High Tensile Field Fence

What "High Tensile" Actually Changes in a Field Fence

A field fence woven from ordinary low-carbon wire is soft. Every time a cow leans on it, the line stretches a little and stays stretched - walk any old farm boundary and you will see fence lines that dip like hammocks between posts, the accumulated memory of twenty years of animal contact. A high tensile field fence is woven from high-carbon steel wire instead, and the difference is not marketing: it is how the fence behaves on the day after the bull leans on it.

The honest sum: for a boundary that animals will test daily - cattle, horses, deer - the high tensile version pays for itself the first time you do not have to re-stretch a boundary in spring. For a back paddock that sees nothing heavier than sheep leaning occasionally, low-carbon remains a perfectly defensible choice, and we sell both without pretending otherwise.

Hinge Joints, Graduated Mesh and Matching the Fence to the Animal

Two features of this product decide which animal it suits, and both are easier to see on the fence than to explain in a catalog.

The hinge joint. Where the vertical stay wires cross the horizontal line wires, the joint is a wrap, not a weld or a rigid clamp. Under impact the joint hinges open slightly and closes again - it is the reason a woven fence absorbs a hit instead of snapping a wire. It also means the fence flexes over rolling ground without a stay popping out of line.

Graduated openings. Most field fence runs smaller openings at the bottom and larger toward the top. The bottom rows are the ones doing the real containment work - lambs, piglets, calves and predators all test the fence at ground level. When you compare rolls, count the openings in the bottom 30 centimeters: that number, more than any other on the spec sheet, decides what the fence will actually hold.

Coating, Posts and Buying by the Roll

On coating, the zinc range matters more than the name of the process. Electro-galvanized wire (light coating) suits dry inland paddocks and price-first orders. Hot-dip galvanized is the mainstream choice for exposed farm boundaries. For coastal properties and corrosive soil, Galfan-coated wire is the one we steer buyers toward - its zinc-aluminum layer outlasts plain zinc in salt air by a wide margin, and a fence you only want to buy once deserves the upgrade.

On the ground, the system is simple and old on purpose: strainer posts at corners and ends, line posts between, the roll strained up tight with a fence strainer before tying off. High tensile wire wants correct straining - pulled to spec it stands drum-tight for years; under-strained it will look identical on day one and disappoint by autumn. Posts can run wider than on low-carbon fence, which is where some of the material saving quietly comes from. And for predator pressure or boundary security, an offset electric wire on the same posts is a common, effective combination - the woven fence does the physical work, the single hot wire teaches the respect.

Ordering is by the roll: tell us the boundary length, the animal and the climate, and we come back with height, wire class, coating and a roll count - 50m and 100m rolls, plastic film or pallet packing, container-load quantities for dealers and distributors.

FAQ

What is the difference between high tensile and regular field fence?

The steel. High tensile fence uses high-carbon wire that holds tension and springs back from impact; regular low-carbon fence is softer, sags where animals lean, and needs re-stretching over the years. High tensile costs more per roll and less per decade.

Is field fence suitable for horses?

With care. Horses rub along fences and can catch hooves and halters in openings - choose tighter mesh or taller heights, and inspect the bottom openings against your animals. For dedicated horse paddocks many owners prefer a smoother dedicated horse fence; we will tell you honestly if that is the better answer for you.

Can this fence be electrified?

The woven fence itself is not an electric fence. What works well is the combination: the physical woven boundary plus one offset electric wire on insulators - standard practice for predator pressure and boundary training. We supply the fence; your electric setup rides on the same posts.

Field fence or chain link for livestock?

Field fence is the livestock standard: graduated openings hold young animals, larger rectangles use less wire per meter, and hinge joints absorb animal impact. Chain link earns its place where you need a uniform small mesh - dogs, security, sport - and we also supply high tensile chain link for that job.

Which coating for a coastal property?

Galfan. Its zinc-aluminum coating handles salt air far better than plain galvanizing. Hot-dip galvanized is fine for inland; electro-galvanized only for dry climates and tight budgets.

How far apart can posts be?

Wider than you might expect on high tensile line - the wire holds the tension that low-carbon fence needs extra posts to carry. Exact spacing depends on terrain and corner layout; send us the paddock plan and we will mark the post count on it.