Guide to Stock Fencing E-Book

Andy Radford

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Seitenzahl: 168

Beschreibung

Whether you need a fence that will protect large livestock such as cattle and horses, or an enclosure for a few chickens, or any size of stock enclosure in between, A Guide to Stock Fencing contains a wealth of practical information and advice.Topics covered include: guidance on purchasing the correct materials and tools, and the best retailers to do business with; the basic post-and-rail fence, including the ideal equestrian enclosure; specialist fences for different livestock; dealing with variations in local topography, including fencing on slopes and crossing rivers and streams; adding stiles to gates to a fence; and finally, advanced fencing techniques including how to secure posts in shallow or soft ground.This practical guide contains a wealth of information and advice needed to produce an effective, durable fence for whatever stock you wish to contain. Highly illustrated with 130 black & white photographs.

Leseprobe

A Guide to Stock Fencing

Andy Radford

First published in 2002 by The Crowood Press Ltd Ramsbury, Marlborough Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

Paperback edition 2013

This e-book first published in 2013

© Andy Radford 2002

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 84797 614 7

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Emily, Jamie and Crisiant, my three beautiful children.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank those individuals and organizations who have supported me throughout the writing of this book.

ETC Saw Mills of Ellesmere, Shropshire and Chirk, for their kind sponsorship of materials and information; Colin Heskins, Martin Roscoe, Ian Nash, Russell Williams, Dave Lippet, Ray Parry and Derek Wellings of ETC, who offered useful retail advice; Peter Farmer of Uniwire for supplying information about stock fencing products; Peter Hardwick, Pam Pickering, Graham Phillips of the Peak District National Park Ranger Service; Neil Symon; and Glyn Jones, John Vidal, Ade Wood, and Karen and Susan Harper whose projects are featured in the book; Roger Gardner, Stacey Barlow, Dan Wilson and Lee for helping with the projects described here; and last, but not least, my partner Janet Williams for proof reading, help and support.

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

1 Background to the Styles of Fencing

2 Getting Started

3 The Basic Enclosure

4 Large Livestock

5 Fencing for Goats

6 Equestrian Fencing

7 Variations of Method (Topography)

8 Inserting Access Points

9 The Poultry Enclosure

Useful Organizations and Websites

Glossary

Index

PREFACE

Along with dry stone walling and hedge laying, stock fencing is one of the major agricultural and domestic tasks I carry out during the course of my work. I say ‘domestic’ because many a hobbyist livestock owner and smallholder calls on my skills either to erect a stock-proof barrier or just to ask for my advice on material requirements and the techniques of my trade. Although the latter practice holds the danger of my losing valuable custom during the lean winter months, I tend to give this advice freely in order to help a fellow countryside and animal lover.

Like dry stone walling and hedge laying, I acquired my fencing skills seventeen years ago, working first as a volunteer and then as a full-time employee of the Peak District National Park Authority’s Ranger Service. I left the National Park in 1991 and eventually set up my own organic landscaping business. My work today encompasses a wide variety of projects from repairing a small section of wall on some idyllic, lonely mountainside, to building fences that enclose sheep or cattle or to complete garden enhancements with a full wealth of features.

Most of my work is carried out in the mountains of the North Wales borders; but the seed of my trade germinated in the Peak District, a fact that I shall never forget, and I shall be forever grateful for the National Park’s time and professional tuition. Luckily, I can now pass on these skills through the written word, with the hope that they help you to enjoy working in the serenity of the great outdoors as much as I do.

INTRODUCTION

To a smallholder, a strong, stock-proof enclosure is just as important as the animal it is designed to hold. The two are, without argument, inextricably linked. Goats, sheep, cattle and ponies are, by nature, expert escapees or fence bulldozers. Quite often the discerning stock-keeper will have an on-going, sometimes frustrating battle if an animal has a mind to persistently break out. It is not much fun watching your cherished goat wander on to next door’s land with the sole intention of eating your neighbour’s shrubs, lovingly grown vegetables or precious flowers. And the last thing we all want to see is our specially bred ewe straying on to the road only to be mown down by a passing vehicle. The majority of such incidents usually occur with jury-rigged fences – piecemeal enclosures built out of reused fencing materials, old bedsteads, wooden pallets or anything else that can be found about the yard. This type of fence, I have to say, is all too common.

