Electric Fencing

Electric fences can be used either alone or in conjunction with non-electric fences. An electric fence is a psychological rather than a physical barrier that must be constructed as both a fence and an electrical circuit. 

High-tensile smooth wire electric fencing has been used in Australia and New Zealand for many years. Now in North America, its popularity is growing rapidly. Lower costs, less maintenance, ease of construction and proven effectiveness make electric fencing a viable alternative. These advantages must not be associated with a job that can be hastily completed. Electric fences require more care in construction with attention to details of insulating, grounding and ensuring proper electrical connections.

Electric fencing can replace worn out fences or be used as a new fence. It will support and extend the life of a page wire or rail fence. The high cost and labour involved in putting up and maintaining traditional fences has made electric fencing more attractive.

Electric fences may be less robustly constructed using lower cost materials than non-electric fences.

In order  to be effective electric fences must have:

• The physical structure (i.e. the posts and wire)
• The electric circuit (i.e. a complete path for the current)
• Proper maintenance to ensure the circuit is not “shorted out”.

The success of electric fencing depends on training your livestock to respect the fence. Once the animal has been electrically shocked it will remember the discomfort and learn to avoid the fence.

Try the following:

• Keep your training area small.
• Place a charged wire inside a permanent corral or barnyard fence, where there is little chance for escape.
• Leave your livestock inside this area for a few days to familiarize themselves with this electric fencing before putting them out pasture.

If untrained, an animal may try to go through the fence. But many hours of time can be saved rounding up livestock and repairing fences if the animals are well trained.

Electric fencing principles:

Electrical flow in a electric fencing system requires a completed circuit. The electrical current must travel from its source through the complete system and return to the source. When electricity flows, the circuit is referred to as 'closed'. When the means are there, but no electricity flows, the circuit is 'open'. Electric fences remain 'open' until an animal closes the circuit by touching a charged wire, allowing the electricity to flow back to its source. An electric current prompts two animal reactions. A small current causes a tingling or burning sensation where applied. The sensory nerves are stimulated in the same way the animal feels hot or cold. A large electric current interferes with muscle control signals and causes involuntary muscle reaction. The strength of the shock increases with current amount and the same time it is available. After involuntary muscle reaction has occurred, increasing the current does not have any more sensual effect, but starts to produce an electrical burn.

To be effective, an electric fence has to deliver a minimum guard voltage to overcome the insulation resistance of the hide and hair of an animal. In addition, once the insulation resistance of the animal is overcome, the controller must deliver a pulse of electrical energy to the animal to create a shock.

Never use barbed wire in electric fences!

Because animals (or humans!) may be caught and tangled in barbed wire, it is advised to avoid using barbed wire in electric fences. If an animal or person is not able to separate from an energized electric fence, serious damage, possibility death, will occur.

NOTE: Barbed wire is also a poor material to use for horse fences (especially for high-value animals).