FAQ
Before you answer anything
- Which electric fence is best for horses?
- Polybraid rope for a permanent perimeter and polytape for a seasonal one. Run two to three strands and aim for 2,000–3,000 V at the far corner. Both formats matter for the same reason: a horse respects the boundary it can see before it ever touches it.
- How many strands do goats need?
- Four to five on a perimeter, spaced tight at the bottom, and two on an interior line inside a perimeter you already trust. Target 4,000–5,000 V — goats test fences for a living, and a soft fence teaches them the wrong lesson.
- How much fence wire do I need?
- Boundary length × number of strands, plus 10% for corners, dips and terminations. A 1,000 ft boundary at 3 strands is 3,000 ft of conductor, 3,300 ft with spare.
- What's the difference between polywire, polytape and polybraid?
- Resistance: 0.3 / 0.2 / 0.1 Ω per metre. Break strength: 330 / 330 / 900 lb. Cost: roughly 2¢ / 4¢ / 11¢ per foot. Polywire moves, polytape is seen, polybraid holds.
- Can I use one conductor for the whole farm?
- You can, and plenty of farms do. The honest build is a strong, visible perimeter and cheap movable interior lines, because the interior can only afford to be casual when the outside boundary is trustworthy.
Which electric fence conductor do you need?
Choose polybraid rope for permanent horse fences — 900 lb break strength and 0.1 Ω/m resistance. Choose polytape for goats, cattle and deer fences where visibility trains the animal — 3/4" wide, 0.2 Ω/m. Choose polywire for rotational grazing and long temporary runs — 0.3 Ω/m, about two cents per foot. Multiply your boundary by strand count, add 10%.
Every recommendation, in one table
| Animal | Use | Distance | Strands | Line needed | Conductor | Roll pack | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horses | Permanent | ≤ 500 ft | 3 | 1,650 ft | Polybraid Rope | 1 × 660 ft + 1 × 1,000 ft | $179.98 |
| Horses | Permanent | 500–1,000 ft | 3 | 3,300 ft | Polybraid Rope | 2 × 660 ft + 2 × 1,000 ft | $359.96 |
| Horses | Permanent | 1,000–1,650 ft | 3 | 5,445 ft | Polybraid Rope | 1 × 660 ft + 5 × 1,000 ft | $619.94 |
| Horses | Permanent | 1,650–3,300 ft | 3 | 10,890 ft | Polybraid Rope | 11 × 1,000 ft | $1,209.89 |
| Horses | Permanent | > 3,300 ft | 3 | 16,500 ft | Polybraid Rope | 1 × 660 ft + 16 × 1,000 ft | $1,829.83 |
| Horses | Seasonal | ≤ 500 ft | 2 | 1,100 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,640 ft | $69.99 |
| Horses | Seasonal | 500–1,000 ft | 2 | 2,200 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $114.98 |
| Horses | Seasonal | 1,000–1,650 ft | 2 | 3,630 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $159.97 |
| Horses | Seasonal | 1,650–3,300 ft | 2 | 7,260 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 4 × 1,640 ft | $324.95 |
| Horses | Seasonal | > 3,300 ft | 2 | 11,000 ft | Polytape | 7 × 1,640 ft | $489.93 |
| Horses | Rotating paddocks | ≤ 500 ft | 1 | 550 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft | $29.99 |
| Horses | Rotating paddocks | 500–1,000 ft | 1 | 1,100 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft | $39.99 |
| Horses | Rotating paddocks | 1,000–1,650 ft | 1 | 1,815 ft | Polywire | 1 × 3,280 ft | $69.99 |
| Horses | Rotating paddocks | 1,650–3,300 ft | 1 | 3,630 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 3,280 ft | $99.98 |
| Horses | Rotating paddocks | > 3,300 ft | 1 | 5,500 ft | Polywire | 2 × 3,280 ft | $139.98 |
| Goats & sheep | Permanent | ≤ 500 ft | 5 | 2,750 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,640 ft | $139.98 |
| Goats & sheep | Permanent | 500–1,000 ft | 5 | 5,500 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 3 × 1,640 ft | $254.96 |
| Goats & sheep | Permanent | 1,000–1,650 ft | 5 | 9,075 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 5 × 1,640 ft | $394.94 |
| Goats & sheep | Permanent | 1,650–3,300 ft | 5 | 18,150 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft + 10 × 1,640 ft | $789.88 |
| Goats & sheep | Permanent | > 3,300 ft | 5 | 27,500 ft | Polytape | 17 × 1,640 ft | $1,189.83 |
| Goats & sheep | Seasonal | ≤ 500 ft | 4 | 2,200 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $114.98 |
| Goats & sheep | Seasonal | 500–1,000 ft | 4 | 4,400 ft | Polytape | 3 × 1,640 ft | $209.97 |
| Goats & sheep | Seasonal | 1,000–1,650 ft | 4 | 7,260 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 4 × 1,640 ft | $324.95 |
| Goats & sheep | Seasonal | 1,650–3,300 ft | 4 | 14,520 ft | Polytape | 9 × 1,640 ft | $629.91 |
| Goats & sheep | Seasonal | > 3,300 ft | 4 | 22,000 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 13 × 1,640 ft | $954.86 |
