Ideas, News, Information, Stories & Opinions

Learning to shear sheep is important. Understanding these six shearing positions will allow you to keep the sheep safe and comfortable while also letting your legs do the work for you (saving your back). We've also included an exciting bonus at the end of this post ... a complete step-by-step sheep shearing guide, detailing each of the 6 steps you'll see in this video.6 Key Positions to Shearing a Sheep (Step-by-Step Guide)

Here's a list of the 6 positions covered in the video above. Feel free to print these off for reference as you're learning how to shear a sheep.

1.Sheep Sitting on its Rump - To get the sheep in this position stand by its side with your feet set wide apart on either side of its shoulder. Plant your feet and slip your left thumb into its mouth behind its incisors and in front of its molars, twisting its head firmly back toward its far shoulder. In the same motion push the sheep's rump toward the ground with your right hand. When the sheep starts to sit down pull the sheep's front legs up and sit it comfortably one one flank, holding its shoulders securely with your knees.

2. Sheep Sitting on its Right Hip, Leaning Against Your Legs - After you've sheared its belly and between its legs, let the sheep sit back on its right hip, leaning against your legs as you support its shoulders with your knees. This will allow you to shear it's left rear leg, from the hip to the tail all the way up to the spine. It's important to bend from the waist to reach the sheep's rump in this position so you do not injure your back.

3. Sheep Sitting Straight Up on its Rump - After you've finished shearing the sheep's left rear leg sit it up straight on its rump, stepping between its legs with your right leg, the toe of your foot under its flank and locking your knee between the sheep's breastbone and right foreleg. With your left leg support the sheep's back so it feels secure and doesn't struggle. This will allow you to shear the sheep's neck and head.

4. Sheep Laying on its Right Side - Once you've cleaned off the head, neck and left shoulder, keep your right foot exactly where it is but let the sheep's front end down gently, stepping back with your left foot and supporting the sheep's right shoulder. This will ensure that none of the sheep's feet or legs touch the floor ... very important as the sheep will struggle if it senses it can might be able to regain its footing. Once the sheep is in this position make long cuts along its side and back, continuing as far as you can reach without rolling the sheep so it can touch the ground with its feet. Try to make two full passes on the far side of the sheep's back.

5. Sheep Laying on its Right Hip, Neck Bent Between Your Legs - From this position kick your right foot out around the fiber, pulling it back in toward the sheep's body and then gently pull the sheep's head up, bending her neck back across her left shoulder and holding the head in that position with your legs. In this position clean off the wool that remains on her head and begin working down her neck and right shoulder. After you've cleared the shoulder and front right leg, grip the sheep's right elbow with your left hand to pull the skin taught and continue to support the sheep's head and neck with your legs, bending your knees in around its body and pointing your toes in at an angle beneath the sheep's hips.

6. Sheep on its Left Hip, Head & Four Legs in front of you, Leaning on Your Legs - In this final position you have a clear view of where you need to go to finish shearing the sheep. The right leg, hip and rump are the only areas which still have wool at this point. Shear the front of the right rear leg and then work down toward the rump and tail until you free the last of the wool from the sheep.

Buy here! Grass farming supplies for the modern-day grazing farmer. Are you looking for electric fencing and tools for mob grazing or rotational grazing? Visit our website at www.gallagherelectricfencing.com and find out more about things you need to make your grass farm operation more efficient and profitable.

Have you tried the Gallagher Tumblewheel system? Tumble wheel's are a great tool for any rotational grazing operation. A tumble wheels rolls across the field while holding electric fence wire inside of the spindle. Tumble wheels are easy to move and a great tool.

Another great tool for any rotational grazing operation is the Gallagher smart fence. The smart fence is a retractable and extendable electric fence system that you set up on your farm. You can make different size paddocks up to 330 feet long. It's easy to put electric fence to it and energize the system. The Gallagher smart fence is available from www.gallagherelectricfencing.com.