There is much to be said about a strong, well-built stock fence specifically designed to the characteristics of the animal it is intended to contain. Understandably, the main reason for a jury-rigged fence is financial. The outlay for new materials can be expensive, but this has to be balanced with the costs of having to continually repair and maintain a weak boundary, insurance claims from neighbours and road-kill. Using new materials, a correctly built enclosure can have a life span of between fifteen and twenty years, with little or no maintenance at all. This, in the long run, saves money and leaves time for the smallholder to get on with other important business, secure in the knowledge that his livestock is well protected.

Ever since human beings discovered agriculture the need for durable fences has been of paramount importance. Ancient farmers based their enclosures on their house building styles, using a wattle and daub technique. Woodlands containing hazel and birch were coppiced. Coppicing is a process of farming trees whereby they are felled, leaving just stumps. The stumps then sprout new growth, usually in the form of straight, thin trunks. The trunks formed poles that were then harvested for the construction of fences and dwellings. The farmer then inserted the poles into the ground to act as uprights for thinner branches that were woven in between. The fence was then daubed with mud or clay.

Almost all of the world’s ancient peoples used wattle and daub in their everyday lives for their boundary construction. Examples of this may found rooted deep in a nation’s history. The stock fences of the Celts, the dwellings of the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, many ancient Greek and Roman structures and even the medieval hill forts of Britain and the military enclaves of the Wild West were erected using a similar technique.

It is plain to see that the art of stock fencing has an absorbing, colourful past, and one that can easily rival dry stone walling or hedge laying. The only things that have changed are the qualities and the styles of the materials used. Whereas the life span of a wattle fence was a hit and miss affair, today’s components are manufactured to the highest standards by the use of computer software for cutting and shaping. Modern wood treatments add precious years to a finished product by fighting the effects of damp, decay and fungus. In the same way, galvanized fencing wires and fittings ensure rust protection for the rough years ahead.

Raw material in sawmill.

From Sustainable Forest to Sawmill

In Britain the wood for fencing materials is collected from purpose-planted conifer plantations. The trees, including larch, spruce and Sitka are harvested through a process of sustainable forestry. This means that for each tree felled another is planted in its place, ensuring a crop for the future. Although most of these species are imported from Scandinavia and are therefore not indigenous to the British Isles they, none the less, form attractive additions to our countryside and a stroll through a mature plantation can be just as invigorating as an early spring morning. The red squirrel, now very rare, has found a safe habitat within the pine forests of the North, away from the common, foreign grey squirrel, and a host of other creatures have sought sanctuary within these closely planted trees. But like them or not, these trees are here to stay and have now become an integral part of the British countryside. Furthermore, they are the first choice when it comes to building modern stock enclosures.

From the forest the trees are felled and loaded on to trucks to be transported to the sawmill where they are stacked, waiting to be fed through a computer-controlled process to create the several sizes of product needed to fashion an enclosure. They are then transferred to the log-grading line, where they are scanned for irregularities and to assess the diameter of each individual log. The wood is then fed through cutters to smooth off the lumps and bumps and then on to a conveyer-belt, down towards a series of gates. Each gate represents the size of timber for a particular product, for example, fencing stakes, strainers or rails. The program separates the right size of log for the corresponding gate and ejects it on to a pile.

Logs being graded.

Graded logs moving into cutters.

Logs in the sawmill.

Pressure treatment tank.

Fencing product.

The third part of the wood’s journey is in the sawmill where it is scanned again, but now the computer creates the fencing materials by passing the wood through a number of multi-headed cutters. It is then fed through the penultimate stage of production to be manually stacked on pallets before being transferred to treatment tanks. Each post, rail or board is subsequently subjected to an enormous amount of pressure and at the same time is immersed in a tanalizing liquid containing anti-fungicides and other agents that enhance the wood’s resistance to the ravages of the environment and pollution.

CHAPTER 1

BACKGROUND TO THE STYLES OF FENCING

A walk or a drive through the countryside will reveal many mutations of fence line stretching over the landscape and one could be forgiven for thinking that the world hosts a plethora of styles, too many for a single book to cope with. This could not be further from the truth. Fences may be divided into two major categories: agricultural and domestic. As this book is primarily aimed at the smallholder, most of the projects described here centre on livestock containment or animal exclusion.

