Farm Fencing Guide South Africa

WFSA product tiers: Mzansi / Econo and specified ranges

The WFSA Mzansi / Econo range is a commercial-value range for selected price-sensitive, general-purpose, retail, hardware-store and lower-load applications where a project-specific certified or warranted specification is not required. Select it for the intended use; it is not an automatic substitute for heavier-duty, fully specified or standards-compliant material.

Depending on the product, differences can include actual wire diameter, coating level, mass, steel content and manufacturing tolerance. Compare the individual specifications rather than height, mesh opening or purchase price alone.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, economy / VL / LD products are not supplied with a general warranty on service life or long-term performance. This does not exclude statutory consumer rights where applicable. Read the WFSA terms and conditions and Do not use economy material as a substitute for a required structural or certified specification.

How to Plan a Farm Fence

Plan the fence as part of the farm layout: the animals it must contain, grazing camps, access and water all affect where it should run. A line that is easy to build can still be expensive to maintain if it crosses unstable ground or obstructs machinery.

Confirm legally established property boundaries before erecting a boundary fence. Resolve uncertain positions through the appropriate boundary records and professional assistance; an existing fence is not necessarily proof of the legal boundary.

• Map topography, veld types, grazing camps and water points against daily livestock movement.
• Check runoff, drainage channels, flood levels and ground that becomes soft in the rainy season.
• Allow access roads, vehicle turning space, machinery widths and safe gate approaches.
• Match the system to livestock, game or predator pressure, security needs and corrosion exposure.
• Check soil conditions before selecting the major posts and their anchoring method.

Where practical, use straight runs between major posts. Properly brace corners, gates and straining posts; align intermediate standards upright, follow changes in ground level and maintain the intended wire spacing. Use controlled tension, suitable ties and droppers where separate strands need support.

How High Should a Farm Fence Be?

The fence height depends on the animals, their behaviour and the complete fence design. The following conventional configurations are starting points for planning, not universal specifications or a guarantee of containment.

Adjust these guidelines for animal size, young stock, terrain and pressure on the fence. Opening size and the position of the bottom wires matter as much as overall height. Horse fencing requires particular attention to visibility and injury prevention.

What Type of Fence Is Best for Cattle?

Barbed wire, plain high-strain wire, a combination of the two, or woven field fence can suit cattle. Select the system according to animal pressure, the boundary or camp function and whether smaller livestock share the area.

Conventional large-stock fencing often starts at approximately 1.2 m high with five strands. A properly designed agricultural electric-fence system can supplement conventional fencing, but its equipment and installation requirements must be considered separately. Never electrify barbed wire.

How many strands of barbed wire are needed for cattle?

Approximately five strands is a common conventional minimum. Boundary fences, heavily stocked camps or animals that challenge the fence may need more strands, closer spacing or a different system. Mixed stock usually needs additional wires or smaller mesh openings.

How high should a cattle fence be?

Approximately 1.2 m is common; approximately 1.35 m may be appropriate for stock prone to jumping. Height alone will not compensate for loose wires or weak corners. Compare barbed wire and field fence before choosing a configuration.

What Is the Best Fence for Sheep?

Field fence or other woven agricultural mesh is often useful for sheep because it provides smaller openings than a widely spaced cattle fence. Multi-strand and combination systems are also used when the lower strands are close enough for the animals being contained.

For conventional strand fencing, approximately 900 mm high with at least five strands is a general starting point. Lambs, uneven ground and predator pressure may require a different lower section. Check the mesh openings at animal level, rather than buying on roll height alone.

What Is the Best Fence for Goats?

Goats need a closely spaced, well-supported barrier because they exploit gaps and may climb or lean against a fence. Field fence can provide useful containment when its aperture and height suit the breed and age of the animals.

For sheep and Angora goats together, approximately 1.05 m with at least seven strands is a conventional planning guideline. Other goats or more challenging conditions can require greater height, additional wires or a different mesh configuration. Protect young animals without creating openings that trap heads or horns.

