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Story: Farm fencing

Impact of cattle

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Impact of cattle

Cattle are much harder on fences than sheep. This bullock is using its weight to push through a fence and reach some good grazing on the other side. Over time this weakens the fence by stretching the wires and breaking the battens and posts. Electrifying one or two wires prevents this happening.

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New Zealand Herald

Reference: 6 March 2007

by Mark Mitchell

Permission of the New Zealand Herald must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Robert Peden, Farm fencing – Types of wire fence, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/15300/impact-of-cattle (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Robert Peden, published 1 March 2009.