How to Electrify a Field Fence

Use electrified field fence to for hard-to-contain animals such as goats.

Electrifying a fence provides a simple, effective solution to a variety of frustrating fencing problems with animals. One of the most successful uses of an electric fence occurs when you use it in combination with a field fence, or woven wire fence, which consists of a flexible net of interlocking vertical and horizontal wires. Although you can't electrify the field fence wire itself, you can easily add supplemental electric wires to it to discourage animals from touching the field fence. This fencing strategy works particularly well when you need to reinforce an old, damaged field fence or when you're trying to keep animals from pushing against a newly installed woven wire fence.

Things You'll Need

• 6-inch-long offset plastic insulators
• 12.5-gauge electric fence wire
• Wire cutters
• Insulated cable
• Fence energizer
• 3 6-foot-long galvanized grounding rods
• 3 brass grounding clamps

Instructions

1. Install two 6-inch-long offset plastic insulators on the inside of each existing fence post. Hammer nail-in offset insulators on the wooden posts; use clip-on offset insulators on the steel T-posts.

2. Locate the bottom set of insulators approximately six to eight inches from the ground. Position the top set of insulators on the posts at a height that is equal to 2/3 of the height of the animal species that you're containing within the field fence. For example, if you use the fence for cattle that are approximately 48 inches tall at the shoulder, then you'll want to place the top set of insulators approximately 32 inches from the ground.

3. Run a strand of 12.5-gauge electric wire through the bottom set of insulators. Pull it tight, cut it and tie it back on itself when you have encircled the entire perimeter of the fence with the wire. Repeat this process to install another electric wire in the top set of offset insulators. You should now have a two-stranded electric fence that is attached to the existing fence posts and runs the entire perimeter of your woven wire fence.

4. Connect the two strands of electric wire together with a length of insulated cable. Strip back the last two inches of insulation from both ends of the cable. Wrap one end of the cable around the bottom offset electric wire. Wrap the other end around the top offset electric wire.

5. Measure out a length of insulated cable that reaches from the bottom wire in your fence to the fence energizer. Strip back the insulation from both ends of the cable. Attach the two exposed cable ends to the bottom electric fence wire and to the positively charged fence terminal on your fence energizer.

6. Pound three 6-foot-long galvanized grounding rods into the ground approximately 10 feet apart. Position the nearest grounding rod approximately 10 feet from the fence energizer. Attach the grounding rods to each other using strips of insulated cable and three brass grounding clamps.

7. Cut a length of insulated cable that reaches between the nearest grounding rod and the fence energizer. Peel back the insulation from both ends of the cable. Connect one end of the cable to the nearest grounding rod. Connect the second end of the cable to the negatively charged ground terminal on the fence energizer.

Tips & Warnings

• According to Oregon State University Cooperative Extension, adding two or three offset electric wires to the outside of your field fence provides an effective way to deter livestock predators.

• Turn off your energizer whenever you're working near it because accidental electrical shock could occur. Post warning signs.

• Do not try to electrify barbed wire.

References

• Oregon State University Cooperative Extension: Building an Electric Antipredator Fence
• American Fence and Supply Company: How to Install an Electric Fence
• "The Fence Bible;" Jeff Beneke; 2005