Cattle Panels & T-Posts Quick Question

[Jill]

For those of you who are using t-posts with cattle panels, can you tell me what you use to attach the cattle panels to the t-posts?

Thanks.

 

[Tony]

Galvanized wire.

 

[Charlotte]

We use the heavy wire clips that come with the cattle panels. When we need more than that we use glavanized wire like Tony said.

All of our dry lots and grass paddocks are that type of fencing.

Charlotte

 

[Tobey]

We also use this fencing--best there is! We use the clips also but when I'm in a quick fix and don't have any clips left we use baler twine and tie them together. Got lots of that laying around

 

[Jill]

Thanks!

I am pretty dumb. I throw those clips away. I didn't even really look at them but thought they weren't strong enough to hold the horses... however, duh, people are not using those t-posts to keep in flowers!

We're dividing a paddock and Harvey and are are at odds. He doesn't think that the t-posts can be strong enough and I keep saying they are, but we haven't been attaching the panels to the posts the right way.

What we have been doing is using those plastic saftey tie things. I was thinking we just needed to get a heavier duty version of those.

I plan to show Harvey this full thread this evening. It would be way, way faster to use these posts to do what we're aiming to do vs. using wood posts like he wants to do.

 

[CyndiD]

Jill..we have used them for a long while now, due to dogs running loose and coyotes.

We have found that if you use an extra T post on each panel...I think we have 3 or 4 posts per panel it makes it even stronger..and put the posts on the outside...that also keeps it stronger for all those itchy butts...

Ours have been up for about 5 yrs. now and are still "looking great".

 

[Lauralee]

Use the clips that came with the T posts. You can buy more if you don't have enough.

Also, to connect each panel to another panel, use "hog rings". Buy the large ones. You will need a hog ring applier also.

Hog rings can also be used to apply cattle panels OVER existing fencing. They work great and are really cheap.

 

[lyn_j]

[SIZE=14pt]We use these too. Barry puts T posts every 6 feet and we connect the sections with galvanized wire. That way the connections arent at the T post and cant get worn because of rubbing on the post. Also the extra posts make the fencing not as bendable when the horses rub against it.[/SIZE]

Lyn

 

[Jill]

What I'm thinking we should do now is put one t-post at each end of the 16' cattle panels, and one t-post in the center of each panel, and use the silly clips they gave for just that purpose, vs. throwing them out... We are making one paddock bigger (moving a cattle panel fence that we never did right in the first place) and splitting another paddock in two.

Previously, H and I reached a compromose to put wooden posts at either end of the panels and a t-post in the center, but if we can use all t-posts it would be SO MUCH faster.

Thanks for the input!!!

 

[Lauralee]

NO NO NO JILL!!!!

Don't do it with the posts at the end of the cattle panels.

It is MUCH better if you will put the posts in the body of the panels, and clip the panels to each other at the seams using hog rings(quick and easy), or wire.

We've put up tons of this fencing, take it from the voice of experience. Setting the posts at the end of the panels is a huge waste of excess effort.

You can overlap the panels at the seams by one square column. This will also add strength.

 

[Laura]

NO NO NO JILL!!!!
Don't do it with the posts at the end of the cattle panels.

It is MUCH better if you will put the posts in the body of the panels, and clip the panels to each other at the seams using hog rings(quick and easy), or wire. 

We've put up tons of this fencing, take it from the voice of experience.  Setting the posts at the end of the panels is a huge waste of excess effort.

You can overlap the panels at the seams by one square column.  This will also add strength.

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Amen to everything here! We are about to start fencing projects at the new farm...ugh!

 

[Jill]

Okay! Thanks

I think I've got it now.

That was one reason H and I had trouble the first fence line out of this stuff, we were putting the posts at the ends.

(I told you I am dumb!!!)

 

[Lauralee]

Also, Jill, have your bolt cutters ready for any variations in your terrain.

You can contour the bottom rows of the cattle panels to fit any humps and dips in the surface of the land.

It is not 100% necessary to overlap the panels, but if you are leaving them at the full height, you will need that extra strength.

One tip I was given this week ..... not sure yet if it is doable but will share it with you.

