Fencing and basic infrastructure on livestock properties

A property used for livestock farming usually incorporates, to a greater or lesser extent, three types of infrastructure: fencing that marks out the property and its various internal plots, pens or facilities for handling the animals at specific times, and covered structures — sheds, outbuildings, huts — that serve as shelter, storage or a workspace. Not every property has all three types, nor does every property need them to the same degree: it depends on the type of livestock, the extensive or intensive model, and the size of the property.

This guide reviews each type of infrastructure from a general point of view, to help you recognise what is typically found and what is worth checking, without replacing the assessment of a specialist technician for a specific property, especially when the condition of the installations will significantly shape the project's initial investment.

The amount and type of infrastructure needed varies a great deal between an extensive and an intensive livestock project, a difference covered in more detail in the guide 'Extensive or intensive livestock farming: what to consider when buying a property' within this cluster. What is explained here applies mainly to the infrastructure most common in extensive or mixed models, with occasional mentions of more specific installations where relevant.

Before going into the detail of each type of infrastructure, it is worth bearing a general idea in mind: the infrastructure of a livestock property is not something static that gets installed once and lasts forever, but a set of elements that require ongoing maintenance and that, over time, may need repair, expansion or replacement as the project evolves.

Fencing can be made of different materials and systems: barbed or smooth wire strung between posts, livestock mesh, electric fencing, or combinations of several systems depending on the area of the property and the type of animal. Perimeter fencing, which marks out the whole property against the outside, serves a different function from internal fencing, which divides the property into plots to make handling easier and, where applicable, to support the pasture rotation covered in the guide 'Dehesas and pastureland: what you should know' within this cluster.

Besides containing the livestock itself, perimeter fencing also plays a role in keeping out animals that do not belong to the property, whether domestic animals from neighbouring properties or certain wildlife depending on the area, whose presence can create health or coexistence issues with your own livestock. This is worth bearing in mind when assessing the most suitable height and type of perimeter fencing, although the specific technical decision is best left to a specialist who knows the area.

When checking fencing, it is worth looking at the condition of the posts (whether they are firm or leaning, whether any sections are rotten or corroded), the tension of the wire or mesh, and any fallen sections or gaps that would let animals out. A fence that looks continuous at a glance can have specific deteriorated stretches that are only spotted by walking it carefully, and it is worth bearing in mind that repairing fencing is a routine, recurring maintenance task on any livestock property, not something that gets sorted out once and for all.

Electric fencing deserves a separate mention because, beyond its physical condition, it depends on a constant power supply to work: a flat battery or an unmaintained generator can render an electric fence useless even if the wire itself is in good condition. If a property uses this system, it is worth checking both the condition of the fence and the power source feeding it, rather than assuming an electric fence works correctly just because it is installed.

The total length of fencing on a property also affects maintenance cost over time: a property heavily divided into small plots can build up a considerable total length of fencing relative to its surface area, which means more inspection and repair work than a similarly sized property with fewer internal divisions. This does not mean dividing a property into plots is inadvisable — on the contrary, it makes pasture management easier, as explained in the guide 'Dehesas and pastureland: what you should know' — but it is worth bearing in mind when assessing the maintenance effort each property requires.

Pens are smaller enclosed spaces used to gather and handle animals at specific times: loading and unloading onto vehicles, health checks, separating animals, or any other task that requires having them grouped and under control. Their design — access points, walkways, handling chutes where they exist — has a big influence on how practical day-to-day work is, beyond their state of repair.

When assessing a property's pens, it is worth looking at their size relative to the expected number of animals, the condition of the structures (flooring, the pen's own fencing, gates), and whether their location within the property is practical relative to the general access routes, an aspect also covered in the general guide 'Buying a property for livestock use: overview' within this same cluster.

The flooring of the pens deserves particular attention: flooring that pools water easily or becomes slippery during the rainy season can hamper handling animals and pose a risk both to them and to the people working in the pen. Good drainage, although not always visible at a single visit, tends to make a noticeable difference to how practical the pen is to use throughout the year.

