen a horse deliberately kick a fence.

Can you think of reasons not to use these panels?

[poltroon]

I would not put horses against these kinds of panels because the hole size is just wrong. However, as a perimeter fence, where the horses are not normally against them unless they get out, it would be fine.

For short stretches of fence, panels like this can be convenient and economical; for long stretches, you’re paying more per foot than for no-climb.

You can buy panels like this with 4x4 or 2x4 mesh, but they are quite a bit more expensive.

I’ve used them for sheep and I find that the hole size isn’t great for them either, so I buy the 4x4 for sheep now.

[tangledweb]

How big are those opening? About 6" x 2"? A horse could definitely trap a hoof in that with nasty results.

You can probably find a different brand that has smaller openings and would be much safer while keeping the other things you like about it.

[poltroon]

[QUOTE=tangledweb;8269597]
How big are those opening? About 6" x 2"? A horse could definitely trap a hoof in that with nasty results.

You can probably find a different brand that has smaller openings and would be much safer while keeping the other things you like about it.[/QUOTE]

The biggest holes on cattle panels are going to be 8" x 6" and some 8" x 4".

As I said, you can get smaller openings, but the extra steel of course makes them quite a bit more expensive, like 2x or 3x.

[SouthernYankee]

A few questions to ask yourself:

Is your land perfectly flat?
How much fence will you be putting up?
Will you have a budget? Or is money not an issue?
What kind of post will you be using?
Will 52" be tall enough?

Some Con’s are that they can get a foot hung. If your land isn’t perfectly flat then it’s going to be a pain to get these up and looking decent. It’s going to be pretty expensive per foot. You’ll need beefier post to secure it to than just t-post.

I have the 2x4 welded wire panels on the top of my stalls and love it. They are aging quite nicely. But they are expensive and I could get much safer fencing for the horses.

[jvk8]

Cattle panels have sharp edges where each piece of metal ends. And they eventually rust. I used to use them until I had a horse cantering around who just barely brushed the fence with a leg. Cut a big vein, profuse bleeding. Luckily I saw it when it happened and called the vet. Many many stitches later horse was fine. However the vet bill I had to pay was ironically the exact amount it cost me to replace the cattle panels with good three board wood fencing.

[SLW]

Livestock panels are a vet bill waiting to happen. That being said, I have a short run of about 6 livestock panels with 4" by 4" opening on my perimeter fence. There is one strand of hot wire on the top of it and my horses respect hot wire. This was a temporary repair that I made about 7 years ago.

Like someone else said, using these off away from the barn, away from the water trough and places where horses tussle for herd position is reducing the risk.

[candyappy]

I have used it in a few areas with no problems. Never had a foot get caught, or had any cut due to using them. What I don’t like is how flimsy they are now as compared to years ago. Fencing a big area will be pricey! You will need to run your posts closer together to make it stronger( should you have one who would push). They are a good height unless you have a huge horse.

If you have a way to use it a fence stretcher makes pulling wire easier. My husband made his own with scraps laying around here.

[Bluey]

Welded wire panels like those are not really good for horses, because they will bend and then the sharp edges can really hurt a horse.

There was a breeder decades ago, when those were first sold around here, that used them framed with pipe in all his horse pens and pastures.

After several years and many injuries, he told me courtesy of those panels, he took every one out and put pipe there and after that hardly ever had an injury.

Now, if you can find a way to use those where a horse scratching on them or kicking at them or whatever was happening to him will not tear them or let the edges come loose, I think he welded them to the pipes, then you may get by.

That is of course if a horse doesn’t stick a hoof thru them playing or rolling close to them.

I see people that use those on the upper side of stalls, where horses are not so apt to get into those panels, the edges sandwiched between wood planks.

As long as you don’t put them where horses will be full body into them, maybe they work there.

For a regular fence, they are an accident waiting to happen more than other ways to fence.

I don’t know about no-climb, but v-mesh has been the gold standard for horse fences for many breeding operations for decades, with very few injuries ever happening in those.

I would not know what to tell you to use, it depends on where you are and what is available there and what you like, but those welded wire panels are, at least around here, known to be less than ideal around horses.

Why not ask your vet, they are the ones that get to patch horses back together after they are injured by fences and may have some ideas for you.

[buck22]

A few months ago one of my horses got a foot caught in a section of this kind of fencing. Fortunately I was just on the other side of the fence when it happened. He backed away, starting to panic, and I was able to calm him with my voice until I got into the enclosure and freed his foot. As he backed away he pulled the panel free from its holdings. In the end no harm done.

I do like how sturdy these panels are, and how incredibly easy they are to install/reinstall. They are life savers when an immediate repair is needed to a section like a tree down, etc.

[Hermein]

Thanks for your comments.

The regs where we’ll be specify that posts be no farther apart than 8’, and don’t allow T-posts. There would also be a top rail and something, rail or cable, at the bottom. I want a mesh lining for the post and rail fence to keep the resident wild life–like skunks, possums, & raccoons on the outside as much as possible. If that’s possible at all.

One woman I know who was concerned about hooves getting caught in these sort of panels, which were in place when she moved in, modified them by weaving 14 gauge wire (which is what non-climb uses) diagonally through the larger open squares up to 3’ or so.

My horses are mature, not as goofy as they used to be, and are respectful of electric fencing, so the risk is somewhat lessened. I have a partial panel that I’ll play with to see if it could be made safer.

Thanks again.

PS: The horses will have individual runs off their stalls that will be pipe, post and rail.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I boarded somewhere with them and they eventually just rust enough to pop and you have this metal piece poking out waiting to stab a horse running by.

[poltroon]

Your fence will still be cheaper and safer using a roll of mesh fence.

These cattle panels have openings too large to keep out skunks, raccoons, and possums.

Note that the picture in the link is a little deceiving - it is compressed horizontally to make the spacing look smaller than the specifications say - these are standard cattle panels with 8" horizontal spacing.

[blujen]

I have neighbors that did this, they fenced and crossfenced 5 acres just about a year ago. They used 4x4 posts every 8 feet, so ends and middle of each panel. It looks pretty decent, they’re keeping 2 horses and a herd of goats and a herd of sheep in- mostly.

The horses were out 3x a week for the first 3 months. Luckily we’re in a very quiet area, and MY property makes a nice catchment, they can wander in to visit my horses and it keeps them off the road, and relatively easy to catch. Eventually they built a barn and the horses just get out during the day while they’re home. The sheep mostly just sheep, the goats are out at least once a month still.

I think with the way you would have to fasten them together they just won’t really work long-term, although as gap fixers theyr’e great. I have some on the outside of my perimeter fence, so my horses can’t reach through to the area where my neighbor decided he needed a compost pile… (pretty sure that’s ON my property but that’s another bridge)