How Far Apart Should Fence Posts Be Set?
- The exterior perimeter of a pasture to hold livestock such as cattle and horses needs to be a minimum of 4 feet high and have a lifespan of more than 20 years. The National Resource Conservation Service, (NRCS) which is part of the USDA, determines that the maximum distance between wood or metal T-post should be 16.5 feet. The recommended distance is 12 feet. This adds strength and extra support to the fence line.
The NRCS also recommends that wooden fence post extend a minimum of 4 inches above the top wire of the fence. This is to prevent splitting of the wood when attaching the wire to the post.
Posts should be buried a minimum of 18 inches unless the danger of perma-heave from ground freeze/thaw would uproot the posts. Under those circumstances, a depth of 3 feet burial of a fence post is recommended. - Electric fences can be installed for temporary control of livestock. A good example is to put up a temporary electric fence around a winter forage crop. Normally, a temporary fence is expected to last a few months or a single season. A 3-foot-tall rebar will adequately contain animals that have been previously exposed to hot or electrified fence wires. The rebar can be inserted into the ground approximately a foot deep, and one post is needed for every 50 feet. More posts can be used if necessary to keep the electric or hot wire off the ground.
- Consider the terrain of your fence line. If your fence passes over steep hills or is in a location of high erosion, you will probably want to use additional fence posts to your fence line.
Check with your local NRCS office or Cooperative Extension office. They will have information about your specific location to help you with your selection of fence post type and proper installation.