What Is Field Fence?

Field fence is prefabricated woven agricultural fencing made from horizontal line wires connected by vertical stay wires. Many designs include manufactured crimps in the horizontal wires to retain elasticity as the fence is tensioned and moves in service.

It is used for cattle, sheep, goats, mixed livestock, agricultural camps and farm boundaries. Taller or specialised configurations may be used for game, subject to the species and applicable requirements.

What are the advantages of field fence?

• A continuous mesh barrier with opening sizes selected for the animals.
• Integrated vertical stays that maintain the spacing of horizontal wires.
• Roll installation over long runs without tying each individual strand separately.
• A choice of heights, line-wire counts and horizontal block widths.
• Elasticity from the designed wire and crimp configuration.

Does field fence need droppers?

Its integrated stays normally do the wire-spacing job that droppers perform in a separate-strand fence. It still needs correctly spaced standards, suitable straining posts and bracing. Supplemental support may be needed for the chosen design; do not assume that vertical stays replace structural posts.

The WFSA field-fence range includes different heights and configurations. For example, the listed 1.19 m, 10-line, 15 cm stay-spacing roll is a distinct configuration from a 30 cm stay-spacing roll.

Reading field-fence designations

In the configurations listed by WFSA, 7 / 113 / 30 means seven horizontal line wires, approximately 113 cm height and 30 cm horizontal aperture / block width. Likewise, 10 / 119 / 30 means ten lines, 119 cm height and 30 cm block width; 13 / 188 / 30 means thirteen lines, 188 cm height and 30 cm block width. These descriptions match the current product titles.

15 cm block width create a denser mesh than 30 cm block width. Neither spacing is universally better: select for animal size, containment, loading and the complete fence design. The integrated stays generally remove the need for separate strand-spacing droppers, but never replace major posts, intermediate standards, controlled tension and bracing.

Each product above is listed as a 100 m roll. Compare actual diameter, line count, horizontal block width, roll length, coating and mass before substituting a Mzansi roll for another configuration.

Field Fence vs Diamond Mesh

Field fence and diamond mesh are different constructions. Choose according to the required opening size, fence function and support system rather than treating equal heights as equivalent.

Compare field fence with diamond mesh and check wire diameter, coating, aperture and installation requirements.

What Is Barbed Wire Used for on Farms?

Barbed wire is used for conventional cattle fencing, farm boundaries and internal camps. Appropriate designs may also use it above mesh or alongside field fence for additional containment and agricultural security. Barbs do not make a fence automatically predator-proof.

Single-strand barbed wire uses one main line wire; double-strand barbed wire uses two twisted line wires. The arrangement of barbs, tensile properties, wire sizes and coating vary by product. Select from the actual specification rather than assuming one type is always stronger or better.

WFSA manufactures its own single-strand and double-strand barbed wire. The shop lists Agribarb single barbed wire, 2.00 mm, 845 m and other barbed-wire options.

Wear suitable gloves and eye protection, control the roll while uncoiling and keep people and animals away from tensioned wire. Avoid barbed wire in new horse enclosures and never connect an energiser to barbed wire.

What Is High-Strain Fencing Wire?

High-strain, or high-tensile, fencing wire withstands higher tensile loads than conventional mild-steel wire of a similar diameter. It is springy and needs suitable joining, tensioning and anchoring equipment.

Approximately 2.24 mm is a commonly used agricultural high-strain size. WFSA lists 2.24 mm Heavy galvanised high-strain wire in a 1,650 m roll. Check the listing and

Products are not interchangeable simply because their diameters match. A tie wire, a line wire and a high-strain wire can perform very different jobs.

No numeric tensile value is stated in this listing. High-strain wire is not universally preferable to mild line or binding wire: select for the job and use compatible joins and controlled installation.

