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Build Your Electric Fence from the Ground up
By Bob Kingsbery
Did you know the average farmer spends three days a year solving problems caused by poorly grounded electric fences?
I didn't either until I made that fact up. But here's something I didn't make up: Ninety percent of electric fence problems are the result of poor grounding. Taking an hour to install a good ground system will save days of trouble down the road.
Why is the ground system so important? For an electric fence to work the voltage must complete a circuit. The fence controller generates a high voltage pulse that travels down the fence. When an animal touches the fence the pulse travels through the animal to the soil. From there it heads for the ground rods and then up the ground rod wire back to the fence controller. That is when the animal feels the shock. A good ground system increases the electricity returning to the controller and makes the fence more effective.
Three steps to good grounding:
1. Install three six-foot long galvanized ground rods (1/2 inch in diameter) spaced 10 feet apart. Copper ground rods are OK, but connecting galvanized wire to a copper rod will result in corrosion. Eight-foot long ground rods are often available, but they are hard to install and don't need to be so long. Steel T-posts or re-bar do not make good ground rods.
2. Use insulated cable or galvanized wire to connect all three ground rods together and to the ground terminal on the fence controller. Attach the wire to the ground rods with a ground rod clamp or galvanized hose clamp. Simply wrapping a wire around the ground rod makes a poor connection.
3. Always install your fence charger and the ground system first. Most people put up the posts and wire first, followed by the fence controller. By the time they install the ground system they are in a hurry to finish. They wrap the ground wire around the closest steel post and call it a ground rod. WRONG!
Note: Never use water pipes or utility ground rods (installed by the utility company) to ground your fence. Doing so will allow stray voltage to get into your household current or water system. Do not install your ground system within 50 feet of a utility ground rod to prevent lightning from damaging the energizer. If rocks make installing ground rods impossible, dig a trench as deep as possible and bury a galvanized pipe (20'+ long).
For more information read the installation manual that comes with each American Farm Works Fence Charger or call us @ 1-800-962-2880.
How to select a BULL-DOZER Fence Charger
American Farm Works New Digital BULL-DOZER Fence Chargers Feature...
a) Digital circuitry for more durability and lower energy use.
b) One-piece Replacement module-10 minutes in-store repair.
c) Same power and quality as foreign models costing twice as much.
d) Optimum pulse shape for more effective animal control.
When Selecting a Bull-Dozer Fence Charger...
a) "Miles of fence" is not important-amount of acreage and type of animals are...
b) Back yard to 20 acres, horse, cow or dog: Model 4465 or 401 Low Impedance
c) 10 acres to 40 acres, horse, cow or dog: Model 4444, 401 or 402 Low Impedance
d) 1+ acres with sheep, goats, deer or predators: Model 401,402 or 4400 Low Impedance
e) 40+ acres with cattle, horses, sheep or predators: Model 4400 or WASP Low Impedance
f) Solar Fences: up to 5 acres: Model 4000 6-volt, 20+ acres: SUN SCORPION 12-volt
g) Temporary or Strip Grazing fence: YELLOW JACKET flashlight battery Model
What is the difference between Fence Chargers?
All chargers put out about the same voltage: 8,000 to 12,000 volts. Amperage and pulse shape determines effectiveness. The difference is like horsepower: Most cars will go 60-80 miles per hour until they come to a steep hill. The car with less horsepower slows down. The car with more horsepower maintains its speed. The same is true for fence chargers: the more powerful the fencer, the more load (grass & weeds, etc.) it can handle. For example, a fence load that would pull a Model # 4465 from 11,000 volts to 2,000 volts would pull our Model 401 low impedance fence from 8,000 volts to 5,000. Our Model 4400 would go from 8,000 to 7,000 volts.
In addition to more horsepower, low impedance fence chargers also have a stronger pulse that animals remember longer and avoid the fence. Low impedance fence chargers are completely safe for people and animals.
What are the secrets to effective electric fencing?
a) Good ground system - 90% of problems are poor grounding. Always install three ground rods (6ft. long-10ft. apart). Dry areas might need more than three rods or a ground wire in the fence.
b) Adequate fencer charger for the fence - always recommend more powerful fencer to allow for more fence, poor construction, etc.
c) Use proper materials designed for electric fencing - Insulators, insulated cable, ground rods, connectors, etc.
d) Check the fence daily with a Voltmeter or Five-Light Tester.
Foaling
Foaling time is upon us and we all want to be ready. We've waited almost a year for this and now the time is near. Thirty to sixty days before your mare's due date you want to be sure to give her a 4-way vaccine. This boosts her immune system as well as helps to protect the foal.
As time approaches you want to inform your veterinarian and remind him or her of the due date so if you need them, they will be prepared.