| Goats & sheep | Rotating paddocks | ≤ 500 ft | 2 | 1,100 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft | $39.99 |
| Goats & sheep | Rotating paddocks | 500–1,000 ft | 2 | 2,200 ft | Polywire | 1 × 3,280 ft | $69.99 |
| Goats & sheep | Rotating paddocks | 1,000–1,650 ft | 2 | 3,630 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 3,280 ft | $99.98 |
| Goats & sheep | Rotating paddocks | 1,650–3,300 ft | 2 | 7,260 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 2 × 3,280 ft | $169.97 |
| Goats & sheep | Rotating paddocks | > 3,300 ft | 2 | 11,000 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft + 3 × 3,280 ft | $249.96 |
| Cattle | Permanent | ≤ 500 ft | 2 | 1,100 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,640 ft | $69.99 |
| Cattle | Permanent | 500–1,000 ft | 2 | 2,200 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $114.98 |
| Cattle | Permanent | 1,000–1,650 ft | 2 | 3,630 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $159.97 |
| Cattle | Permanent | 1,650–3,300 ft | 2 | 7,260 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 4 × 1,640 ft | $324.95 |
| Cattle | Permanent | > 3,300 ft | 2 | 11,000 ft | Polytape | 7 × 1,640 ft | $489.93 |
| Cattle | Seasonal | ≤ 500 ft | 2 | 1,100 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,640 ft | $69.99 |
| Cattle | Seasonal | 500–1,000 ft | 2 | 2,200 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $114.98 |
| Cattle | Seasonal | 1,000–1,650 ft | 2 | 3,630 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 3,280 ft | $99.98 |
| Cattle | Seasonal | 1,650–3,300 ft | 2 | 7,260 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 2 × 3,280 ft | $169.97 |
| Cattle | Seasonal | > 3,300 ft | 2 | 11,000 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft + 3 × 3,280 ft | $249.96 |
| Cattle | Rotating paddocks | ≤ 500 ft | 1 | 550 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft | $29.99 |
| Cattle | Rotating paddocks | 500–1,000 ft | 1 | 1,100 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft | $39.99 |
| Cattle | Rotating paddocks | 1,000–1,650 ft | 1 | 1,815 ft | Polywire | 1 × 3,280 ft | $69.99 |
| Cattle | Rotating paddocks | 1,650–3,300 ft | 1 | 3,630 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 3,280 ft | $99.98 |
| Cattle | Rotating paddocks | > 3,300 ft | 1 | 5,500 ft | Polywire | 2 × 3,280 ft | $139.98 |
| Keeping deer out | Permanent | ≤ 500 ft | 3 | 1,650 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft | $89.98 |
| Keeping deer out | Permanent | 500–1,000 ft | 3 | 3,300 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $159.97 |
| Keeping deer out | Permanent | 1,000–1,650 ft | 3 | 5,445 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 3 × 1,640 ft | $254.96 |
| Keeping deer out | Permanent | 1,650–3,300 ft | 3 | 10,890 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft + 3 × 3,280 ft | $249.96 |
| Keeping deer out | Permanent | > 3,300 ft | 3 | 16,500 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 5 × 3,280 ft | $379.94 |
| Keeping deer out | Seasonal | ≤ 500 ft | 3 | 1,650 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft | $89.98 |
| Keeping deer out | Seasonal | 500–1,000 ft | 3 | 3,300 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $159.97 |
| Keeping deer out | Seasonal | 1,000–1,650 ft | 3 | 5,445 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 3 × 1,640 ft | $254.96 |
| Keeping deer out | Seasonal | 1,650–3,300 ft | 3 | 10,890 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft + 3 × 3,280 ft | $249.96 |
| Keeping deer out | Seasonal | > 3,300 ft | 3 | 16,500 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 5 × 3,280 ft | $379.94 |
| Keeping deer out | Rotating paddocks → seasonal | ≤ 500 ft | 3 | 1,650 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft | $89.98 |
| Keeping deer out | Rotating paddocks → seasonal | 500–1,000 ft | 3 | 3,300 ft | Polytape | 2 × 1,000 ft + 1 × 1,640 ft | $159.97 |
| Keeping deer out | Rotating paddocks → seasonal | 1,000–1,650 ft | 3 | 5,445 ft | Polytape | 1 × 1,000 ft + 3 × 1,640 ft | $254.96 |
| Keeping deer out | Rotating paddocks → seasonal | 1,650–3,300 ft | 3 | 10,890 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,640 ft + 3 × 3,280 ft | $249.96 |
| Keeping deer out | Rotating paddocks → seasonal | > 3,300 ft | 3 | 16,500 ft | Polywire | 1 × 1,000 ft + 5 × 3,280 ft | $379.94 |
Sources behind the strand counts: the beginner setup guide, the rotational grazing starter plan and the deer fencing guide. Goat and cattle perimeter counts are manufacturer species guidance, not extension guidance.