Building a good electric fence is like anything else, you get out what you put in. If you use the proper equipment and maintain the fence the result will be a permanent structure just like the barb wire you use to use. The advantage of using ‘electric’ or ‘high tensile’ fences is on average they cost less than a barb wire fence, since less materials are required (ie posts, staples and wire) and they take less time to install. The electric fence option is also more versatile; you can take it down quickly and re-install somewhere else.