A question about cattle/hog panels

[Annabellarose]

Do any of you use cattle or hog panels? In my area of the country, they look like woven wire fencing only the wire is very thick/sturdy/hard to bend and they are 16 feet in length. Do any of you use cattle or hog panels attached to T-posts? If you do, how do you attach the cattle or hog panels to the T-posts? Do any of you use anything that looks better and is safer than just wiring them to the T-posts with wire? I will be using an electric "scare wire" (actually electric rope) about 6 inches off of the ground and I always, always, always cap my T-posts with extra large safety caps and another "scare wire".

I do not want to use post and board, chain link, rolled woven wire/field fencing, or just electric wire/rope/tape for my Miniature Horses. I like the look of some of the cattle or hog panel fences that I have seen used for Miniature Horses, but I have always only seen them attached to wood posts. For this application, I really need the tear down/temporary aspect of T-posts on the line of the fence.

If you use cattle or hog panels attached to T-posts, please share your method of attachment. If you don't use them, but you know someone who does and you know how they attached them, please share that.

I know that several of you use cattle or hog panels and I would like to thank you, in advance, for any help.

 

[Becky]

All of my dry lots are made of 16' cattle panels and t posts. The t posts come with clips to attach fence to them. I have found that it takes 5 t posts per panel to keep them in good shape because miniatures love to rub on them!

 

[Charlotte]

Ditto Becky. I use the cattle panels too and in some areas like my dry lots they are on T posts. We originally put them on with the included clips, but the horses rub on them so hard we found it worked better to attach the panels wit heavy guage electric fence wire being VERY careful to leave no sharp ends sticking out.

Personally, I think the hog panels might be low enough to encourage a mini to try to jump it. That's why I use the taller cattle ones.

This has been one of the best and most injury free types of fencing I've ever used. We do take care to leave no little sharp nubs in such a place that they could poke an eye.

Charlotte

 

[Karin - NaKar Miniatures]

All of my dry lots are fenced with hog panels. They work great! I put my t-posts 4' apart and attach the panels with the clips that come with the t-posts. They are also raised off the ground about 4-5". If you put them directly on the ground the dirt tends to collect at the bottom and will eventually cover the bottom wires, which will eventually rust out. I think there are either three or four clips per post. On the corners I have fastened the panels with hose clamps. They also work great to hold the panels on. Especially the areas where the horses seem to be the most active with their butt rubbing. Make sure that the curled end of the clamp is facing to the ourtside. If it is long enough you can wire the end so that it stays close to the clamp wire.

You can't beat hog/cattle panels for a quick and easy fence project.

 

[ropenride]

We use a lot of cattle panels here!! I have found that using wire to tie them to the posts (wooden and T) doesn't always last long, so I use baling twine

It's always here, easy and quick to cut with a pocket knife, and doesn't have any sharp ends to poke out an eye. My posts are usually 8' apart. I also use these to connect the panels

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1...732_106499.html

and have been wishing for their whole fencing system!!

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/cat1;...ng_systems.html

I even used bolt cutters and the hinges on a panel to make gates for a couple odd sized areas.

The only downside to cattle panels that I've found so far is that they are hard to handle by myself unless I drag them one at a time, and they've DOUBLED in price

at our TSC in the last 18 months!!!!

 

[Jill]

Our paddocks all have cattle panels and we love them. Ours though are on painted oak posts. Originally, we had stretched heavy gauge field fencing on these, but replaced that with the cattle panels about 2 or 3 years ago. The posts are spaced every 8'. I love it!!!

 

[Chaos Ranch]

Another added bonus to using cattle panels is that it helps keep dogs and loose livestock from getting into your pasture and bothering your horses. I put mine about 3" off the ground. Sometimes they slip down onto the ground and you have to go along and tighten up the clips because they work loose when the horses rub their rear ends on them. I replaced my field fencing a few years ago with cattle panels when one of my stallions got his leg hung up in the field fencing while pawing at another stallion. If you run an electric rope around the pasture in addition to your cattle panels you shouldn't have to worry about tightening up the fence beacuse your horses won't be rubbing on the panels.

 

[Echo Acres]

We use the cattle panels with t-posts. I feel safer with the cattle panels rather than the hog panels. I like the extra height. How do we attach them to the posts? We use heavy duty zip ties. Works great. Once in a while you need to inspect to see if any have broken off. We use 3 or 4 per post. They really hold up well even in extreme temps.

 

[lilmiraclesfarm]

I use the 16ft cattle pannels with T posts. I put the post on the outside of the fence, then I just zip tie them together. Zip ties or Cable ties are reasonable cheap and you can buy them at any home depot or lowes. Sometimes a couple pop becuase of weather, but for the most part out of oh probley 1000 zip ties, I only get about 10 that pop a year.

 

[esty]

Just be very careful if you have a stallion who backs up and kicks at the fence. We had a naughtyt boy who somehow got is leg woove through two of the rows of the panel and it was towards the bottom , try getting that out ! You cant just take something and cut the wire because its so strong.

 

[Krazee bout Kasspur]

I use them and I prefer the hog panels due to the smaller squares at the bottom. I use baling twine and secure them around round bales. The smaller squares prevent the big horses from putting a hoof through a square should they attempt to paw at it.

When I purchase the panels I always ask that they cut them in half for me. This way the panel is easier to load, haul, and then handle once I get it home. I move them around a lot too if there is grass coming up. I've made temporary stand alone corrals for grazing my minis...on level ground just "zig zag" them kind of in an accordion type fashion. I've also secured them to metal T posts for a more permanent pen. They sure are handy!

Lori