Fencing for agriculture is based around two main styles: post and wire and post and rail, with both often combining to form a single enclosure in its own right. Regardless of what type of fence is going to be constructed, they all have one important thing in common where materials are concerned, each fence, without exception, contains intermediate stakes or intermediate posts inserted into the ground at 6ft (2m) intervals. Intermediate stakes come in three major forms: pointed round, pointed half-round and square, and it is these stakes that make up the body of any given fence line, regardless of the stock-proofing or means to preserve privacy to be attached later.

The standard post and wire stock fence.

Parts of a post and rail fence.

Parts of a field gate.

Round, pointed fencing stakes.

Half-round fencing stakes.

Square unpointed posts.

The enclosure will change depending on the animal to be kept in it or, in some cases, to be excluded. Whereas sheep, goats and cattle may be retained by using the same materials, with a few subtle changes of design, larger animals, including equine stock, will require a totally different style. But given this, fencing follows a set of basic building techniques that are relevant to all permutations of the craft. Simple techniques that include the use of nylon string-lines to help in procuring a perfect, straight line of intermediate posts and the way one fixes the stock-proof wire or rail to the posts are of general applicability. Perhaps the most important point to mention with regard to all stock fences is the significance of the side of the enclosure to which one fastens the stock-proofing material. As a rule of thumb, the netting or rail is placed on the stock side, the side facing the animals. By doing this you ensure that, if animals push against it, which they often do, the staples holding the wire or the nails securing the rails will stay firmly in the timber instead of becoming dislodged, which would seriously undermine the effectiveness of the structure. Put quite simply, one has to make sure that any external pressure is applied to the fencing posts as opposed to the fixings.

The most popular form of stock fence many of us see in the countryside or on a smallholder’s land is the one encompassing the basic post and stock netting. It is relatively easy to construct and is not only ideal for sheep, but cattle, goats and pigs can benefit from it with a few minor changes to the design. Typically, this fence consists of six fundamental constructional features that, when added together, combine to form a strong, durable end product.

The Basic Stock Fence

Strainer Posts

These are the largest part of any new fence, typically measuring 7ft (2m) in height with a diameter of between 6 and 8in (15–20cm). One can see from these figures that a strainer post may be quite heavy and great care must be taken when hauling them around a worksite. As their name suggests, their main purpose is to cope with the high amount of tension applied to the wire when put under strain. Tension, or tensioning, is the term used for the mechanical process of pulling wire extremely tight. Working with strainer posts is probably the most laborious of any fencing work since they will need to be dug into the ground to a depth of 3ft (90cm). A good quality post and wire fence will require one of these every 27yd (25m).

Strainer post.

Stock side and non-stock side (post and wire fence).

Stock side and non-stock side (post and rail fence).

Struts

The strainer posts alone cannot cope with the tension needed to secure the wire. It is for this reason that one must attach struts to act as braces. To create a brace with a strut it will need to be fixed to the strainer post somewhere near the centre, usually by a mortise or a ‘V’ cut into the wood. It is then angled toward the ground where it is secured against a stone or to a stake embedded in the soil, usually called the strut anchor. Without struts, strainer posts will eventually lean towards the direction of tension or, in some cases, be pulled out of the ground. Struts are usually placed on the non-stock side of the fence. This is to make sure that they do not impede the travel of the stock netting and the top wire.

Intermediate strainer post with struts and strut anchors.

Pointed Intermediate Posts

These posts are knocked at least 1ft (30cm) into the ground along the proposed line of the new fence. Typical pointed intermediate posts measure 5½ft (1.6m) from point to top with a 3–4in (7–10cm) circumference. Their main role is to support the stock netting and top-wire. These should be used every 6ft (1.8m) down any given line between the strainer posts.

Intermediate fencing stakes.

Stock Netting

Stock netting is comprised of horizontal and vertical rows of high-tensile and low-tensile wire, which are joined together to create a series of squares. There are three major types of netting: light-gauge, medium-gauge and heavy-gauge. Light-gauge is ideally suited to sheep; medium-gauge to any animal that likes to push or climb fences; and heavy-gauge to large livestock, especially the ones that love to scratch the parts they cannot otherwise reach.

Stock netting comes in 54yd (50m) rolls regardless of the gauge. The photograph shows a new roll of 3ft (0.9m) high medium-gauge product. There are eight horizontal strands of wire.