Standard Galvanised vs Heavy Galvanised Fencing Wire

For the complete explanation of zinc, alloy and outer coating systems, read the WFSA Corrosion, Galvanizing & Protective Coatings Guide.

Galvanising protects steel with a zinc coating. A heavier zinc coating generally provides greater corrosion protection, but the actual coating specification matters more than the product label alone.

Coating selection should be based on environmental exposure, the project specification and required service life. WFSA recommends heavy galvanising or another suitable enhanced-corrosion coating for coastal, humid and highly corrosive environments. Standard galvanised coating may be used for selected price-sensitive inland applications where the project specification and expected service life allow them; Standard galvanised coating is not a universal inland recommendation.

Wire diameter, tensile strength, coil mass and zinc coating are separate specifications. WFSA supplies Class C Standard galvanised and Class A Heavy galvanised wire. Compare the applicable coating mass at the actual wire diameter; enhanced zinc/aluminium coatings are separate systems and must be specified as such.

Salt spray, persistently wet vegetation, soil contact and damage to the coating can shorten service life. Ask for the coating specification where corrosion performance is important. Browse plain galvanised wire and

How Far Apart Should Farm Fence Standards Be?

Intermediate standards are commonly spaced approximately 12–20 m apart in conventional strand fencing. Livestock pressure, terrain, soil, wire configuration and the strength of the supports determine the spacing for a particular fence.

These are illustrative configurations, not structural specifications. Closer standards generally add support and cost; steep changes in level and curved sections may need closer spacing. For woven field fence, follow the support recommendations for that product rather than applying strand-fence spacing automatically.

What Are Y Standards and K Standards?

Y and K standards are intermediate steel fence supports with different profiles. They hold the fence line between the major posts; they are not substitutes for properly braced straining, corner or gate posts.

Steel standards are relatively light to transport, quick to install and useful on long runs. Steel itself resists combustion, but fire can damage wire coatings, fittings, tension and other fence components. Inspect a fence after a veld fire.

WFSA currently lists 1.8 m Y standards2.4 m Y standards3.0 m Y standards1.8 m K standards and 2.4 m K standards. Use the standards category to compare listed lengths. Ask a branch about any H-standard requirement; an H-standard listing has not been confirmed in the current online range.

What length standard is required for a 1.2 m fence?

An approximately 1.85 m standard can provide around 1.2 m above ground with roughly 600 mm embedded, allowing for the remaining length and site tolerances. This is a general example, not a claim that WFSA’s listed 1.8 m standard is 1.85 m long. Actual embedment and the required length depend on soil and design.

What Is a Fence Dropper?

A dropper maintains the spacing between separate fence strands between standards. It helps prevent animals from pushing adjacent wires apart and distributes movement across the strands.

Droppers normally do not provide the same ground support as an embedded standard. Select the length and attachment arrangement for the full wire pattern. They must keep strands in their intended positions without sharp or protruding ties.

A planning dropper interval of roughly 3–4 m is common in the examples in this guide, with closer spacing or different arrangements where required. Place droppers within each standard-to-standard bay; do not count a standard position as an additional dropper. See the WFSA dropper range.

What Is a Straining Post?

A straining post is a major structural post against which fence wires are tensioned. It carries loads that intermediate standards are not intended to carry, so strength, embedment and bracing must suit the complete fence and soil.

Install it upright, properly anchor it and select compatible stays or braces. Do not judge a straining assembly only by the visible post diameter: soil, wire count, fence height and the length of the strain section all contribute to the load.

How far apart should straining posts be?

On relatively even ground, conventional stock-fence strain sections of up to approximately 500 m may be possible in a suitable design. That is a planning upper example, not a default spacing recommendation. Broken terrain, corners and high-pressure areas usually require shorter sections.

Game fencing generally uses shorter strain sections, with approximately 300 m as a useful upper planning guideline. Woven field fence can also be easier to install and tension evenly in shorter sections. Confirm the arrangement before purchasing posts and stays.

