Building a good electric fence is like anything else, you get out what you put in. If you use the proper equipment and maintain the fence the result will be a permanent structure just like the barb wire you use to use. The advantage of using ‘electric’ or ‘high tensile’ fences is on average they cost less than a barb wire fence, since less materials are required (ie posts, staples and wire) and they take less time to install. The electric fence option is also more versatile; you can take it down quickly and re-install somewhere else. This is particularly useful during times of drought when there are pasture shortages and producers are looking for additional grazing options.

Electric fences are mental barriers not physical barriers for all classes of cattle and grazing situations. When livestock are trained properly and the fence is working the way it was designed to (ie with the proper voltage on the fence), cattle will touch the fence once and than leave it alone. This includes all seasons of grazing or pasture confinement such as spring, summer, fall and winter.

When training livestock to respect an electric fence it is a good idea to use a smaller pasture, approximately three to four acres in size, with a 3 to 4 electrified wire fence. The goal is to shock the animals once and to do this you may need to attract the animals to the wire by tying tinfoil or ribbon to the wire. Cattle are usually quick learners, when shocked once with a 5000-volt fence, they rarely touch it again. After about three to four days all animals should know to avoid the fence. Another way to train livestock to electric fence is to use electrified corrals during the winter feeding period.

It is crucial to introduce your livestock to electric fences gradually. The introduction should occur in a controlled setting where the animals can safely encounter the fence under supervision. Allow them to approach the fence at their own pace and experience the electric shock in a non-threatening environment. This controlled exposure helps prevent panic, teaches the animals that the fence is an object, and reduces the risk of injury or stress.

Livestock learns quickly to associate the electric shock with the physical boundary of the fence. This conditioning can be enhanced by using positive reinforcement. Positioning feeders, water sources, and shelters away from fence lines encourages animals to keep a safe distance. Regularly moving these resources can also help reinforce fence boundaries without causing distress to the animals.