Choosing the Right Fencing for Small Livestock

Start with the species, not the style

Every smallholding has its own rhythm, and fencing is one of the clearest expressions of it. Before you order a single post or roll of netting, spend a quiet half-hour thinking about what you are actually keeping. A fence that holds a placid Shetland pony will not necessarily hold a goat with a taste for adventure, and a run that keeps hens safe from foxes may be hopeless for lambs. Poultry, rabbits, sheep, goats, pigs and small equines each have different bodies, different instincts and different escape techniques. The right fence is the one that matches the animal in front of you, the ground beneath it and the budget in your pocket.

Electric netting: portable and persuasive

Electric netting is the great ally of the smallholder who wants flexibility. It arrives in rolls of 50 metres or 100 metres, usually 90 centimetres high for poultry and 108 centimetres for sheep and goats, with a small mesh at the bottom and larger squares above. The netting itself is only half the system. The energiser matters just as much. For a clean fence with little vegetation touching it, aim for at least one joule of stored energy; for longer runs or grassy ground, choose more. A good earth stake driven into damp soil, ideally 1 metre deep, will keep the voltage where it needs to be. You want 4,000 to 6,000 volts on the line, not a feeble tickle.

Animals must be trained to respect it. Run them in a small paddock for a few days, with the energiser on and a visible fence, so they learn that a nose or a comb touching the net is a sharp surprise. Sheep with thick wool need a high-voltage pulse because their fleece insulates them; goats are quick learners but will test every weak point; pigs need a low strand at about 15 to 20 centimetres so they meet it with their snout rather than their shoulder. Electric netting is excellent for rotational grazing and poultry moves, but it is not a permanent boundary. Long grass, fallen branches and uneven ground can short it out, and a determined dog or fox can push through if the voltage drops.

Post-and-rail: the visible boundary

Timber post-and-rail is the traditional look of the British countryside, and for good reason. It is strong, highly visible and kind to animals that might otherwise panic into wire. It suits horses, cattle and boundary lines along lanes or tracks. Use pressure-treated posts of 100 to 125 millimetres diameter, set at least 60 centimetres into the ground, with three or four rails. For horses, a top rail at 1.2 to 1.4 metres is about right. The gaps between rails should be small enough to discourage legs from slipping through, but remember that post-and-rail alone is not sheep-proof or goat-proof. Lambs can wriggle through, and goats will climb it like a ladder.

This style costs more per metre than wire, both in materials and in labour, but it can last 15 to 25 years if the timber is good and the strainers are properly braced. It also lets wind pass through, which reduces the risk of storm damage on exposed sites. Check rails each spring, replace any that have rotted at the ends, and keep an eye on gate hangings. It is a fence you build once and then maintain with pride rather than replace every few seasons.

Woven wire: the permanent stockproof choice

Woven wire, often called stock fencing or hinge-joint netting, is the workhorse of the smallholding. It comes in recognisable specifications, such as 8/80/15: eight horizontal wires, 80 centimetres high, with 15 centimetres between the vertical wires. That will hold most adult sheep, though lambs may still need smaller mesh or a line of electric tape. For goats, choose a height of 1.2 metres and add an offset electric wire, because goats rub and lean and will exploit any loose section. For pigs, woven wire needs to be buried or reinforced with a low electric strand, as pigs are powerful rooters. Poultry and rabbits need hexagonal netting with 25 to 50 millimetre mesh, buried 30 centimetres outwards in an L shape to stop digging predators.

Woven wire is at its best as a permanent perimeter. Set strainers at corners and every 100 metres or so, brace them well, and run posts every 3 metres. Tension the wire properly so it rings rather than sags. A well-installed woven wire fence can give 20 to 30 years of service, making it good value despite the upfront cost. It is less portable than electric netting and less handsome than post-and-rail, but it is the most reliable way to keep small livestock where you want them.

Terrain, gates and the reality of maintenance

Terrain dictates as much as species. On slopes, add extra strainers and consider following the contour rather than fighting it. Electric netting can short out where it touches long grass on a bank, so keep a strimmer nearby or choose a permanent wire fence for awkward ground. Gateways should sit on high, dry ground, wide enough for a small tractor or a wheelbarrow, and hung so they swing freely. Water access matters too: a fence that blocks the route to a trough will soon be breached.

Maintenance is not glamorous, but it is what separates a working fence from a suggestion. Check the voltage weekly with a tester, trim vegetation under electric lines, and walk the perimeter after storms. Repair small breaks before they become large ones. If a public footpath crosses your land, keep gates and stiles clear and check local rules before adding new fencing.

Budgeting for the long run

Electric netting is usually the cheapest way to start, but remember the energiser, earth stake, tester and spare posts. Post-and-rail is the most expensive per metre, while woven wire sits in the middle and often wins on lifespan. Labour is the hidden cost: a professional installer will charge by the metre, but a well-braced DIY job can save money if you are patient. As a rough guide, buy the best energiser and strainers you can afford, because those are the parts that let the rest of the fence do its job.

Most smallholdings end up with a mix: permanent woven wire around the boundary, post-and-rail along the road or yard, and electric netting for internal paddocks and poultry. That combination respects the animals, the landscape and the budget. Start with the species, work with the terrain, and build for the long run.