Visit our website and learn more about the things you need for your farm or ranch if you're interested in mob grazing, Pasture rotations, or grass farming for your livestock.

Most people don’t think too much about their power supply. As long as you pay your electric bill, you’re generally able to simply plug your tool or device into a wall socket and power it up. However, not all power supplies are the same. Most (North American) homes, for instance, are powered by single-phase power. This form of power supply is perfect for homes and small businesses. It allows users to power lights, computers, televisions, cash registers, and small appliances.

However, if you run a factory, operate industrial tools, run a data center, or operate a business that requires you to power certain commercial devices, industrial motors, or processing computers, you will need to use 3-phase power. But what’s the difference between these two power supplies?

3-Phase Power Explained

3-phase power is a type of alternating current (AC) power generation and supply, which basically means that the flow of electricity within a circuit periodically changes direction. Alternating current is the primary method by which power is distributed within homes and businesses.

3-phase power is the most common form of alternating current power distribution on electrical grids. By using less material to transmit power than a single-phase power supply, 3-phase power is a more efficient form of power distribution, and a cheaper option, too.

How It Works

The electricity from the aptly named 3-phase power supply is delivered by three conductors carrying an alternating current. Each conductor uses the same frequency and voltage amplitude, but with a phase separation of one third of a cycle, or 120 electrical degrees.

This means that within each cycle, each of the three conductors reaches its peak at uniformly separate occurrences, which helps to reduce generator and motor vibrations. The waveform of 3-phase power dictates that the electrical load is constant. The consistency of 3-phase power is what makes it a useful way to deliver power to large motors, data centers, and more.

Efficient Power Supply

The major advantage of 3-phase power over single-phase power is efficiency. Machines that use 3-phase power can be smaller, lighter, and ultimately more economical. Moreover, 3-phase power allows you to supply more power to your tools, motors, and devices. A great way to extend this benefit to even more of your tools and devices is to use a multi-outlet extension cord.

The efficiency of a 3-phase power supply frees you up to power more devices at a lower cost. This balanced, economical power supply allows you to run the devices you need, all the while using less power, getting better results, and maximizing the life of your equipment.

Get the Right Equipment for Your Power Supply

If you are in the market for new equipment, need to add additional processors to your data center, or are thinking about increasing your industrial operation, make sure to read up on what kind of power supply you’ll need for your gear. Switching to a 3-phase power supply can make your equipment more efficient, save money, and extend the life of your tools and supplies.

Buy here! Electric fence posts are important tool in temporary fencing, rotational grazing, or moving pasture around. High-quality Gallagher brand electric fence posts are a great tool to have on any farm. We offer tread-in posts, pigtail posts and now the new Gallagher ring top posts.

Gallagher makes heavy duty, high-quality temporary step and posts for all kinds of animal applications for any farm or ranch. Visit our website at www.gallagherelectricfencing.com and see the selection of fence posts we have to offer. If you're farmer and rancher interested in mob grazing, or rotational grazing visit our website at www.valleyfarmsupply.com and check out our resource page for information about modern grass farming practices.

Horses can be stubborn creatures and electric fence is an ideal way to keep them safe and sound. There are many options and electric fence wire and tape for containing your valuable horses.

If you choose to use a wide tape be careful that it's not too wide, more than 2 inches for example. Today I went by a horse farm and saw where wide tape really took a beating from the wind and looked bad on the farm.

We sell Gallagher brand horse tape and it works extremely well. The Gallagher brand horse tape is available in half inch or inch and a half sizes. Check here to see our selection from Gallagher.

Electric fencing tape requires you to keep the fence tight. A big plus with electric fence taping for horses is that it's highly visible. The big drawback to electric fence tape for horses is that it will take a pounding from the weather. Wind can really beat up the fence if you don't keep it tight.

BUY HERE! Are you shopping for an electric fence energizer, fence charger, or fencer? The place to buy is www.valleyfarmsupply.com . Valley Farm Supply offers the best selection of electric fence chargers for farm and ranch operations.

