Throughout the three days of the Ploughing Championships, fencing contractor with Farm Relief Services (FRS) Arthur Harvey was demonstrating how to erect a single strand of electric fence suitable for cattle that should last 15 to 20 years.

One area that a lot of suckler farmers need to make major investment in is their fences. Good fences make management of stock much easier, especially for part-time farmers.

The perception may be that fencing is expensive, but if you can put in a good-quality fence that will last 15 to 20 years, it is a worthwhile investment.

The type of fence installed in the video would cost approximately €2/m, which could vary depending on the materials used.

“Farmers are always rushing. When you are doing this work, forget about changing cattle from one field to another,” Arthur said. “You have to concentrate on your fencing. You have to have the tools of some sort for the job.”

“People will often use bad-quality equipment or second-hand wire that has been put up and taken down from somewhere before.

“This stuff (wire) is something that you are going to be using in a field for 15 or 20 years,” according to Arthur.