Our FencePro Steven Sarson shows us the difference in breaking strength between high tensile wire and low carbon wire. Compared to low carbon wire, high-tensile barbed wire can withstand 25 to 35% more pressure before breaking. Because high-tensile wire only has 3% elongation, compared to low-carbon wire’s 13% elongation, high-tensile barbed wire doesn’t sag from snow load or when a large livestock pushes up against it.