Ranch & Agricultural Fencing
Ranch and agricultural fence, built to last.
Ranch fencing is the center of this business, and has been for three generations. From our base in Madisonville we build and rebuild perimeter fence across Madison, Leon, Houston, Grimes, Brazos, Walker and the counties around them. Most of that work is straight run over ground that is not straight: sand, blackland, creek crossings, timber edges, and old fence that has to come out before anything new goes in. If you are looking for a ranch fencing contractor near you, the thing worth checking is not a slogan. It is whether the corners, braces, and post depths are built to hold tension for twenty years, because that is the part that fails first on cheaper work.
What a ranch perimeter fence actually has to do
A perimeter fence runs a line, holds stock, and takes a beating from weather and pressure at the same time. Cattle push and rub. Feral hogs root underneath. Deer and fallen limbs test the top wire. A fence built for looks will hold for a season; a fence built with proper tension, bracing, and post spacing will hold until you want to change it. When we walk a property we are looking at what the fence has to do, not only at how many feet it is: how many head, whether it is a boundary or a lane, if there is a highway frontage, and where water crosses the line.
Materials we set, and when we use each one
Five- and six-strand barbed wire is the standard for cattle pasture and the cheapest line that still does the job. Non-climb woven wire with a barbed strand on top gives you goat, sheep, and hog containment without a second fence. Two-and-three-eighths or two-and-seven-eighths pipe is what we reach for at corrals, entrances, and any place that gets hit by equipment. Steel T-posts hold a line in most of our ground, with cedar or steel corners and H-brace assemblies at angle points. Which mix is right depends on the stock and the ground, and we will tell you plainly when a cheaper spec will do the job.
Corners and bracing are where ranch fence succeeds or fails
The straight run is the easy part. Every corner, gate post, end post, and change in elevation carries the load for the whole stretch, and those are the assemblies we build heavy. Corners get proper lateral and diagonal bracing with pipe or heavy wood, set below the frost and wet line rather than just below the topsoil. On long runs we add tension and stretcher assemblies so wire is pulled evenly instead of being jerked tight in one spot. If you have ever seen a fence go slack after two summers, it almost always comes back to a light corner or wire pulled without control.
Water gaps, timber, and working with the land
Creek and river crossings need a fence that flexes instead of tearing out when the water comes up. That means a built water gap with pipe or heavy posts above the high-water mark and fence suspended between, not a barbed wire line buried in the bank. Timber edges need clearing before a line can be run true, and older fence usually needs to come out before new can be built. We work in a way that leaves gates usable, livestock contained, and as little of the property torn up as the job allows.
How ranch fencing is priced
Most ranch work is quoted per foot for the run, with corners, braces, gates, and clearing priced separately because they cost real labor. Rock, sand, and access change the number more than anything else. We walk the property, measure the actual line, count gates and corners, and put the scope in writing so you can compare it against another bid line by line. If a bid you receive is far below the others, it is worth asking what post spacing and depth they are using, what their corners look like, and whether clearing is in the price.
Ranch & Agricultural Fencing from our own jobs.
Every photo below is from work we built. Open any image to see it full size.
Ranch & Agricultural Fencing we have built.
Common questions about ranch & agricultural fencing.
What does ranch fencing cost per foot in Central Texas?
It depends on wire type, post spacing, corners, gates, and ground conditions. Barbed wire on steel posts is the lowest cost per foot; woven wire and pipe cost more. We price after walking the property, and we quote corners, gates, and clearing separately so nothing gets buried in a blended number.
How many strands of barbed wire do I need for cattle?
Five strands is the common spec for mature cattle and six is typical where you are holding bulls or running a boundary against pressure. Spacing between strands matters as much as the count: it needs to stay tight enough that a calf cannot go through it.
Do you build ranch fence outside Madison County?
Yes. Our regular range is roughly 100 miles around Madisonville, which covers Madison, Leon, Houston, Grimes, Brazos, Walker and the counties between them. Larger ranch projects further out are considered case by case.
Will you work around existing fence and livestock?
Routinely. Most of our ranch work happens on properties that are in use, so lines are run to keep stock contained while the new fence goes in, and tear-out is scheduled so you are never wide open.
How deep do posts need to go?
It depends on soil and what the post has to carry. Straight-run T-posts are driven to a normal depth; corners, gate posts, and brace assemblies are set considerably deeper and often in concrete because they carry the tension for the whole run.
Can you clear brush and old fence before building?
Yes, and it is usually worth doing. A line cannot be run straight through unmanaged growth, and old wire left in the ground creates problems later. Clearing is quoted separately so you can see what it costs.
Let's talk about your project.
Tell us what you're building, where it is, and what you need. We'll come look at it and give you a straight answer.