Last Updated on December 19, 2021 by Kimberly Crawford
As with any other object in the world, it’s regarded that a majority of fences don’t last forever. They’re prone to damage caused by an amalgamation of factors like falling trees, car collisions, unfavorable weather, and animals running through them. When a fence is damaged, its farmer owner is left with only two choices: replace or repair the fence.
If your fence isn’t too damaged, there’s no need to replace it entirely; however, you’ll need to replace certain parts in a bid to protect your animals from wandering off your property or getting potentially attacked by wild predators.
To repair your livestock fence, you’ll need suitable tools for the job. Further, it’s advised that you have some previous experience in works related to fence repairs. If you aren’t totally sure you can handle the job, it’s highly recommended that you find a professional who can handle it.
How To Repair Livestock Fencing: Tools Needed
However, if you’re 100% confident that your current skill set is enough to take on a fence repair project, it’s advised that you prepare all of the suitable fence repair tools. These tools include:
1. Electric Fencing Pliers
There are lots of fence repairing pliers on the market yet not all are ideal for doing their intended job properly. For a successful livestock fence repair, you might need to use the perfect pair of pliers depending on the kind of material used on your fence.
Maun fencing pliers are designed to handle high tensile electric fencing, perfect for straining and repairing fencing wire. Be sure to check out different plier products in the market similar to the aforementioned.
“Fencing Pliers from Maun”
2. Fence Stretchers
Fence stretchers provide the right amount of tension on wire fences to protect livestock and wildlife from getting entangled in the fence. Not using them may lead to unwanted injuries or death.
3. Fencing Sleeves
Fencing sleeves or crimp sleeves are used to connect two pieces of wire fencing together.
Additionally, you’ll also need other tools such as wire cutters when repairing your livestock fencing. Without a pair of reliable wire cutters, it can get difficult to cut the wire whenever necessary, making it hard to repair your fence successfully. Also, remember to have a tape measure handy to have the correct measurements of materials and others.
A Walkthrough In Conducting Livestock Fencing Repair
After gathering all the necessary tools for preparing livestock fences, it’s time to get down to work. It’s important to begin your livestock fence repair as soon as possible to keep your animals safe from harm. Luckily, livestock fence repair doesn’t have to be as difficult as it’s thought to be. You can repair your livestock fence without much hustle with the following steps.
1. Uphold Personal Safety
Just like with any other strenuous activity, you need to be fit and hydrated when making repairs on your fence. Ensure that you have plenty of rest and a good nutritious diet before starting the fence repairing task.
Besides enough rest and nutritious food, it’s also advised to have your personal protective equipment prepared and ready to go. Protective equipment might include a long pair of trousers and a long-sleeved shirt. A thick pair of work gloves and boots are also essential for protecting you from accidents.
In addition, ensure to put on a hat, apply some sunscreen, and don a pair of glasses to protect you from the harmful rays of the sun. Wearing earmuffs can be essential if you’ll be working with noisy machinery and power tools. Lastly, make sure to lift heavy objects carefully to avoid back injuries.
2. Clear The Working Area
After locating the areas of the fence requiring repairs, assess the damage and clear the area for work. This is even more important when working with an electric fence since it can be dangerous when they get in contact with plants and wooden planks. Ensure you have an ample working space area and put your tools where you can easily access them.
3. Begin Stretching
Locate the broken ends of your fence and grab each part with your hands. It’s more likely that the broken pieces won’t come into touch since a broken fence loses tension pressure. Fortunately, this problem can easily be fixed with a help of a fence stretcher – a helpful tool that can be used to pull the two broken sides of a fence back together.
4. Incorporate A Fencing Sleeve
Your fence stretcher should hold the two broken ends of your fence close to each other when applying a sleeve to reconnect them.
To reconnect the two faulty ends, ensure to remove all barbs for more than six inches on either end. Then, slide the two pieces of wire through the crimping sleeve. It’s noteworthy that one should use strong pliers to bind the sleeve into place.
5. Wrap Hanging Wires
To further secure your repaired fence, wrap any hanging wires from either side of the sleeve. Make sure that you wrap these wires carefully to prevent them from harming any animal or passerby.
Why Should You Repair And Maintain Your Livestock Fence
It’s said that the primary reason for having a livestock fence is to ensure the security of your livestock and the ability to oversee and manage their mobility. If your livestock fence is broken, it means that your animals can easily get attacked by predators.
Also, with a defective fence, your livestock can easily wander anywhere and potentially wreak havoc in your farming premises. Ensure that your livestock fence isn’t defective to avoid the instances mentioned from ever taking place.
How To Prevent Livestock Fencing Issues
The best way to maintain a functional fence is by preventing damages at every given chance possible. Though sometimes they can’t be totally evaded, the following tips might help you prevent reoccurring fencing issues:
Inspect Your Fence Regularly
To prevent frequent fencing issues, ensure to inspect your fence regularly. By doing this, it’s possible to notice the problem before it escalates and make slight repairs the soonest.
Use Electric Fencing Carefully
If you notice a spot on your fence where damage occurs regularly, you might opt to re-fence the area with electric wire.
This will help by sending out mild shocks to the livestock approaching the fence to teach them to avoid getting near it entirely. Yet, experts recommend that you read your electric fence’s instruction manual to determine how to properly and safely operate it.
Conclusion
A functional livestock fence is said to be the biggest security feature for your farm animals. It protects them against predators such as wild animals and the like. Hence, it’s highly advised that you maintain your livestock fencing in top condition at all times. How to repair livestock fencing?
Ensure to inspect your livestock fence regularly to spot any damage the soonest they occur. Upon discovery, it’s recommended that you conduct repairs or call and seek help from a professional fence repair company for a lasting solution to your livestock fencing woes.