6 Best Electric Fence Tape For Controlling Livestock Old Farmers Swear By
Secure your livestock with farmer-approved electric fence tape. We review the 6 best options for superior visibility, conductivity, and lasting durability.
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of seeing your livestock exactly where you left them, content in their pasture. A good electric fence is less about shock and more about respect, teaching animals their boundaries with a gentle but firm reminder. Choosing the right electric fence tape is the first, and most critical, step in building that respect.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!
Choosing the Right Tape for Your Livestock
The best fence tape isn’t always the most expensive; it’s the one that fits your specific needs. The two biggest factors are conductivity and visibility. Conductivity, measured in ohms per meter (lower is better), determines how far the tape can carry a charge effectively. High-conductivity tape is essential for long fence lines or areas with heavy weed pressure that can drain a charge.
Visibility is all about your animals. Horses, for example, have poor depth perception and benefit greatly from wide, brightly colored tape they can easily see, reducing the chance of accidental collisions. A 1.5-inch white tape is far more visible to a horse than a thin polywire. For smaller or more docile animals like sheep or goats in a small paddock, a narrower, less conductive tape might be perfectly adequate and save you some money.
Think about your environment, too. If you live in a high-wind area, a wider tape can act like a sail, putting immense strain on your posts and insulators. In that scenario, a narrower, heavy-duty tape or even a high-visibility polywire might be a better choice. UV resistance is another key consideration; cheap tape can become brittle and break down after just one or two seasons in the sun, forcing you to do the whole job over again.
Gallagher Turbo Tape: High-Conductivity Choice
When you need to be absolutely sure the charge gets from the energizer to the far end of the pasture, Gallagher is the name that comes up. Their Turbo Tape is known for its exceptional conductivity. This is because it uses a mix of highly conductive metals, like copper, woven in with the standard stainless steel filaments.
What does that mean for you? It means you can run longer fences with confidence, knowing the "zap" at the end is nearly as strong as it is at the beginning. It’s also more forgiving of minor faults. If a few weeds grow up and touch the line, a high-conductivity tape is less likely to have its voltage drop to ineffective levels.
This performance comes at a premium, of course. Gallagher Turbo Tape is often one of the more expensive options per foot. But if you’re containing valuable animals, managing a large rotational grazing system, or dealing with stubborn livestock that constantly test the fence, the peace of mind is worth the investment. It’s a professional-grade product that delivers reliable performance.
Zareba Polytape: The All-Around Workhorse
Zareba is one of the most common brands you’ll find at local farm supply stores, and for good reason. Their polytape is a reliable, all-around performer that strikes a great balance between cost, visibility, and durability. It’s the dependable pickup truck of the fencing world—it does most jobs well without any unnecessary frills.
Available in various widths and conductor counts, Zareba tape is versatile enough for most hobby farm applications. Whether you’re cross-fencing a pasture for cattle or setting up a temporary enclosure for goats, there’s likely a Zareba product that fits the bill. The standard white tape is highly visible and generally holds up for several seasons under normal sun exposure.
While it may not have the top-tier conductivity of a specialized brand like Gallagher, it’s more than sufficient for the quarter-mile or half-mile runs common on smaller properties. For the farmer who needs a solid, predictable, and easily sourced fencing material, Zareba is a go-to choice that won’t let you down. It’s a smart, practical option for everyday containment.
Powerfields Ultra Tape for Maximum Visibility
Some animals respect what they can see. For horses, newly trained livestock, or fencing along areas with wildlife traffic, visibility is just as important as the shock. This is where Powerfields Ultra Tape, especially their wider 1.5-inch versions, truly shines. The wide profile and often contrasting colors create a clear visual barrier that animals are less likely to challenge or run into accidentally.
Powerfields focuses on a heavy-duty weave with reinforced edges, which helps the tape resist fraying and flapping in the wind. This structural integrity is crucial for wider tapes, which can easily get battered by the elements. A tattered, flapping fence line not only looks bad but can also cause inconsistent tension and premature wear.