Be sure your mare is in a safe environment, in a foaling stall or a pasture by herself. Avoid pipe corrals and small stalls as you want to give her room to work.
You will want to have Vet Rap on hand to wrap her tail with as well as some towels. Betadine is being recommended over iodine to coat the naval with as it doesn't burn like iodine does. Allow the cord to break naturally and then spray or dip the remaining naval cord on the foal. This helps to prevent infections like Joint and Naval III. Tetanus Toxoid is the inoculation of choice for your youngster as well as a selenium shot. The selenium injection is only available through your veterinarian. Remember, in southern Oregon we live in a selenium deficient area and selenium is very important for our horse's health.
The whole foaling process should take about 20 minutes and the foal should be up within an hour and nursing within two hours. Give mom and new baby some time to get acquainted. After all, she has waited a long time too. Be sure that the placenta has passed, inspect it to make sure none was left inside, bury it and be sure to clean your mare up after she's rested a while. Now it is time to stand back and admire the wonder of nature. Watch as this long, spindly-legged creature takes its first unsure steps and see him grow into the mature dream horse you bred for.
Horse blankets
To Blanket or Not to Blanket... That is the question that we get asked every year. When a horse owner is considering whether or not to blanket their horse there are several things to take into consideration
We as humans tend to put our feelings into our horse, therefore if we're cold they must be. So we put on a jacket and we put one on our horse. However, when we are standing out in the rain we know enough to get out of the rain take off our jacket to dry. Our horses don't. Horses standing out in a wet pasture do not seem to see any reason to get under cover and they certainly can't remove their blanket. So it is important that we make sure if we put blankets on them we have a place to lock them in, out of the rain. A rain soaked blanket is actually worse than leaving them without a blanket. When left without a blanket a horse shivers and this burns calories that help keep the horse warm. A wet blanket will sap the horse's body heat right out of them, leaving the horse chilled and the horse will most likely get sick. So no cover, no blanket is the rule of thumb, unless you have a waterproof blanket. Be sure, however, to check on whether a blanket is waterproof or just water resistant. There are a few waterproof blankets out there like the New Zealand rugs and Gortex, but remember these will be more expensive.
Most canvas blankets are water resistant and can withstand a light rain. Spraying them with Scotch Guard helps them resist water longer. Quilted nylon blankets should be used in the stalls only.
When measuring your horse you want to start at the center of the chest and go around the point of the shoulder along the side around the hip to the tail.
The amount in inches is the horse's size, 72" = size 72. Always jump up a size when dealing with uneven numbers like 77' = size 78. A little larger is better. The blanket won't be stressed as much when the horse is getting up and down if it is a little bit big.
If you decide to use a hood, be sure the hood is lined with satin or nylon along the mane so it won't rub the horse's mane out. Be sure you connect the hood to the blanket securely.
Overall, blanketing requires thought and some work. However, the benefit of the blanket is to keep the horse's hair slick. And the peace of mind from knowing we're doing all we can to keep them warm and cozy throughout the winter seems to outweigh the extra effort of using a blanket.
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Horse Chewing
"It's Winter and I'm Bored!"
"Rainy, ugly weather, it's too cold to ride, my arena's muddy, the trails are too slick" - we've got a whole list of excuses not to ride this time of year. Meanwhile, our horse pals are stuck in a stall or a small paddock with nothing to do, so they chew. Veterinarians tell us that horses chew due to a lack of minerals, a need for roughage, boredom or all three.
If your horse is out in a paddock or field and he's chewing on trees, boards, etc., he may be seeking minerals. Try using Rogue 12-12 Mineral. It is a balanced mineral package with a variety of minerals that your horse may need. This can be fed free choice or added at the rate of one ounce per day to your horse's grain.
Veterinarians also tell us that a horse's need for roughage increases from time to time, so give them something to chew on. Avoid Redwood and treated wood, but sometimes an old 2 x 4 is just the trick.
Stalled horses are a little tougher to manage as they are usually suffering from boredom. A variety of chew-stopping products are available with various results depending on the horse. Cayenne pepper sprays seem to work for almost all horses except the ones with a taste for Mexican food!
When desperate, Ro-Pel from the garden department will keep almost anything from chewing, including your horse.
If your horse is a die-hard chewer, hardware cloth formed and tacked over the edges of the doors and corners where they chew helps a lot.
Remember, minerals and a chew board for your stalled horses. Try to get them out when you can, give them plenty of grass hay and maybe even a stall toy like a Jolly Ball will help. These preventative measures may help keep your horse from acting like a beaver and eating your barn down this winter.
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The amount in inches is the horse's size, 72" = size 72. Always jump up a size when dealing with uneven numbers like 77' = size 78. A little larger is better. The blanket won't be stressed as much when the horse is getting up and down if it is a little bit big.