Why Do Farm Fence Corner Posts Need Extra Support?

Corner posts receive fence tension from more than one direction. The combined load can pull or rotate a poorly anchored post even when the straight runs appear correctly tensioned.

Brace the corner for the direction of each adjoining run and avoid pulling long runs around an unbraced intermediate standard. Gates and abrupt changes in ground level also create load conditions that need proper major-post assemblies.

What Is a Box Anchor?

A box anchor is a braced straining assembly commonly formed by a straining post, an anchor post, a horizontal brace and a diagonal wire tie. The components work together to resist the pull of the fence.

Such assemblies can be useful at gates, corners and high-tension runs, including locations with soft, sandy or wet ground. Weak soil may need a different or larger anchoring arrangement; the box layout alone does not establish its load capacity.

Post sizes, brace connections, embedment and tie-wire arrangement must suit the site. Use a competent installer or project-specific design where the loads or ground conditions are uncertain. This guide does not specify engineering dimensions.

How Do You Build a Jackal-Resistant Fence?

A jackal-resistant fence must address both passage through the barrier and digging beneath it. “Jackal-proof” is a common description, but no simple height or mesh detail guarantees exclusion.

Approximately 1.35 m overall height is a useful planning example. A lower 900 mm or 1.2 m netting section can form part of the barrier, with its upper edge at least approximately 750 mm above ground. Select an aperture appropriate to the target predator and integrate the upper strands without gaps.

Possible lower-edge treatments include burying roughly 100 mm vertically or extending roughly 150 mm horizontally along the ground and securely anchoring it. These shallow example dimensions may be insufficient in loose soil or under strong digging pressure; increase or redesign the treatment as site conditions require.

Can jackals dig underneath a fence?

Yes. Inspect washouts, depressions, gates and the lower edge regularly. Ground-level continuity, secure anchoring and prompt repair matter more than a label on the mesh. Compare wire netting and suitable mesh specifications with a branch.

How High Should a Game Fence Be?

Game-fence height and construction depend on the species and the applicable requirements. The following are broad planning examples, not legal minimums, permit specifications or a guarantee of containment.

Check before building: provincial conservation requirements, permits, wildlife-management conditions and species-specific containment requirements can require different or more demanding fencing. Confirm these with the relevant authority and competent specialist. Additional risks include digging, jumping, animal injury and pressure from animals outside the enclosure.

Game fences place greater loads on major posts and may need closer supports, shorter strain sections, additional lower barriers or specialist electric-fence arrangements. Do not reuse a cattle-fence layout solely by adding height.

What Fence Should Be Used for Horses?

Use a visible, horse-safe system such as suitable smooth-wire fencing, horse mesh with safe openings, or properly designed rails. Avoid barbed wire in new horse enclosures because it can cause serious injury if an animal runs into or becomes entangled in it.

Approximately 1.4–1.75 m is a general planning height range. Around ten smooth wires is one possible configuration, but the horse’s size, behaviour, visibility and opening safety determine the design. Existing barbed wires at an upper position still present an injury risk; moving them higher does not make the system horse-safe.

Prevent protruding ties, trapping openings and sharp gate hardware. Inspect all sides of the paddock from the animal’s side and provide suitable visibility on wire fences.

What Fence Should Be Used for Pigs?

Pigs need a strong lower barrier that resists pushing and rooting. Suitable mesh or closely spaced strands, secure posts and carefully detailed ground contact are more important than height alone.

Approximately 700–1,000 mm can be a planning height for an appropriate pig enclosure. Mesh aperture and strength must suit the animals. A low conventional strand, sometimes placed around 50 mm above ground, may form part of a design, but sharp wire introduces injury risks and does not prevent rooting by itself.

Use a robust, animal-appropriate lower mesh or other suitable ground detaildiamond mesh may be an option where its specification fits. If electric fencing is selected, use the appropriate plain conductor and compliant equipment, never electrified barbed wire.

How Wide Should a Farm Gate Be?

