Explore the engineering and fabrication of cattle fence panels that withstand animal impact and weather exposure. Learn about material selection, welding techniques, and galvanizing for decades of service.
The Problem Cattle Fence Panel Fabrication Solves
Cattle fencing is fundamental to livestock management, providing safety, containment, and herd organization. Cattle are large, powerful animals that can subject fencing to significant impact and pressure loads. Fence panels must be engineered and fabricated to withstand these forces while resisting corrosion in outdoor environments. At Fulei Metal, we have been fabricating livestock fencing products for farms across Europe, Australia, and North America since 2016.
Cattle Fence Panel Design
Cattle fence panels must withstand the weight and force of adult cattle weighing 500 to 1,000 kg. Panels must resist horizontal loads from animals leaning, rubbing, or pushing, as well as impact loads from herding and loading operations. Typical panels use horizontal rails spaced 300 to 500 mm apart, supported by vertical posts at 1.0 to 2.0 meter intervals. Rail material is typically 1.5 to 2.0 mm thick galvanized steel tube with 40×40 mm or 50×50 mm cross-sections.
Cattle fence panels must connect securely to form continuous fence lines. We fabricate panel connectors that allow quick assembly while preventing separation under animal pressure, including pin connectors, hook-and-eye connectors, and chain connectors. Cattle fence systems require gates for animal movement and equipment access, fabricated in widths from 1.0 to 5.0 meters with heavy-duty hinges, latches, and slam-lock mechanisms.
Picking Material for Cattle Fence Panel Fabrication
Hot-dip galvanized steel is the standard material for cattle fencing. The zinc coating provides decades of corrosion protection including resistance to manure, urine, and soil contact. We use pre-galvanized steel tube for most components and hot-dip galvanize welded assemblies after fabrication to coat all weld points and cut edges. For enhanced corrosion protection and appearance, we apply powder coating over galvanized steel for a dual-layer system.
Fabrication Sequence for Cattle Fence Panel Fabrication
Our TRUMPF fiber laser cuts bracket components, connector plates, and reinforcement gussets from flat sheet stock. Steel tubes are cut to length using automated sawing equipment with coping and notching for tube-to-tube joints. Some cattle fence designs incorporate bent tube components, created on our CNC tube bending equipment. Panel assembly uses MIG welding at our ten welding stations, producing continuous, strong welds. For galvanized tube, we use special welding techniques that minimize zinc vaporization.
Welded panel assemblies are hot-dip galvanized after fabrication, ensuring that all weld points, cut edges, and internal tube surfaces receive zinc coating. Galvanizing thickness is verified using magnetic induction gauges. For powder-coated finishes, panels are cleaned, primed, and coated in client-specified colors.
Livestock Safety Considerations
Cattle fence panels must have smooth surfaces without sharp edges, burrs, or protruding welds. We grind all welds smooth and deburr all cut edges. Tube ends are capped or plugged to prevent injury and water ingress. Rail spacing of 300 to 500 mm prevents animals from getting their heads stuck while allowing visibility. In areas with aggressive corrosion such as feedlots and dairy parlors, we recommend stainless steel components.
Cattle Fence Panels: Venting, Post Spacing and Twist
Fence panels are hot-dip galvanized after fabrication, which puts one requirement on the drawing before anything is cut: every closed tube section has to be vented. Liquid that cannot drain out of a sealed section stays inside it, and the panel then rusts from within – a failure nobody sees until the paint on the outer face starts to blister. Post spacing is set from the stock it has to hold rather than from a standard figure, and the two diagonals of each panel are measured as a pair, because a panel that is square but twisted will still stand proud at one corner once it is driven into the ground.
From Drawing to First Article on Cattle Fence Panel Fabrication
Cattle fence panel fabrication requires structural engineering, corrosion protection expertise, and understanding of animal behavior. Fulei Metal’s decade of experience in livestock equipment fabrication makes us a trusted partner for cattle fencing projects.
Fulei Metal builds components like this in-house. The DFM engineering review page explains how the process is set up and checked, while custom metal enclosure manufacturing covers the materials and finishes we normally run. Related reading: Telescopic Fence Fabrication.
Need a Similar Part?
Most enquiries that start on a page like this are not an order for Cattle Fence Panel Fabrication — they are a search for a factory that can make something like it. Send us your drawing, 3D model or sample and we will review the manufacturing process and the quotation requirements, then come back with a process plan, a price and a lead time.
We work from 2D drawings, STEP / DWG / DXF / PDF files, or a physical sample if that is all you have.
No complete drawings yet? Describe the part, send photos or a sketch, or send a sample — we can start from there. Discuss your project.
Trade Terms and Delivery
We quote under the standard Incoterms your logistics team already works with, and build the packing and documentation around the one you choose.
- EXW — you collect from our Ningbo facility and run export clearance through your own forwarder.
- FOB Ningbo — we deliver to the vessel at Ningbo port and handle export clearance.
- CIF — we cover carriage and insurance to your named destination port.
- DDP — we handle carriage, insurance, import clearance and duties through to your door.
Send your destination country, target delivery date and preferred trade term together with the drawing. Request a quotation.
Payment Terms
How a project is paid for is agreed before production starts, and the structure that applies to your order is stated on the quotation and on the order confirmation, so there is no ambiguity later.
- 30% advance payment with the order and the 70% balance before shipment — our standard structure.
- 70% advance payment with the order and the 30% balance before shipment — used for some projects.
- 100% payment in advance before production starts — used for some projects.
If your finance team works to a fixed structure, say so in the first enquiry and we will confirm what applies to your order before you commit. Request a quotation.
Quotation Time
We quote from your drawings. How long that takes depends on what the part asks for:
- Simple parts — quoted within 24 hours. Laser-cut blanks and bent components, supplied with complete 2D or 3D drawings. Mon–Fri, GMT+8.
- Complex assemblies — quoted after the drawing review. Payment kiosks, multi-part welded frames, enclosures with purchased hardware, or anything needing a coating or assembly trial. We confirm a quotation date once the scope is clear.
Production lead time is quoted separately, after drawing review and process confirmation. Send your drawings.
What stands behind this quotation
- Manufacturing since 20162,500 m² Ningbo plant — 3 laser cutting machines (including newer TRUMPF), 4 CNC press brakes and 10 welding stations.
- Shipped to more than 30 export marketsEnclosures, cabinets and formed parts supplied to OEM buyers across Europe, North America and Asia.
- 123 documented product casesMedical device housings, HVAC and heat pump enclosures, agricultural and livestock equipment, industrial hydraulics, material handling trolleys and EV charging cabinets.
- Factory evidence you can checkTUV Rheinland audit reference MIC-ASI243729 and Bureau Veritas reference MIC-ASR263630 available for buyer review on request.
Before you send drawings: project confidentiality is default · first-article inspection is carried out before a batch continues · pricing is staged from prototype quantity to repeat volume · pre-shipment photos and packing records are prepared when the project needs them.