How to Install an Electric Fence for Livestock
Installing an electric fence for livestock is a straightforward process, provided you know ahead of time exactly what kind of electric fence you need. Permanent electric fences can last for years without needing to be moved or replaced, but they must have stronger posts, preferably wooden or steel, in order to withstand the strain of the pulling electric wires. Temporary electric fences need to be portable, so they typically use lightweight plastic fence posts and electro-plastic wire. In most cases, you should be able to install a temporary electric fence in a single day, while permanent electric fence installation often takes multiple days. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Mower/weedeater
- Boulders/wooden stakes
- Corner posts
- Post driver
- Shovel
- Tape measure
- Marker
- Corner post plastic insulators
- Line posts
- Line post plastic insulators
- Electric fence wire
- Insulated cable
- Wire cutters
- Grounded fence energizer
Instructions
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1
Clear the perimeter of your electric fence. Trim down a 2- to 3-foot-wide strip of grass along the fence line. Mark the corner post locations with boulders or wooden stakes.
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2
Install corner posts for your electric livestock fence. Sink steel T-posts into the ground to a depth of 12 to 18 inches. If you opt for wooden corner posts, dig an 18- to 24-inch-deep hole at the first corner post location. Stand the wooden corner post upright in the hole and pack dirt around the base of the post to secure it in the post hole. Repeat the installation process for each remaining wooden corner post.
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3
Mark on the corner posts the desired height for each strand of wire in the electric fence. As a general rule, position the bottom wire 6 to 8 inches from the ground, with the remaining wires spaced approximately 6 to 9 inches apart. Make sure one of the top wire strands is located at a height equal to the shoulder height of the animal species within the fence; for instance, if the fence will contain adult goats that measure 25 inches at the shoulder, then one of the top wires should be 25 inches from the ground.
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4
Mount plastic corner insulators on the corner posts at the marked locations, using clip-on insulators for steel posts and screw-in insulators for wooden posts. Run a strand of electric wire through the bottom set of corner post insulators; pull the wire tightly so it provides a straight line for installing the line posts.
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Sink line posts into the ground on the outside edge of the marking line. Use steel T-posts for a sturdier permanent electric fence, placing them up to 25 feet apart; use fiberglass or plastic tread-in posts for a temporary electric fence, positioning them up to 16 feet apart. Position slide-on or clip-on plastic insulators on the line posts at heights that correspond to the heights of the insulators on the corner posts.
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6
Feed the bottom strand of previously strung electric wire through the bottom set of line post insulators. Run additional strands of electric wire through each of the remaining sets of corner and line post insulators. Connect each strand of electric wire to the wire directly above it with a short length of insulated cable. Remove the insulation from both ends of each cable strip and wrap the bare cable directly around each fence strand to ensure that the metal cable makes direct contact with each fence wire.
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7
Wire together the electric fence and fence charger with an additional strip of insulated cable. Peel off approximately 2 inches of insulation from both cable ends. Wrap one end of the exposed cable around the top wire in the electric fence and wrap the second end of exposed cable around the fence terminal on the fence charger. Check each wire connection to verify a direct connection before plugging the energizer in and turning it on.
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Tips & Warnings
Only use insulated cable approved for use with electric fence, which must be able to handle 20,000 volts of electricity.
Accidental electrical shock could occur. Always turn off and unplug the charger while working on the fence. Mount warning signs around the fence perimeter to alert passersby.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