Gates and closures on pens, although seemingly simple elements, carry significant weight for the safety of daily handling: a gate that does not close properly or is hard to operate with animals nearby can become a recurring source of risk. Checking how each gate actually works, not just its general appearance, tends to reveal useful information about how carefully the whole installation has been maintained.

If the project involves handling a considerable number of animals, the presence of a handling chute — a narrow passage that makes it easier to move animals through one at a time for health or identification tasks — can be relevant, although not every property needs one, especially for small-scale extensive projects. Its absence does not rule out a property, but it is worth weighing the cost of adding one if the project requires it.

How close the pens are to the property's main access point is also a practical factor to consider: pens located far from the entrance track can complicate routine operations such as loading animals onto a vehicle, especially if the ground in between is not easily passable. This relationship between pens and access routes is worth assessing together, rather than analysing each element separately.

Sheds and outbuildings serve various functions depending on the type of livestock farming: shelter from adverse weather, storage for forage or feed, space for machinery or tools, and, in more intensive models, specific facilities for the daily handling of animals. The condition of the roof tends to be the first visual indicator of a shed's overall state of repair: deteriorated roofing, with leaks or sagging sections, usually points to an investment being needed before the building can be used normally.

Beyond its physical condition, it is worth checking the ventilation and general conditions of the space if it is going to house animals, as well as its capacity relative to the expected numbers. These specific technical aspects are worth assessing with a specialist technician when the building is going to play a central role in the project, rather than assuming that any existing shed is automatically suitable for the intended use.

The load-bearing structure of a shed — the elements supporting the roof, whether wood, metal or concrete — is worth checking with particular care, because its repair or replacement tends to be one of the most costly interventions within a livestock property's infrastructure. Signs such as visible cracks, corroded elements with loss of section, or noticeable deformation in beams or columns are worth treating with caution and, whenever in doubt, checking with a technician before taking the building's safety for granted.

It is also worth noting the shed's orientation relative to the sun and the area's prevailing winds, a factor that affects the conditions inside the space, especially if it is going to house animals continuously. A well-oriented shed can offer better conditions without the need for large additional investment, while an unfavourable orientation may require corrective measures to achieve suitable conditions inside.

It is also worth checking whether the shed has an electrical installation, and in what condition, especially if it is old: a deteriorated electrical installation poses a risk both to people and to the animals themselves, and updating it tends to be one of the first recommended investments when bringing back into use a building that has been out of continuous activity for some time.

The previous use given to a shed also affects its suitability for a new project: a shed that has served as general storage may need a different adaptation than one already used to house animals, even if both are in a similar state of repair. It is worth asking about the historical use of each building, rather than assessing it solely by its current physical condition.

Beyond the physical condition of each element, it is worth checking its documentary status separately: whether existing buildings are recorded in the land registry (catastro), whether there are permits or documentation associated with their construction, and whether their current use matches what is documented. A shed or pen that looks well kept does not guarantee its documentary status is in order, and this is a check worth making before buying, not afterwards.

When there is doubt about the documentary status of a building, the sensible approach is to consult a professional (a building surveyor, a consultant or a specialised lawyer) or the competent local authority, rather than assuming that everything physically present on the property is correctly legalised. This check is separate from the permits needed to carry out the livestock activity itself, which are covered in the guide 'Permits for livestock activity: overview' within this same cluster.

When comparing several properties, it can be useful to draw up your own list of each one's infrastructure — fencing, pens, sheds — together with a rough assessment of its condition and the investment needed to bring it up to standard, even if only as an approximate estimate. This simple but systematic exercise helps compare properties with very different infrastructure more objectively than relying solely on the general impression left by each visit.

Finally, it is worth remembering that a property with little infrastructure is not ruled out for livestock use because of that: it can be an opportunity to build installations tailored exactly to the project in mind, rather than adapting the project to existing installations that may not quite fit. What matters is being clear, before buying, about the additional investment each scenario would involve and deciding with that information.