The conductors in Powerfields tape are robust, providing a solid charge that backs up the visual deterrent. It’s an excellent choice for perimeter fences or for dividing pastures where you want to be absolutely certain the animals see the line. Think of it as a psychological barrier first and an electrical one second, which is often the most effective combination.
Premier 1 IntelliTape: Smart and Durable Pick
Premier 1 has a reputation for thoughtfully designed fencing products, and their IntelliTape is a prime example. They focus on longevity, weaving in mixed metals for a blend of conductivity and strength. Copper is a fantastic conductor but can break easily, while stainless steel is strong but less conductive; IntelliTape combines them to get the best of both worlds.
What really sets it apart is the attention to detail in its construction. Premier 1 tapes have a reputation for superior UV resistance, meaning they won’t get brittle and snap after a few years in the sun. This makes it a great long-term investment. You might pay a bit more upfront, but you won’t be replacing it as often.
This is the tape for the farmer who plans ahead. If you’re setting up a semi-permanent paddock system you expect to last for five or more years, the durability of IntelliTape makes perfect sense. It’s a product built for people who rely on their fences day in and day out and don’t have time for frequent repairs.
Dare Products Polytape: Heavy-Duty Containment
When you need a fence that feels more like a wall, Dare Products is a brand to look at. Their polytape is built tough, with a focus on break strength and durability. This is the kind of tape you use for containing a determined bull or for long, straight runs in open country where the wind never stops blowing.
Dare often uses a higher number of polymer monofilaments in their weave, creating a thicker, more substantial tape that can handle significant tension and physical pressure. The edges are often reinforced to prevent the fraying that plagues lesser-quality tapes, especially at insulator points where friction occurs.
The tradeoff for this toughness can sometimes be a slight reduction in conductivity compared to the most specialized brands, but the charge is more than adequate for most containment situations. If your primary concern is a fence that will physically stand up to abuse from either livestock or the weather, Dare’s heavy-duty construction provides that extra margin of safety.
Field Guardian Tape: A Solid, Economical Pick
Not every fence needs to be a fortress. For temporary paddocks, interior cross-fencing, or containing less-demanding livestock like docile cattle or sheep, Field Guardian offers a solid, economical option. It provides a functional electric fence without the premium price tag of high-performance brands.
This is a great tape for rotational grazing systems where you might be moving fence lines every few days or weeks. Its lower cost means you can afford to buy more of it, allowing for more complex and flexible paddock designs. While its UV life and break strength might not match the top-tier brands, it’s more than adequate for several seasons of use in temporary or low-stress applications.
Think of Field Guardian as a strategic choice. You wouldn’t use it for your main perimeter fence holding in a prized stallion, but it’s the perfect tool for quickly sectioning off a part of the pasture to let it recover. It’s a practical solution for managing your land effectively without breaking the bank.
Proper Tension: Key to a Long-Lasting Fence
You can buy the best tape in the world, but it won’t last a season if it’s installed improperly. Proper tension is everything. A loose, sagging tape is the number one enemy of an effective electric fence. It flaps in the wind, which causes premature fraying and wear, especially at the insulators. A sagging line is also more likely to get tangled or short out on the ground or a stray metal post.
The goal is to have the tape taut, but not stretched like a guitar string. Over-tightening can cause it to snap under pressure from wind, snow, or a spooked animal. The ideal tension is just enough to eliminate any visible sag between posts. Using in-line tensioners is not optional; it’s a requirement for a professional-quality fence. They allow you to dial in the right tension during installation and easily tighten things up as the tape naturally stretches over time.
Walk your fence line after a storm or a big temperature swing. You’ll often find it needs a slight adjustment. A few minutes spent tightening a tensioner can prevent a snapped line and an escaped animal later. This simple act of maintenance is what separates a fence that lasts two years from one that lasts ten.
Ultimately, the best electric fence tape is the one that matches your animals, your land, and your budget. Don’t get caught up in finding one perfect product; instead, focus on choosing the right tool for the specific job at hand. A well-planned fence, built with the right materials and maintained with care, is one of the most valuable assets on any farm.