Valley Farm Supply is a one stop shopping center for all farm fencing needs. We offer a complete selection of electric fence energizers, electric fence chargers, electric fencers. They are also known as electric fence controllers but most people refer to them as fence chargers.

We also offer a wide selection of electric fence wire, electric fence posts and electric fence insulators. Also important to note is a grounding system for your electric fence. The ground system is one of the most important parts of an electric fence. Without a complete an adequate ground system your electric fence charger will not operate properly.

Please give us a call at 717-786-0368 to learn what you need to know about installing electric fence on your farm.

BUY HERE! The worlds most powerful electric fence charger / energizer will be for sale from Valley Farm Supply! It will features a whopping 100 joules of stored power and the smart electric fence monitoring system. This electric fence charger will provide more power to farm and ranch fences than an other energizer. Its designed for fencing multiple species of animals up to 1000 acres of land. The Gallagher M10000i will work at maximum performance regardless of temperature extremes and un favorable conditions.

A quick run down of the features of the Gallaher M10000i include:

• 100 joules stored energy
• Quick scan LED fence performance lights: green light shows fence ok, red light flashes if there's a fence fault and solid red light shows sudden increase in fence load
• Easy installation and good connection using split bolt recessed terminals
• User safety and reliable animal control with in-built lightning and short circuit protection
• Better fence management with output, earth and fence voltage alarms
• Energizer controller included :
• Shows all of your fence performance information (e.g. voltage, faults and location) in one convenient separate display box that can be located up to 160 ft. away from the energizer
• Turn energizer ON/OFF from controller
• Fully waterproof
• Compatible with the full line of Gallagher i Series accessories

Every Gallagher electric fence charger or energizer has a 2 year manufacturers warranty, including lightning protection.

This is just another reason you should buy all your electric fence chargers and animal management products fro Valley Farm Supply. Visit our website at www.valleyfarmsupply.com and learn everything you need to know about how to install electric fence on your farm or ranch today.

Joining Polywire and Polytape

It is important to have good conductivity through the connection when you join Polywire or Polytape. To do this, separate the metal strands by melting a strip of plastic threads with a match or lighter approximately 50mm (2”) from the ends of each length.

Pull the end off the plastic being careful not to break the steel wires. Tie both ends of the Polywire/ Polytape together and then twist the steel wires together. For joining 40mm (1 ½”) Polytape use a Tape Joiner (G6520). These also give good electrical contact.

Are you in the market for electric fence products for your next farm fencing project? If so, consider Gallagher electric fence products from Valley Farm supply. At Valley Farm supply we pride ourselves on the quality of the products we carry.

We do not simply handle the cheapest part due to the fact that most of our customers want high-quality products with longevity, dependability, and a great warranty.

Visit or website and save on Gallagher electric fencing today

Modern Electricity

The majority of people don’t know much about EMF, much less pay attention to it. Constantly attached to our phones and computers, we’re living in a wireless world where we forget that we’re draining electrical energy 24/7. New technology brings about obvious advantages both at home and in the workplace, but what many don’t know is that they can be dangerous. This is where low-EMF electrical supplies come in.

High EMF, High Drawbacks

The biggest benefit of cutting down our usage and using low-EMF supplies is the benefit it provides to our health and overall well-being, providing a greatly reduced risk to a wide array of dangerous and often deadly diseases and health issues. Exposure to high EMFs has been linked to a wide range of health problems. This list alone might make you think twice:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Brain tumor
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Parkinson’s disease

Now, using low-EMF supplies doesn’t mean that you have zero chance of getting any of these diseases, but your risk is reduced substantially. Simply cutting down a few hours a week provides unmatched benefits to your overall well-being, and when it comes to your health, risking it is a chance that you don’t want to take.

