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.
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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-/
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?
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.
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=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.[/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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Aobiao contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.
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.
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.
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)
There is a lot of information out there about how to design a low-stress cattle handling system, but how much time do you spend thinking about the panels you build those pens with? Have you ever really thought about what makes high-quality cattle panels, and what is the best material to use when building cattle pens?
While doing such legwork may seem obvious, many cattle producers have surprisingly never taken the time to research their cattle panels or gates. When comparing it to a squeeze chute, the cattle gates and panels on your ranch may seem unimportant and miniscule. However, it can save you time and money in the long run to replace old, worn-down pens with new panels and gates that are designed to last instead of continuing to invest in fixing what you have on the farm currently.
Arrowquip recently introduced their new line of heavy-duty Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates. Like all Arrowquip products, this lineup has been engineered for endurance and designed to make handling cattle safer, easier, and more profitable for ranchers. But one question remains in the minds of many cattle producers — aren’t all steel cattle panels the same?
Let’s take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions and myths about what makes a good cattle panel.
1. Why are rectangular railings important in a cattle panel?
It is common to see round panels and oil pipe used for cattle panels, but there are a few reasons why that is a bad idea. Bruising and dark cutters, especially in operations that finish cattle or sell directly to the consumer, can result in significant profit losses. Rectangular panels minimize the likelihood and severity of bruising by providing a larger surface area for cattle to run up against to spread out the pressure of the impact.
In addition, when comparing 1” square compared to 1” round tube, the square tube is approximately 33 percent stronger due to the cross-sectional area. Making the railings rectangular greatly increases the strength and structural integrity without increasing the gauge due to the box area, and adds to the visual barrier that the panels provide for cattle. The large visual barrier makes cattle respect the panel more, and less likely to challenge a panel or gate as a result.
2. Do the number of stays on a cattle panel help its strength?
Typically, the larger your panel is, the more stays will be required. It is common to see one to two welded stays on a 10’ panel to enhance the durability, but warping still occurs due to low-quality, small rails. Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates feature 3” railings that increase the strength of the panel so that stays are not required to prevent panels from warping.
3. Does the spacing of railings on a cattle panel matter?
If you’ve ever seen a cow or calf get their head in between the railings on a panel, you know the importance of graduated rails. The railings on all Arrow Cattle Gates and Panels are graduated to prevent livestock from sticking their heads between the rails, which can cause both damage to your system and issues getting cattle out.
4. What is the best spring-loaded cattle gate latch design?
Cattle like to turn back, but handlers don’t have time for that. Arrow Cattle Gates feature a unique No Miss Latch design that ensures the gate closes securely behind you every time. The two-way striker plate is paired with the same high-quality slam latches seen on Arrowquip cattle chutes to shut properly no matter how hard you slam it. Just hear the click, and carry on.
5. Cattle panels must be rigid to be sturdy.
No matter how great your cattle yard is or how well you are managing your livestock with low-stress practices, there will always be one cow that attempts to hop the fence. Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates have been engineered with flex to absorb the stress and pressure of a cow or bull making an attempted escape, and the height of the panels prevents them from jumping out if they try.
6. Cattle yards and handling systems require a lot of maintenance.
How many times have you gone out to work cattle only to realize that you have a broken gate latch, or a weld on your oil pipe panel has let go? Maintaining your cattle yard can be a time consuming and exhausting task, and the issues never seem to arise until you’re processing livestock — the last time you want to have issues.
Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates are designed to be maintenance-free. Gate Hinges feature engineered nylon bushings that eliminate the metal-on-metal contact that can cause seizing, locks are backed by a lifetime guarantee, and all panels are backed by their exclusive No Bull Warranty that protects your equipment for a full three years after purchase.
Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates have been available exclusively in their custom handling systems for some time, but due to market demand their team has ramped up production to meet the needs of cattle producers around the country. Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates are available in 4’, 8’, and 10’ sizes, and can now be purchased in any quantity required to improve your ranch today.
Whether you are ready for a complete cattle handling system overhaul or just need to replace a single panel, Arrow Cattle Panels and Gates are designed for longevity and durability to last for years to come.
Where can I buy cattle panels near me?
Arrow Cattle Panels can be purchased from all Authorized Arrowquip Cattle Equipment Dealers located across North America. Arrowquip has an extensive network of dealers that carry their full lineup of cattle equipment and can assist you with all your cattle related needs. Find your local dealer on the Dealer Map.
How to connect cattle panels together?
Arrow Cattle Panels feature a unique, 4-way pin connection system that gives handlers the flexibility and freedom to create more panel configurations than ever before.
What is the No Miss Cattle Gate Latch?
Arrow Cattle Gates feature a patented No Miss Latch that ensures the gate will close behind you securely, every single time. No matter how hard you slam it the No Miss Latch will never swing through, allowing you to worry about what is ahead of you, rather than behind, when bringing cattle into the system.
If you have any other questions or would like to order Arrow Cattle Panels and Gate for your operation, visit arrowquip.com or contact their team at 1-866-383- for details.
This article was published on behalf of Arrowquip.
The company is the world’s best cattle yard panels supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.