Fencing plays an important role in securing your farm, containing your animals, and making your property lines. Planning your fencing is one of the first things you should do upon getting your farm. Before heading to a fabrication shop to pick up your metal fencing, follow the steps in this guide to ensure that you have a viable and legal fencing plan. 

3 Tips for Planning Your Farm Fencing

1. Map Out the Lot

The best layout for your farm will vary depending on how you intend to use the land. If you're keeping animals, you'll want to make sure you have multiple pastures that are individually fenced. This allows you to move animals safely between pastures and separate them if needed. 

Animals need to rotate between pastures so that they can graze and live comfortably in herds. Make sure that your separate pastures are large enough for the animals that you intend to keep since the requirements vary for different types of livestock. 

2. Consider Your Gate Placement  

Gates should be in safe, easy-to-access places that allow you to safely move from one part of your farm to the next. Equipment gates need to be 12 to 16 feet wide, while gates for people should be at least four feet wide. Make sure to mark the gates on your written designs so that you can determine how much material you'll need to get from the metal fabrication shop. 

3. Plot Out Fence Posts 

First of all, you need to select the correct type of post for your fencing material. As a rule of thumb, a portion that is equal to half to one-third of a metal fence post's height should be buried in the ground. 

Therefore, a 6-foot-tall fence should have a post that's about three feet beneath the ground. Space the posts 8 to 25 feet apart depending on the construction of the fence. Like the gates, you'll want to mark all of the fence post locations on your written designs for easy reference.

If you need fencing materials for your farm, visit Pipe Plus, Inc. This Willow Springs, MO, fabrication shop serves customers throughout Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Iowa, Texas, and Kansas. They've offered top-quality metal products for more than two decades. Inquire about their inventory by calling (417) 469-5292.