1. Digital fault finders for electric fence.

These are great tools to have on any size farm or ranch that relies of electric fence to keep animals or livestock safe a secure. There are 2 kinds you should consider if this is what you need.

First is the Gallagher Smartfix. This is a great product which costs around $100. It comes with a ground probe which you insert into the soil, and acts as the ground. The Gallagher display is then placed against the electric fence wire. The digital readout will give you electric fence voltage and also show amperage, that the fence charger is producing, if there is power loss on the fence. Arrows will appear in the direction of any faults where loads are detected. You should head in the direction of the arrow until you find and correct the electric fence short. It may be a broken insulator, arcing onto the fence post, or vegetation on the fence wire.

The second fault finder we recommend is the Speedrite Fault Finder. This unit costs about $130. This unit is made by Trutest and may also be called a fence compass. The Fence Compass is a Stafix brand and green in color. The Speedrite Faultfinder is red and is the same device. The Speedrite product number is ST100, An advantage with this electric fence tester is that you hold the unit in your hand and you act as the ground. This lets you, quickly and easily walk the fence line, to correct any problems and keep you fence at peak performance. A down fall is that you cannot check current out of you fence controller with the electric fence disconnected like you can with the Gallagher Smartfix.

2. Remote Control/Digital Fault finders.

Electric Fence remotes are great tools to have on any size farm or ranch that relies of electric fence to keep animals or livestock safe a secure. Mostly you will have these if you purchase a smart energizer that the remote works with. There are 2 kinds you should consider if this is what you need.

Gallagher offers the I Series remote/ fault finder that accompanies the Gallagher I Series of energizers. These are smart fence energizers that offer very cool ways to show if there is any problem in an electric fence. Remotes allow you to turn off the energizer while you make repairs or move animals to different pastures. The I series chargers include the M1800i and M2800i.

The Speedrite Remote Fault Finder, product number ST102, is similar and also acts as a remote control for Speedrite RS Fence Chargers. See them here.

3. Digital Voltmeters.

Also known as DVM’s, Gallagher Digital voltmeters show the voltage of your electric fence on a digital readout display. Most will show in kilovolts or KV’s. A fence with 7.2 Kv’s is producing 7200 volts on the fence at that place in the electric fence. Most cattle and livestock fences should have at least 5000 volts energizing the fence to keep the animals in our predators out. Gallagher offers a very good DVM and can be found here for about $50. Do not use a voltmeter made for household current or any other electric current measuring device. Electric fence voltmeters are made to handle the high voltage and pulse of modern electric fence chargers.

4. 5 light testers or neon testers.

5 light electric fence testers are a simple and affordable way to determine the voltage of the fence. You stick the ground probe in the soil and the head to the fence. A row of lights with illuminate showing the fence voltage. The tester will blink with the pulse of the fence charger. It is better than a guess and can be a good tool for the farm.

5. Single light testers.

Single light fence testers are the most basic way to test your fence for current. These are inexpensive and handle to have to quickly check if the fence is on. You will not be able to check voltage or amperage. We offer these free when you purchase a fence chargers from Valley Farm Supply. We include them with most energizer orders and area nice gift to people new to electric fencing.

6. Blade of grass electric fence testing.

Testing an electric fence with a blade of grass is very low tech. It will let you know if its working but nothing else. Pluck a long blade of grass and put the tip on the fence wire while holding the other end. Slowly push the blade closer to the wire until you feel a slight pulse of current. That’s about it. Every farm kid in the country has done it and it’s a good way to know if the fence is on and you will be shocked.

7. GIAG, also known as, Grab it and Growl.

We do not recommend this method for testing your electric fence!! It is simple and easy but can really hurt you… This is how it works. Grab your electric fence, the current shocks you hard and it hurts bad. You yell, OUCH!, and jump back from the fence. Yep, the fence is working! You don’t know how strong it is but you got a nice shock.

Visit our website here and order the correct fence tester for your farm. Be thankful you are living and have a good day.

