Perfect livestock fencing only happen on perfect land. On any other land you will face various challenges.
Once you have determined the purpose of the the fence there are a few other considerations to take into account before you begin pounding any posts or unrolling miles of netting.
Gates
There are many options for gates and the nature or purpose of the fence will often determine the type of gate used.
With permanent livestock fences come permanent gates. These should be sturdy, easy to maintain gates that will allow you regular access without hassle. There is nothing more aggravating then having a gate that can be man handled only by the strongest person on the ranch!
Temporary fencing or cross fencing will seldom even have gates but rather the fence will be let down or pulled aside when the animals need to cross it.
Placement of gates in the corral or handling areas will strongly influence your livestock movement in these areas. It is wise to study how and where the livestock will likely move to and from.
These gates will call for the most attention and likely the most repair. The gates need to be sturdy and hung so that they swing freely.
Avoid placing any gates across low spots where water will collect or deep shadows will form and cause livestock to balk at moving forward. Although not always possible, it is beneficial if gates can swing both inward and outward.
Livestock flow
Will the animals move in out and out of the area frequently? If so, where and how will they move? What is the natural movement of the animals from one place to another? Setting up your fence line and gates in a manner that reflects the natural tendency of livestock movement will save yourself and the stock a lot of angst and effort.
Water availability
Where will the animals access water? The availability of water can play a big role in where livestock fences will be placed or how much fencing will be required. Will you be utilizing natural water bodies or will all paddocks have to allow access to permanent water sites? Also consider the various seasons. If you live in a cold season climate consider if and where the animals will access water when all the natural bodies of water are frozen over.
Land topography
Features such as natural sheltered areas, winter feeding areas, open spaces, cool season and warm season grazing areas will all come into play when deciding where to build that fence. And of course you will be limited by any legal survey boundaries. Respect legal property lines so you don't have to build your fence twice.
The most important note about land topography is not to fight what the land offers but let the land work in your favor. As you walk about and get a feel for your land you will discover natural alleyways to use to your advantage or sheltered areas to use during winter grazing or land depressions that hold water all year long.
Livestock fences are ultimately an intrusion upon the land so work to keep the intrusion to a minimum. Instead of going through great expense to have natural land features altered, get creative and work them to your advantage.
Do some planning before pounding your first posts. You can use air photos or topographical maps to plan your fence. You'll have an idea of the land features, water bodies, brush etc. that might help or impede you before you start. You can do a lot of planning with these maps or even with your own sketch of your land.