Choose the gate opening for the largest animal group or vehicle that must pass, including turning room and approach alignment. A gate wide enough on paper can still be difficult to use if its approach is tight.

Gates near camp corners can help herding, provided the position remains visible and does not trap animals or create an unsafe approach. Support the hanging and closing posts for the gate’s weight and adjoining fence loads.

A ground clearance of roughly 75–150 mm is an example, not a universal requirement. Adjust it for small animals, uneven ground, drainage and gate movement. farm-gate range and discuss custom openings before ordering.

How Tight Should Farm Fence Wire Be?

Fence wire should have controlled tension appropriate to its type and the fence design, rather than the maximum tension the tool can apply. Loose strands permit gaps; excessive tension can damage wire, joints, posts and anchors.

Steel contracts as it cools and expands as it warms. A fence tensioned excessively during hot conditions may load its supports more heavily when temperatures fall. Follow the wire and tensioning-system recommendations and inspect the fence after settling.

Tensioned wire stores energy. Wear eye protection and suitable gloves, use compatible tools and keep people clear of the line of pull. Never stand in a position where a failed joint or broken wire could recoil towards you.

How Do You Tension Field Fence?

Tension field fence evenly across its horizontal line wires using a compatible tension bar or fencing system. Pulling only the top or bottom wires can distort the mesh and concentrate loads.

The manufactured crimps should retain elasticity. A useful general visual guideline is a springy fence with crimps approximately half straightened, not flattened completely. The manufacturer’s instructions take priority because wire grades and crimp designs differ.

Work in manageable strain sections, keep the mesh aligned and check tension across the full height before securing it. Recheck after installation and ground settlement.

How Do You Join High-Strain Fencing Wire?

Use a joiner or splice method specified for the wire diameter and tensile grade. An ordinary tying knot or a joiner for softer wire can slip or weaken high-strain wire under load.

For a compatible mechanical joiner, follow its insertion length, orientation and loading instructions. For a specified hand splice, use the correct tool and wrapping method. Do not improvise a bend that sharply kinks the load-bearing wire, and avoid damaging the galvanised coating unnecessarily.

Make joints where they can be inspected, control both wire ends and keep clear while tension is applied. A roll-length calculation must allow extra wire for joins, wraps and terminations.

What Is the Correct Order for Installing a Farm Fence?

Install and brace the structural posts before tensioning the wire. The sequence below is a practical outline; adapt it to the chosen fence system and its instructions.

1. Confirm the fence line and boundaries.

   Check boundary information, livestock requirements and any permits before setting out the run. Mark gates, corners, changes in level and drainage crossings.

2. Clear the fence line where required.

   Create safe working access without unnecessary vegetation removal. Identify buried services, unstable ground and environmental restrictions.

3. Install corner, gate and straining posts.

   Select the major assemblies for the loads and soil. Set them in the intended positions and alignment, allowing for gate openings.

4. Install anchors and braces.

   Complete the support assemblies before pulling wire. Do not rely on an unbraced post to carry the tension of a long run.

5. Establish the straight fence line.

   Use a suitable sight line or setting-out method between major posts. Plan support at changes in direction and ground level.

6. Install the bottom guide wire.

   Where appropriate to the system, establish the lower line and ground clearance. Check hollows and high spots against the animals being contained.

7. Position and install standards.

   Measure the planned bays and install standards upright to the required depth for the soil. Reduce spacing where terrain or pressure requires it.

8. Install the remaining wires or field fence.

   Keep the intended strand spacing or mesh orientation. Uncoil safely and avoid twists, kinks and damage to coatings.

9. Apply controlled tension.

   Use the specified tools and compatible joining methods. Keep the full field-fence height evenly tensioned and retain its designed crimps.

10. Install droppers.

    Fit droppers where separate strands require them. Distribute them within each bay and preserve the intended gaps.