 

The Benefits of An Electric Fence

An electric fence helps you control animals on your property by allowing a safe amount of electric shock to be administered when animals come into contact with your fence. While an electrical fence DIY project might sound daunting, it is actually easier than you might imagine to install and electric fence on your property, including posts, wiring, and your electric fence charger. While other barrier fences can injure and scrape animals and livestock, an electric fence helps train animals to respect the limits of your property, as well as keep unwanted visitors at bay. We’ll walk you through the basics of what you’ll need to create a safe, effective electric fence with a charger that keeps your system running.

What You Need to Get Started

 Installing your electric fence charger shouldn’t be a headache. Starting with the right supplies will be the biggest hurdle you face in installing your charger—the actual procedure is quite straightforward. As far as the tools and equipment required, you’ll definitely need a screwdriver, as well as a charger, and you may need gauge wire, fencing pliers, a clamp, a wrench, a post pounder, needle nose pliers, and a grounding rod. Gloves should also be worn throughout the procedure for an extra layer of protection. Depending on the type of charger you plan on using, you may need some additional supplies that will be determined by how you mount your fence charger. As far as supplies go, we recommend shopping at an electrical supply site where you can stock up on your necessities in one go, rather than running from store to store to make sure you have everything you need for your project.

Grounding Your Fence System

 To get started, we’re assuming that you already have a fence in place and that you’ve selected a post to mount your charger on. It is crucial that you have a grounding rod system installed as a part of your fencing system. These grounding rods should be at least six feet long, and optimal grounding rod placement for proper safety protocol requires that the rod be within twenty feet of your fence controller. Your charger must be grounded, which will reduce the hazard of electrical shock if your fence malfunctions by providing a low-resistance path for the electrical current. If you are installing an electric fence in an area where there is asphalt, extremely dry, or extremely cold/frozen ground, you may need to take extra steps to insure that your system can be properly grounded.

Installing your Electric Fence Charger

It is key that you use a non-corrosive, metal electrical wiring made from steel or aluminum wire, with an appropriate gauge for your fencing project. Wiring is available specifically for electric fences and is designed to accommodate the proper voltage for your fence—the voltage of typical electrical wiring will be too low for this kind of a heavy-duty project. Your electric fence charger should have color-coded fence and ground terminals to help you determine one from the other. Attach a ground rod clamp and connect it with the ground rod wire. Connect the lead out wire of your electric fence charger to the fence terminal. This will allow your system to maintain a charge that is powerful enough to be effective, while the grounding system will ensure that it is safe and represents a minimal hazard.

Protecting your Electric Fence System

Eventually, it may be a good idea to have a bucket or some kind of covering for your post-mounted fence charger, in order to protect it from the elements. It is also possible to create your own wooden enclosure for your charger. To be on the safe side, cut a vent into your bucket or enclosure, in the case of extreme temperatures. Chargers are designed to withstand typical outdoor weather conditions but by protecting it, you’ll be able to increase it’s lifespan. Additional supplies, such as a volt meter, will help you measure the charge of your fence and make sure that your electric fence charger is doing its job.

A electric power fence is a psychological barrier that keeps farm animals in and wild animals and vermin out – even over long distances. A pulsed electric current is sent along the fence wire, about one pulse per second, from an energizer which is earthed. When the animal touches the fence it completes the circuit between the fence and the ground and receives a short, sharp but safe shock. The shock is sufficiently memorable that the animal never forgets. If the ground is very dry, the fence may require an earth return wire. A power fence is a psychological barrier so doesn’t need great physical strength. However, it must be well designed and constructed to absorb some pressure from animals, snow and wind. The energizer must have enough power for the length of fence and for the animals being controlled.

 

Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Sherburne County, MN is considering interested cattle producers (other species will be considered) to graze on two designated areas on the Refuge.  One grazing cell is approximately 2,266 acres and the second is 4,670 acres.  Both grazing cells consist of mainly prairie openings with woodland, and wetland habitat types.  The refuge is seeking producers with herds consisting of roughly 120-150 animals or 100-125 cow/calf pairs.  The grazing period will be from May 1st to September 1st.

