Jim:
Having raised cattle most of my life, I would agree with your recommendation [posted on July 30th] of the woven wire fence, with one exception.
Woven wire fence will turn most types of large livestock. However, if you are fencing tough ground, i.e., extreme hills, swamp areas, areas where fence will be run through woods, etc., and the pasture will be somewhat limited in acreage (as opposed to fencing wide open areas out in the western U.S.) then I recommend using 16 foot long, 10 line, 4 gauge cattle panels. Yes, they will cost more. However, if a tree falls on a woven wire fence—you have a mess. (I have been there and done that.) If it falls on a cattle panel, you pull it out, put in a spare, and use the damaged panel for some other purpose around the farm.
We have used these panels with bison, cattle, horses, and some sheep. They last. Plus, it is quick to put up and quick to take down—use plastic zip ties to attach panel to post and you can have an area temporarily fenced in hours, not days. Here is a link to one of the many stores that carry them. Thanks, – “Straightblast”
Mr. & Mrs. Rawles:
When I read your reply about fencing and gates, I thought about the difficulty that I had when I tried to determine if cattle guards would keep sheep in. I could get no affirmative answer from anyone, but I went ahead and installed them. So just in case the subject ever comes up, they do indeed work. In fact, you cannot entice the [flock] leader with food or drag him towards one, so they are smarter than some may think. – Brock