The top and the bottom strand are high-tensile wires, specifically designed to be tensioned by the use of heavy-duty, hand-held fencing tools. The remaining six intermediate wires are made of low-tensile steel and these are designed to be tensioned by using lighter fencing equipment (this will be explained in greater detail later). Notice also that the squares vary in size. The netting is made like this for a reason: the smaller squares, when affixed to the posts, should be placed at the bottom, making sure that young livestock such as lambs cannot gain access to the other side of the fence.

Typical roll of stock-proof netting.

Top-Wire

Most livestock will need an enclosure of around 3½-4ft (1-1.2m) in height, but a 3ft (0.9m) high roll of netting will not guarantee a secure barrier. By attaching top-wires the fence may be raised to the desired height. Styles of top-wire include plain, high-tensile and low-tensile strands, usually called single-wire, and barbed wire, which is intended to deter large animals from causing damage to an otherwise strong enclosure.

Roll of top-wire or single wire.

Rolls of barbed wire.

Fencing Staples

These are ‘U’-shaped nails, pointed at both ends, used for securing all wire to posts.

Fencing staple.

Grades of Stock Netting

The following information has been reproduced with permission from Peter Farmer of Uniwire (see the company’s website at www.uniwire.co.uk).

Medium Grade

The traditional hinged joint stock fence for permanent fencing; this is ideal for cattle, sheep or pigs. All medium grade is produced in accordance with BS4102 from heavy galvanized wire made to BS443, supplied in 54yd (50m) rolls.

C8/80/15: the standard 6in (15cm) stock fence originally designed for pigs but now widely used for sheep and cattle, particularly for specification work. The wire is 32in (80cm) high, with eight line wires and 6in (15cm) vertical spacings.

C8/80/22: as for C8/80/15 but with 9in (23cm) spacings making it ideal for sheep and lambs as the wider spacing helps to prevent lambs from getting their heads stuck. This wire is 32in (80cm) high with eight line wires and 9in (23cm) vertical spacings.

C8/80/30: also as for C8/80/15 but with 12in (30cm) spacings, making it the most economical of the traditional pattern stock fences since less steel is used during manufacture. It is 32in (80cm) high with eight line wires and 12in (30cm) vertical spacings.

C6/90/30: a taller ‘cattle’ stock fence using fewer line wires and 12in (30cm) vertical spacings. The specification is 36in (90cm) high with six line wires and 12in vertical spacings.

Light Grade

An economical stock-proof fence for situations where traditional permanent fences are not required. Constructed from thinner wire, light grade is easier to use and erect than medium or heavy grade.

L5/60/15: hedge bottom stock fence is a 2ft (60cm) high fence particularly suitable for fencing along hedge bottoms and on the top of stone walls. It is made to BS443 and supplied in 54yd (50m) rolls. The specification is 24in (60cm) high with five line wires and 6in (15cm) vertical spacings.

L7/72/15: sheep fence is a cheaper alternative to C8/80/15. Made to BS443, supplied in 54yd (50m) rolls with seven line wires and 6in (15cm) vertical spacings.

L8/80/15: the direct lightweight equivalent of C8/80/15. Made to BS4102 and 443, supplied in 54yd (50m) rolls. It is 32in (80cm) high with eight line wires and 6in (15cm) vertical spacings.

Heavy Grade

This is used primarily for boundary fences or specification work and is particularly useful in areas where atmospheric pollution causes excessive corrosion or where the fence line is difficult to gain access to and repeat fencing is to be avoided. All heavy-grade wire is made to BS4102 and 443.

B8/80/15: the heavyweight equivalent of C8/80/15. Supplied in 54yd (50m) rolls. Its specification is 32in (80cm) high with eight line wires and 6in (15cm) vertical spacings.

B8/80/30: the heavyweight equivalent of C8/80/30. This is a cheaper heavy fence with the advantages of 12in (30cm) vertical spacings, making it ideal for cattle, pigs, sheep and lambs. Supplied in 54yd (50m) rolls, it is 32in (80cm) high with eight line wires and 12in (30cm) vertical spacings.

The Basic Post and Rail Fence

This style of fence, sometimes called ranch-fencing, is perfect for ponies, horses and animals that love to climb for a better view. A post-and-rail fence is exactly as its name suggests and is made up of a row of vertical posts with horizontal rails attached to act as stock-proofing. There are many ways to build such a fence and they are discussed in Chapters 5 and 6.