The permittee will be responsible for maintaining permanent boundary fence and installing and moving temporary fence.  Under this arrangement producers may be offered to graze up to a period of five years while within compliance of the grazing contract.
The purpose of the grazing program is to utilize this powerful habitat management tool as a biological control method to promote and enhance native grass and forb diversity in the prairies, reduce invasive species in the oak savanna and woodland habitats, and to aid in the control of reed canary and cattail in the wetlands.
Individuals will be selected based on receipt of a sealed high bid.  All bids must be received no later than 3:30 pm Tuesday, February 16.

Anyone interested in this program should please contact Greg Dehmer, Assistant Refuge Manager at 763-389-3323 to obtain a grazing bid package which will provide detailed information of the program, bidding requirements and expectations of the grazing permittee.

Sherburne Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and is located near the cities of Princeton, Zimmerman, and St. Cloud, in central Minnesota.  Website:  http://www.fws.gov/refuge/sherburne/.
The mission of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. USFWS is both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service.  For more information on USFWSvisit http://www.fws.gov.

By Princeton Union-Eagle

As a nation, we are fascinated by the weather, particularly rainfall. Personally, I have an interest in measuring how much of it falls every 24 hours and as I was writing this piece, my rain gauge was telling me that 72mm had fallen in the first 10 days of February where I live close to Limerick city.

This is our new logo for valley farm supply. We sell electric fence chargers and energizers from many different makers such as gallagher, speedrite, patriot, parmak, cyclops, stafix, zareba, red snapper, and many more.

please visit our website at www.valleyfarmsupply.comfor deals on electric fence for cattle and livestock farms and ranches.

If your family loves animals, Heres a link to a kids coloring book for all kinds of animals. Please share with your friends.

 

Where to Start?

1. Fence posts

Once you determined where you want the enclosure, you want to mark/flag the individual posts (mine are 8 feet apart) before you start digging. Note that you want the corner posts to be braced in some way or another. I chose to use heavy wire and anchor it to a T-post pounded in in the ground in an angle. To achieve the tension you want, it helps to wrap a ratchet strap around the corner post, tighten it, and then close the clamps. Tamp each post really well, so they will not move when you stretch the welded wire.

2. Putting welded wire up

You want the welded wire fencing to go on the inside of the enclosure, with the exception of the corner posts which you stretch the fencing around. Use a fence tensioner and if you have a tractor to pull the fencing tight. If not, a camelong is really helpful. Once the fence is stretched right, nail it to the wooden posts.

3. Putting electric wire up

Mark your posts at 1, 2, 3, 3.5, 4, and 5 feet, pre-drill and put the screw-in insulators in. From the ground up I place: 1. Bottom wire (hot), 2. Hot wire 3. Hot wire 4. Ground wire 5. Hot wire 6. Ground wire. You want the wire to dead end, not go up and around. The wire does not have to be super tight.

4. Building your gate
I made the gate wide enough so I could drive in with my little tractor. Think about what you want to be able to get through the gate and design it accordingly: a wheelbarrow, a lawnmower?  Also, I added 2 hot and 1 ground wire to the gate to give extra protection.

5. Installing charger and grounding rods

You want the fence charger to be inside the fence, close to the gate. I have it set up so I can reach inside and unhook the hot wire at any point. I have it sitting on the ground, some people like attaching it to a pole.

6. Grounding

Proper grounding is essential and maybe I overdid it a little, but here is what I did:
• I put three grounding rods, 10 feet apart, along the inside parameter of the fence. You want to connect those with wire and hook them up to the negative charge on your charger
• To improve the ground around the perimeter of the fence I added long pieces of the welded wire I cut in half (length-wise) laying on the ground around the outside of the fence.
• And, lastly, I added one negative wire to the whole parameter and 2 negative wires to the gate.
With all of these different methods of grounding you want to make sure that they are properly connected.

7. Testing your fence

You do want to make sure you connected everything correctly and the fence actually works.

The image below shows how electricity flows.

Image from http://www.gallagherusa.com/electric-fencing/electricfence101.aspx

Maintance

• You need to make sure that any grass growing close to the fence is being cut on a regular basis so the hot wires are not being grounded out by sticks, vegetation, or other stuff
• Check your battery and make sure both terminals are corrosion free
• You might want to pour water around your grounding rods during periods of drought. This will increase the conduction.

 

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