11. Secure and tie the wires.

    Use suitable ties and fastening details. Trim or turn sharp ends away from animals and people, without creating trapping points.

12. Install gates.

    Check hinges, latches, clearance and swing space. Make sure the gate posts carry both gate weight and adjoining fence loads.

13. Inspect the completed fence.

    Walk the full line and check ground gaps, joins, braces, corner loads, gate closures and sharp projections.

14. Recheck tension after settling.

    Inspect again after the assemblies and ground have settled, then after storms, floods, fire and heavy animal pressure. Correct problems promptly.

Can Farm Fencing Follow a Curve?

Yes, but a curve needs support for the sideways pull of the wire. Tighter curves generally require closer supports, shorter strain sections and moderate tension appropriate to the wire.

Position the wire so the support arrangement resists the direction of pull. Abrupt bends usually need a properly braced corner assembly rather than a standard forced to act as a corner post. Avoid tensioning a long run around several lightly supported bends.

How Do You Fence Across a River or Watercourse?

Use a site-appropriate crossing that accounts for water, debris and erosion. A rigid barrier across a flood channel can collect debris, obstruct flow and pull down the adjoining fence or its posts.

Watergate or curtain-fence arrangements should allow flow and debris to pass without transferring destructive loads into the main fence. The appropriate arrangement depends on expected flows, animals and the shape of the channel.

Significant waterways and flood-prone locations need site-specific professional assessment and any applicable permissions. Inspect crossings after each flood and repair washouts before returning animals to the camp.

How Long Does Farm Fencing Last?

Service life depends on the actual wire, coating, exposure, design, installation and maintenance. No general lifespan is promised. Economy / VL / LD products carry no general service-life or long-term performance warranty unless specifically stated otherwise, without excluding applicable statutory consumer rights.

Zinc coating, salt exposure, humidity, rainfall, soil chemistry, fire, tension, installation quality, animal pressure and maintenance all affect life. Dry inland sites can allow longer service than aggressive coastal or persistently wet environments.

Inspect corrosion, broken stays, loose ties, ground gaps and moving posts regularly. Replace damaged components before a local defect causes a larger failure, and keep wet vegetation or accumulated debris from holding moisture against the wire.

How Many Materials Are Needed per Kilometre?

A kilometre is 1,000 m. For separate line wires, multiply the net fence length by the number of strands: five strands need 5,000 m; six need 6,000 m; seven need 7,000 m, before any allowance for joins, terminations, waste or changes in ground level.

Approximate intermediate standards per kilometre

These rounded field-planning figures allow for some positions being occupied by major posts. They are not an exact spacing formula. For a single straight 1 km run with only two end posts and no other major posts, a maximum-spacing calculation gives 83, 62 and 49 intermediate positions respectively. Corners, gates and additional strain assemblies change the count.

Approximate droppers per kilometre

These are rounded bay-based estimates, excluding standards themselves. A literal maximum spacing of 3.3 m within every full 20 m bay needs six droppers per bay—about 300 per kilometre. The 250 figure instead assumes five droppers at roughly 3.33 m. Use the calculator’s exact bay method when a spacing is a strict maximum, then confirm the fence layout. The final short bay and major-post positions also affect quantities.

Farm Fence Material Calculator

Estimate a separate-strand fence using net fence length, excluding gate openings. This calculator is a planning tool, not a structural design or a shopping basket. It does not calculate woven mesh rolls, electric-fence equipment or bracing dimensions.

This is a simplified conventional strand-fence illustration. For measured runs, shared corners, gates and separate straining sections, use the master fence-material calculator. Confirm support positions from the actual layout.

Estimated quantities only. Final requirements depend on fence design, soil, terrain, gates, corners, strain sections and installation method. A 1,000 m × six-strand run needs 6,000 m of line wire before allowances.

Farm Fencing Frequently Asked Questions

These answers cover farm fencing. For online shopping, orders, delivery, quotations and branch enquiries, use the separate WFSA customer FAQ.

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