Are you in the market for farm fencing to protect your property and livestock? Choosing the right fencing supplies is essential for securing your farm from external threats. Whether you have a smallholding or a sprawling working farm, this guide will take you through what factors to consider when choosing farm fencing, helping you to make informed decisions that meet your specific needs.

Understanding Your Needs

Before you can get into the selection process, you need to first think about your farm’s unique requirements and goals. You should be considering factors such as:

Property Size & Layout

Both the size and layout of your property will influence the type and quantity of fencing supplies needed. Measure the perimeter of your farm, as well as any specific areas you’d like to fence in, such as pasture enclosures, animal pens or crop fields. How large of an area would you like your fencing to cover? Where will you put gates, corners, T-posts and so on? These details are important as they can impact the fence’s stability over time. 

When thinking about your fence layout, you’ll want to spend plenty of time at the actual fence site to get a good look at the land itself. Try to avoid conditions that are rocky, hard or sloped – all of which can weaken the fence line and lead to maintenance problems in the future. Planning out where your fencing will go now will save you plenty of hassle down the line. 

Livestock

Different types of animals will have varying fencing requirements based on their size, behaviour and containment needs:

• Cattle: Cattle require tall fencing, often with barbed wire to prevent the animals from leaning or chewing on the fence lines.
• Sheep: The number one priority for fencing in sheep is keeping away predators, which makes electric fencing a good choice in this scenario. 
• Horses: Horses need fences with plenty of visibility and flexibility. Woven wire fencing can create a barrier for the horses, but can bend if necessary when a horse is spooked. 
• Pigs: Pigs like to root around low to the ground, so a shorter, rigid fence with barbed wire along the bottom to prevent rooting from happening is ideal.

Terrain 

You should also take into account the environmental conditions of your farm, including soil type, elevation changes, drainage patterns and weather exposure. 

Choosing the Right Fencing Materials

Once you’ve assessed your farm’s requirements, it’s time to choose the right fencing materials. There are a number of popular choices, so your decision will ultimately depend on the factors we discussed above. Here are just some of the most common fencing materials you should consider. 

Pressure-Treated Timber 

Pressure-treated timber is finished with preservatives to resist decay, rot and insect damage, making it ideal for outdoor applications such as farm fencing. It’s known for its durability and longevity, making it a cost-effective choice in the long term. 

Post & Rail Fencing 

Post and rail fencing is a classic choice for farms: not only is it great at providing a sturdy and secure enclosure for livestock, it still manages to maintain an open and airy feel. It’s also versatile enough to adapt to various terrain types and can be customised to suit your specific requirements.

Wire Fencing

There are several different types of wire fencing that are frequently found on farms:

• Woven wire: This type of fencing is lightweight and durable, and is handy for fencing in a variety of animals. Just make sure that you choose the right height to prevent animals from jumping over. 
• Welded wire: Welded wire is similarly lightweight and strong, and it tends to be more affordable than most woven wire options. It’s also a good choice for small crop areas or feedlots. 
• Barbed wire: Good for cattle or pig fencing, barbed wire is inexpensive to set up and maintain, not to mention that it’s effective for keeping animals in and out. 

Installation and Maintenance

Alongside picking the right materials, it’s also important to factor in the installation process and ongoing maintenance requirements of your farm fencing. 

Installing with Ease

It goes without saying that opting for fencing materials that are easy to install will save you lots of time, money and hassle, whether you’re tackling the project by yourself or hiring a professional to help. If you’re going at it alone, you’ll need to think about post spacing, fence height and assembly methods to make the installation process as straightforward as possible and make sure that your fence line is secure. 

Maintenance

Weigh up the maintenance needs of different fencing materials and pick an option that aligns with your maintenance preferences and schedule. While some materials may require routine painting, staining or treatment, others may offer low-maintenance alternatives that require little to no upkeep.

Farm Fencing Supplies by Hales Sawmills

As a reliable supplier of timber products, Hales Sawmills stock a comprehensive range of sturdy farm fencing supplies to keep your enclosures secure. Below are just a handful of the fantastic materials we carry.

Fencing Stakes

Available in a variety of different sizes to suit your needs, cundy peeled posts are round fence posts which have been roughly cut with the bark scraped off to give a rustic and natural finish, making them most popular for farm fields and paddocks. These posts are pressure treated as standard. Bulk orders can be arranged upon request. 

Fencing Rails

Cundy peeled rails are half-round fence rails which have been roughly cut with the bark scraped off to give a rustic and natural finish, making them most popular for farm fields and paddocks. These rails are pressure treated as standard.

Ranch Gates

Our traditionally styled pressure treated ranch gates are handcrafted here in the heart of the Shropshire countryside by one of our expert joiners. Our gates are built for strength and longevity using strong mortise and tenon joints. We also operate a strict quality control across everything we manufacture to guarantee a high quality finish.

These gates are extremely versatile, whether you are after a timber gate for paddocks, fields, stables, driveways or as an agricultural gate, this is a perfect option.Choose from 3 available materials – Swedish redwood with comes in either a traditional rough sawn or PAR smooth finish, Meranti or Iroka. Gates can also be manufactured to meet bespoke sizing needs. 

Machine Rounded Posts

Machine rounded posts are used to create attractive, strong and solid fencing for agriculture or equestrian settings, gardens and visitor attractions. These round fence posts are pressure treated as standard.

Shop With Us Today

Upgrade your farm fencing with premium-quality timber products from Hales Sawmills. Our fantastic range of sturdy fencing supplies include pressure-treated timber, wire and stock netting, electric fencing and accessories, all of which provide reliable solutions to keep your property and livestock protected. With us, you can trust in the quality and craftsmanship of our timber products to improve the safety, security and visual appeal of your farm.

You can browse our full range of products online, or for more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.