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should barbed wire be banned?


Robbell

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should barbed wire be banned?

 

Its a question iv often asked myself, Im a firm believer that its the height of the fence that turns stock not the barbs as Animals dont understand the concept of its pointy so therefore its dangerose, Iv watched cattle stand and scratch them selves on a barbed fence.

 

when we use it we rip our clothes and skin, it has a detrimental effect on the price of leather and you could also argue its a health and safety risk that could land you in court.

 

if you have a spec for a fence say 44" high, 3" to plain, 3" to net 32" net (80cm) then 2" to barb 3" to second barb on a 5'6" post. 

 

Im now getting customers asking for a 3rd barb so we are now on a 6' post but why a 3rd barb why not a net thats 110cm high so now the spec would be plain guide wire then one net 

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Barbed I find is handy to run along the bottom to stop sheep boring under, the idea is that it hurts their noses,

I can't see a time where farmers will do away with barbed unless they are running mains electric, but then the cost rises, running the power, insulators, will make it no cheaper for electric, plus if a wire snaps the the whole fence is unearthed, and ineffective.

 

I don't mind working with it as long as I've gloves, and I prefer to use previously used barbed, older mild steel stuff, I think it pulls far tighter than new ms or ht ,

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I remember reading a book I had as a kid about the Wild West. It had a page on different barb types and the knots that made the barbs.

 

It's a fair point raised in this post. You need to do barbed wire in the most mechanised way possible when using it, for personal comfort and safety. Many cows will of ruined their udders jumping fences or going through them.

 

Electric as mentioned needs regular inspection and repair needs to be prompt.

 

Changing farmers ways of doing things is a monumental task.

 

Barb can help reduce stock rubbing. The sight of a beast weighing over half a ton leaning on fence forcefully gets a fencers attention.

 

A commercial advert of a fencing contractor walking away from a new fence confidently with a herd of beasts leaning on it would be convincing PR

 

"Brand xyz, probably the strongest fence in the world"

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should barbed wire be banned?

 

Its a question iv often asked myself, Im a firm believer that its the height of the fence that turns stock not the barbs as Animals dont understand the concept of its pointy so therefore its dangerose, Iv watched cattle stand and scratch them selves on a barbed fence.

 

when we use it we rip our clothes and skin, it has a detrimental effect on the price of leather and you could also argue its a health and safety risk that could land you in court.

 

if you have a spec for a fence say 44" high, 3" to plain, 3" to net 32" net (80cm) then 2" to barb 3" to second barb on a 5'6" post. 

 

Im now getting customers asking for a 3rd barb so we are now on a 6' post but why a 3rd barb why not a net thats 110cm high so now the spec would be plain guide wire then one net

 

Very good point you make rob. I would have to say I would side with you in this, although you are never going to change a farmers opinion. Hell its hard enough round here trying to convert them to high tensile wire. That's not what their father used, why change.

I think the height has a lot to do with it. I am not sure if they do or don't understand the concept of its pointy. I think they maybe do, but it's still dangerous as they don't understand the consequences, but I do belive it makes a differneces and stops them pushing over the fence to get the grass on the other side ( even if it's not greener, still must taste better.) as for everything else you say all very good valid points.

I am a big believer I electric and a good system will do a good job with little maintenance, the stock will often graze close enough under the fence to stop much growth and a couple of times around with the spray in the year it will be sorted. I have seen many cattle held in by and respect just one strand of electric. You can then I turn also easily sub divide a field and strip graze it if required.

We once had a farmer ask us to electrify some Barb for him, I told him not a chance, now that would be dangerous, and it is also illegal I believe. But could be wrong.

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Lots of good points here - must mean it's Tornado barb! On the history; the first patent for barbed wire was issued in 1867 to Lucien B Smith of Kent, Ohio. It was very influential in the shaping of the Wild West by enabling cattle to be contained and ranches formed where previously they free-ranged on common grazing. Barb has come in many shapes and sizes over the years and there's even a Barbed Wire Collectors Association. Apparently there's an IQ requirement for anyone wanting to join; if your IQ is more than 30, your not allowed in!

 

Personally I don't like the stuff but should it be banned? Definitely not - and that's not just because we make a hell of a lot of it in a year. In the 1970s we used single-strand Campeon barb which had an unnerving habit of breaking, it eventually disappeared and may well have been banned. If you're only fencing for sheep and are confident that no cattle, or other large animals are going to come in contact with the fence for the next 20 years then you don't need barb, unless you want to deter people. In all other circumstances we'd recommend two barbs above a net fence to prevent cattle from pushing down and damaging the stay wires - less of an issue with Titan or Torus nets but you need something to protect a hinged joint net. A hot wire can be a good alternative providing you have a joined up network and don't mind a bit more maintenance. As for electrifying barb, definite no no - dangers are obvious and I'm pretty sure it is illegal here, certainly is in NZ. 

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  • 1 year later...

Old thread, but I thought you guys might enjoy knowing that Americans think that barbed wire isn't used anywhere but here.  English leather is touted as better because of it, and they've even named some perfume after it!   Kenny, you should know that I have a collection of barbed wire and an IQ of no less than 36, but I haven't applied for membership to the club.  The collection of barbed wire at the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City is quite impressive.

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  • 1 month later...

We think barbed wire should not be used at all, especially should never be used with an energiser. 

High quality energiser do switch off if they feel there is a possibility of the animal getting tangled in the fencing material. 

However, many energisers out there do not have this function built in.

Electric fence does not require barbed wire to be effective.

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  • 3 months later...

This is an interesting topic to me. Barbed wire is very popular here in the states. It makes an effective and economical fence. We just finished doing 64 acres with 6 strand barb, about 6000 feet. All 4pt Red Brand wire, we tried to use H&W but could not get it to stretch tight without breaking.  

 

I have heard of electrifying barbed wire, but its very taboo here as well. We have never done it for someone and never will. We recognize the hazards and liabilities. 

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Barbed wire has its places even though I don't like it much.

 

I don't think animals have much problem with it, they know to avoid thistles etc and electrics, if anything I'd say electric fencing is more dangerous to stock. I've seen several sheep dead in electric fences and one cattlebeast.  One sheep I came across had died within 10-15 minutes (I went up the road, it wasn't there but when I came back there was one in the fence looking dead, and when I dragged it out it was "gone").  I've also had a horse do itself a terrible injury in an polywire electric fence.

 

So if you'e gonna ban barb ( I have a pet hate for industry players/sectors/groups who try and improve their position by detracting from others products/practises through spurious legislative moves "ban xxxx indeed") you'd better do the same for electric.

 

Where is barb great - well if you use netting and put a barb on at the same level as the netting topwire, then another barb above that as the top wire, the fence will last very well indeed and is relatively immune to branches etc bringing the top wire down (which shorts out electrics right away).  Stock don't try and push through between the netting and topwire.

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This is an interesting topic to me. Barbed wire is very popular here in the states. It makes an effective and economical fence. We just finished doing 64 acres with 6 strand barb, about 6000 feet. All 4pt Red Brand wire, we tried to use H&W but could not get it to stretch tight without breaking.  

 

I have heard of electrifying barbed wire, but its very taboo here as well. We have never done it for someone and never will. We recognize the hazards and liabilities. 

If you like Red Band, you'll really like Tornado.  We need to get some in your hands this spring!

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