REBAR that goes into concrete foundations can be bought in 8 X 20 foot sheets. You cut them down into 4 foot height and they are supposed to be MUCH CHEAPER than conventional cattle panels. However, they will eventually rust as the rebar is not galvanized.

Still, it is financially a much better option. Learned that AFTER we have already fenced and crossfenced our entire acreage with regular cattle panels to the tune of several thousand dollars.

 

[minih]

Previously, H and I reached a compromose to put wooden posts at either end of the panels and a t-post in the center, but if we can use all t-posts it would be SO MUCH faster.

This is what we did, and it is working great! Our fencing has now been up for 7 years and we have had no problems or very much maintenance at all. In fact a tree fell on one of the cattle panels and all we had to do was rebend the top back into shape

 

[mizbeth]

I use baling wire. Double and tie it.

Beth

 

[Margo_C-T]

The galvanized fencing clips work well. Lauralee-did you mean "rebar"(the sort of "knobby" ungalvanized steel rods of different diameters that are placed into concrete to reinforce it; comes in 20' lengths)....OR, concrete reinforcing wire, an ungalvanized, welded 'mesh' of approx. 4-6" openings,also used for concrete reinforcement, that comes in rolls like fencing? The problem with such stuff is that it is inflexible(very little "spring" to it and likely to be brittle, along with the rusting-and is MUCH lighter in weight than cattle/hog/sheep panels(which are of 1/4" galv. steel rod.)I would be a bit leery of using it for fencing for animals of any weight, and that are likely to use it to rub on!

Posts for ANY fencing to hold in livestock should ALWAYS be on the outside, for strength. After all, the animals will be on the inside, "pushing" to get OUT, not vice versa! Closer spacing of the T posts will certainly strengthen the overall fencing.

 

[Marty]

What I'm thinking we should do now is put one t-post at each end of the 16' cattle panels, and one t-post in the center of each panel,

Jill I use cattle panels for my round pen. This is what we did to cause a radius: one at each end and one in the middle to get it to bend.

At the end, we use wooden posts to attach a gate to.

We use the metal clips also but ran out so we then used some galvanized wire that we use for our hot wire.

What are you all using for gates?

I just make my little picket gates and use them on everything.

 

[Loess Hills]

We also use the cattle or hog panels for some fencing, with the metal T-posts and galvanized wire to hold them. Just a little tip we got from an old horsewoman on the panels............She had a stallion get his hoof caught in one of the squares and he could not get it out. If she hadn't been there to remove the leg, this $40,000 stallion could have been seriously injured. So now when she fences, she flips the panels so that the small squares are at the top, and the larger squares are at the bottom. That way if they get a foot through the panel, they can remove it themselves. So now when we fence, we do the same thing. Just an "Itty Bitty Tippy"!

 

[Margaret]

I use horse fencing that comes from home depo. They come 100 ft to a roll, and in height of 4 foot and taller. (at a little over $100. a roll) I only need to attach it at the top and the bottom, "for my horses." ( Although some horses may need a middle attachment) It is nice because of its sturdiness and I can remove it at any time, and re-use it in other areas. At the top I hook the second section down of the fence into the top of the T-post,.. And at the bottom I will either use a piece of hay baling twine or some baling wire, and twist the sharp edges under.

 

[susanne]

I've used concrete reinforcement mesh panels for garden fencing, but for the reasons Margo said, I wouldn't use it for horse fencing (of course, for the garden I WANT the non-galvanized, pre-rusted stuff, and I REALLY would not use that anywhere the horses would make contact)

Going just a bit off topic...

Back when we were amongst "The Young and the Horseless," Keith and I put up a garden fence using a 50 foot roll of reinforcement mesh. This stuff wants to retain the curve of the roll, so we rolled it out onto the lawn to flatten it out. In a memorable brain fart, we rolled it out curl side up instead of down. Realizing our mistake, Keith reached for a brick to weigh it down, but let go of the roll (I was holding the end.

As soon as he let go, the entire rolling came springing back toward me. Now, a savvy do-it-yourselfer would have jumped out of the way, but no -- I just held out my hands to stop it, not realizing the strength in that roll of wire. My hands did not stop it, and it hit me full force in the face. Luckily, I only got a nasty gash on my nose, but it was quite a shock, and even more so to Keith, who thought I was seriously hurt.

Ah, well, lesson learned!