I need to fence off a 1/2 acre over the winter months.

I have a Gallagher solar charger, grounding rod, ground wire, hot wire, t-posts, and insulators.

1) 3 strand or 4 strand of hot wire? Herd is pasture longhorns that generally dgaf and will do as they please.

2) Tape? Wire? Rope? Any suggested type of electrified fencing for this application?

3) T-post spacing?

4) Other suggestions for keeping this up over the next few months? It will be in a location where I can't check it daily.

Lotta variables/options available to you. YouTube should be your friend. Depending upon the aggressiveness of the cattle, one wire, tape, or rope might suffice. Otherwise, a three wire fence with hot on top n bottom, and a neutral in the middle will turn most anything, if they're not literally running into it.

From experience, get the best solar charger that Gallagher makes. As previously stated three wires, hot top and bottom. MOST IMPORTANT USE THREE GROUND RODS and THEN SPACE ADDITIONAL GROUND RODS AT VARIOUS POINTS ALONG THE FENCE. I have ran a many of miles of fence this way and it always worked with no issues. However check it often to make sure the fence is in good working order and a wire has not been knocked down by a limb, deer, etc.

I used electric fence for rotational grazing. A few lessons learned.

More Joules are better. I switched from Gallagher to Cyclops made in USA. Gallagher all in one solar charger that set on a tee post are more convenient.


Need good grounding. Wet clay soils you can get away with one 4 ft ground rod. Dry sandy-rocky soils need three 8 ft ground rods.

Gallagher braided string- wire is excellent. Competitor brands don't have enough UV resistance.

I use a single strand for cows rotational grazing. Property line fences are permanent barbed wire.

Step in posts by Gallagher or O'Brien are best.
Kencove is a great online supplier.

Handheld voltage tester by Gallagher is a good tool.

You can lift up string fence with a PVC pipe or wooden pole instead of building electric fence gates.

Once cows get used to electric fence they won't even test it to see if it's in.

PM if you have any specifics and I'll share my phone number.

Don't pee on it.....

My neighbors run longhorns. We had to help her get one of the cows out of the Hotwire on the front pasture. The cow had wrapped a horn around the wire, then in the effort to shake it off, got it wrapped around her neck and front leg and pulled about 200 yards of it down in the process. Took three of us to encourage the cow to let us untangle her.

Good luck with the longhorns. They'll respect the hot wire until they decide not to.

I and all my neighbors use alot of electric fence and will spare you the long story. Do not let broomweeds grow up along the fence. It will definitely reduce the power by a bunch. They will conduct a little electricity and a whole bunch of them will almost ground it. But as long as the fence is up properly, one wire is plenty. and it's better to go a little lower than higher, as a cow's head is usually low to the ground.

Animal Eight 84 said:

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I used electric fence for rotational grazing. A few lessons learned.

More Joules are better. I switched from Gallagher to Cyclops made in USA. Gallagher all in one solar charger that set on a tee post are more convenient.


Need good grounding. Wet clay soils you can get away with one 4 ft ground rod. Dry sandy-rocky soils need three 8 ft ground rods.

Gallagher braided string- wire is excellent. Competitor brands don't have enough UV resistance.

I use a single strand for cows rotational grazing. Property line fences are permanent barbed wire.

Step in posts by Gallagher or O'Brien are best.
Kencove is a great online supplier.

Handheld voltage tester by Gallagher is a good tool.

You can lift up string fence with a PVC pipe or wooden pole instead of building electric fence gates.

Once cows get used to electric fence they won't even test it to see if it's in.

PM if you have any specifics and I'll share my phone number.

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This^

Good ground is most important piece. I concur with the step ins too. T-post provide too much potential tial for grounding out your fence.

For 1/2 acre, with a good ground, you should not need more than one grounding rod.

WaldoWings said:

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I and all my neighbors use alot of electric fence and will spare you the long story. Do not let broomweeds grow up along the fence. It will definitely reduce the power by a bunch. They will conduct a little electricity and a whole bunch of them will almost ground it. But as long as the fence is up properly, one wire is plenty. and it's better to go a little lower than higher, as a cow's head is usually low to the ground.

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Unless you have a jumper.

I usually run about 30in from ground level..

Any issues with wild hogs and these?

I'm trying to address once side of a large field to keep my cows off. I have fences around the other three sides but the fourth is a mess and has several large paths from hogs.

Hogs can be a pain in the ass! They can be heard to start squealing as they approach a hot wire, anticipating the shock, but they "hit it" anyway! What a nuisance! Prolly hafta incorporate some "lead poisoning" as well to make it work.