Alternatives to Cattle Guards

Cattle guards, also known as cattle or stock grids, are composed of several parallel thick strips or tubes of metal suspended in a rectangular hole along the width of a road. Cattle guards are used to keep cattle, sheep and other livestock from leaving a particular area or from crossing into another area. For example, cattle guards are frequently used to keep livestock from crossing from private land over into public land.

  1. How Cattle Guards Work

    • Cattle guards are usually sized to the width of the road and can be 6-12 feet long. Cattle guard metal tubes or bars that compose cattle guards are spaced far enough apart that when most livestock attempt to walk across cattle guards, the animal's feet fall through the spaces, trapping the animal. Frequently, however, livestock like cattle will not attempt crossing cattle guards for fear of falling. The metal tubes and bars are also close enough together that vehicles can travel across cattle guards without getting stuck.

    Issues

    • When installing traditional cattle guards, there are some issues to be aware of. Very large bulls sometimes are not deterred by cattle guards. These bulls' hooves are so large that the bulls can walk across the cattle guard without getting trapped. Sheep have been known to walk along the side of cattle guards, or around them, thus avoiding the cattle guard spaces that would trap them. Deer can frequently jump the length of a 6- foot cattle guard. Cattle guards can also be expensive, costing $1,000 or more for a 10-foot-by-6-foot cattle guard, as of June 2011. There are several alternatives to cattle guards that address these issues.

    Virtual Cattle Guards

    • Virtual cattle guards are simply several thick lines of paint applied across a road. These lines are created to resemble cattle guards, but are significantly less expensive than traditional cattle guards, and much easier to "install." Cattle are color blind and have poor depth perception. As a result, when the cattle see a virtual cattle guard, they cannot tell that the spaces are not real and believe that if they step across the paint they will fall. Users have reported that particularly intelligent cattle are not necessarily deterred by virtual cattle guards.

    Traditional Fencing

    • Traditional fencing keeps livestock in and many wild animals out. Though fences can be composed of stone or wood, many modern gates are composed of steel, which is durable and affordable. Some ranchers prefer wrought iron gates because wrought iron can be formed into fancy designs. Whatever material you choose, traditional fencing tends to be more expensive than cattle guards and cannot be installed across a highway or interstate.

    Electric Cattle Guards

    • Electric cattle guards are composed of metal wires stretched across the ground in the same pattern as a traditional cattle guard. These wires are attached to an electric fence so that when livestock touches the wires they receive a shock and will not continue to cross. Electric cattle guards can cost about $2,000 or less, depending on which materials you already own.