Fencing Solutions with Stay-Tuff.

 By Maura Keller.

 Regardless of the size of their operations, cattlemen across the U.S. rely heavily on fencing to keep their cattle contained, while keeping predators out. Originally founded as its own company, Stay-Tuff has made a name for itself within the agricultural industry for providing the most durable and impact resistant fencing on the market. Today, Stay-Tuff is owned and operated by Mid-Continent Steel & Wire, a division of Deacero, a Monterrey, Mexico-based company and the largest steel producer in North America. Mid-Continent manufactures a wide range of steel fencing and construction products for distribution throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is the largest nail manufacturer in the U.S. Being the parent company for Stay-Tuff means that the Deacero and Mid-Continent controls every facet of manufacturing and production of their wire-fencing products, resulting in some of the strongest galvanized steel fencing available to farms and ranches of all sizes.

According to Kyle Bading, Stay-Tuff’s Senior Line Manager, Stay-Tuff offers a wide range of fencing-related products for various livestock applications.

“We tend to focus on the premium products that are going to offer producers the most strength, the most longevity, with the least amount of maintenance,” Bading says. Stay-Tuff’s main product line is its high tensile fixed knot fencing, a specific type of woven fence that is made with high-tensile wire. Used most often for animal containment and security, the fixed knot fencing is constructed with solid vertical stays and horizontal lines of galvanized wire.

Cattle-Tuff fencing, within Stay-Tuff’s Fixed Knot fencing product category, provides the ideal level of cattle control, thanks in part to the strands of high carbon content steel wires that are joined together in a unique Fixed Knot design.

“Our cattle fencing is geared toward the cattlemen or landowner most concerned with keeping cattle in, out or overall managing their herd,” Bading says. The specific Stay-Tuff product that is ideal for cattle containment in pastures is ST 949-12-660. As Bading explains, this product offers a 49” fence height, 660 feet roll length, nine horizontal wires, and weighs 267 lbs., which clearly reflects the level of strength required to properly contain cattle.

“We consider this level of fencing to be the ideal replacement for a 4 or 5-strand barbed wire fence that most people are familiar with,” Bading says. “That’s why we recommend it for parameter fencing and for cross fencing in pastures.”

Stay-Tuff’s Fixed Knot line of fencing products is available in a wide range of different options in height and wire spacing for a producer’s specific situation. “You can get away with a little bit of wider spacing and still keep cattle contained, which can definitely be more economical,” Bading says. Fencing with tighter wire spacing or taller height is available in higher animal pressure applications.
Another aspect of the Stay-Tuff’s Cattle-Tuff fencing product is its unique Redi-Roll format, which includes pre-stripped rolls with 18” of vertical stays removed from both ends of the roll.

Traditionally, if cattlemen put fencing wire up a corner post, they would have to stretch the wire that is not stripped out, cut out knots and stay wires in order to properly secure the fence, all of which can take 20 to 30 minutes. With Cattle-Tuff’s Redi-Roll, it has already been designed with an additional 18 inches of pre-strip in every roll, eliminating the need for the time-consuming process of working with non-stripped wire.

In addition, most other manufacturers of Fixed Knot fencing use 12.5 gauge wire throughout the fence, but Stay-Tuff uses a larger 12 gauge wire for their top and bottom horizontal wires.  This thicker wire provides a better hold for the vertical wire, and additional strength to hold up to cattle pressure.

As Bading further explains, Stay-Tuff’s Cattle-Tuff product has been proven to last three times longer than a traditional hinge joint, which means the fencing will remain tighter and not lose its shape, and require less maintenance. Specifically, the tension crimps on the horizontal wires also allow for the fence to absorb shock and its level of strength prevents creeping through the fence, confining livestock to a specific area and eliminates the ability of cattle to put their heads through the fencing.

“Another thing that differentiates our fencing product is our Class 3 galvanization,” Bading says.

“We use galvanized wire that is three times as thick as Class 1 galvanization, which means it is going to last three times as long.”

The level of tension within the Cattle-Tuff fencing is extremely durable, while also allowing for a bit more movement of the fence to catch the impact from an animal. The designed tension allows for easier installation, yet springs back into shape after the impact occurs.

Cattle-Tuff’s superior design means easier installation and lower maintenance costs, but it also means that product’s longevity is celebrated feature among producers and is reflective in the product’s 20-year warranty.

Stay-Tuff’s customer-focused process is evident in its online fencing calculator and estimation tool to decipher exactly the type of fencing a producer needs.

“Our online calculator will walk you through the entire process of mapping and planning your fencing needs,” Bading says. “Depending on what type of livestock you’re going to be working with and trying to control, it will step you through the process.”

The online program also allows producers to utilize mapping software, where you can find your piece of property or the location of your fence, and then you can basically just draw the line that you want to fit with fencing. It will calculate the footage that you’re going to need and then it will step you through the process of selecting what species of animal you are trying to control.

Once you’ve selected the animal species, the program will provide recommendations of four or five different products that would work for your specific situation.