Low EMF, Big Benefits

Believe it or not, there are more benefits to a low-EMF lifestyle than substantially reducing your electric bill and health risks. Using low-EMF electrical supplies gives you the chance to unplug and enjoy life the way nature intended. This doesn’t mean you can’t still text your friends, but what about spending time with them in person? Instead of staying glued to your phone or computer, using these devices less often gives you the chance to interact fully, experiencing nonverbal signals you’d otherwise never have the chance to experience. It really is a whole new world.

Other Benefits

More “Me” time: Reducing your time spent glued to a computer or TV screen gives you more time to not only spend with your loved ones, but yourself as well. Unplugging gives you the chance to relax, go for a walk, and maybe catch up on some procrastination you left behind while stuck in that must-watch series.

Okay, the Money’s a Big One: Imagine if you not only unplugged your household devices when you weren’t using them, but had only the minimal cell phone plan, no Netflix, no Amazon Prime, no gaming system/subscription, no Wi-Fi, maybe only basic cable? Being surrounded by Wi-Fi everywhere is a high source of EMF and the associated health risks, so getting out in nature and away from internet cafes in general is a good thing. Aside from that, however, you can save on not only your electric bill, but your cell phone bill, internet, and cable—services many people realize they didn’t need in the first place once they reduce them. Try it; you won’t realize what you’ve been missing.

How Can We Reap the Benefits?

Believe it or not, you don’t have to disconnect all technology and live in a cave to reap the benefits of a low-EMF lifestyle. Simply cutting back, however, isn’t that hard to do in the big scheme of things, and the benefits outweigh the drawbacks by a landslide. Try a cheaper cell phone plan, cut out Netflix, sit farther away from the TV, or try watching an hour less a week-it’s that simple. You don’t know your exact level of EMF exposure, but the truth is that you’re putting your health and safety at risk. Using low-EMF electrical supplies is one of the most powerful (no pun intended) things you can do for yourself, your family, and your friends. The simple list below shows a few low-EMF choices you can make today. How many can you check off?

Things to Cut Down On:

• Cell Phone Bill: Try a more basic plan; is unlimited data really necessary? Do you need to check your email 24/7, or can you unplug a little bit? Doing so here and there makes a huge difference.
• Cable Bill: Do you really need all of those channels? How many do you actually watch? Do you watch cable at all, or is there just one show you love? Many people use cable for just a small number of channels or a few choice shows. There’s a good chance you could reduce to a more basic package and save big bucks, while also reducing EMF exposure.
• TV, Gaming System, and Computer Services: Do you really need Netflix or a monthly gaming subscription? Again, cutting down reduces excess costs and protects your health by greatly reducing EMF exposure. The less time spent on any of these, the better. And it’s money saved, too!
• Time Spent on Technology: Just cutting down an hour a day on your phone or in front of the TV makes a big difference healthwise, reducing your exposure to EMFs.
• Time Spent in Wi-Fi Hot Zones: Wi-Fi is a huge source of EMF exposure. If you need it, you can always turn it off when you’re not using it to reduce your risk, and spend less time in hotels with Wi-Fi-enabled rooms, Wi-Fi-enabled restaurants, etc. You’re usually not using that service there, but you’re still soaking up the dangerous EMF exposure. The more time spent away from these spots, the better.

While these might seem like big steps now, they’re actually little ones that end up with a huge payoff. Your health will thank you.

Well Worth It

While EMF exposure itself is unavoidable, we can also greatly reduce our exposure by embracing low-EMF electrical supplies. Embracing a low-EMF lifestyle, using low-EMF supplies, and cutting down on some high-EMF ones around the home or office greatly reduces our exposure, shielding us from high EMFs and offering all of the protections above. As we can see, some might not realize the dangers that EMFs can really bring, but they’re not good. The benefits of low-EMF supplies can help us live longer, healthier, and happier lives all around. Try it. Embrace it. Reap the never ending benefits of better well-being with a low-EMF lifestyle. You’ll thank me later.