11 Myths About Electric Fences

MYTHS ABOUT ELECTRIC FENCES Zap! Myths about electric fences have been floating around for years and it's time to get the facts straight about these psychological barriers that keep animals contained and predators out. Some of this information might even save a life! MYTH: Electric fences are expensive. TRUTH While fencing in a proper grazing area is one of the most expensive aspects to grazing livestock, electric fencing is one of the most cost effective solutions. The construction price for a woven non-electric fence is roughly $1.93 per foot based on a 1,320 foot fence while an electrified polywire fence costs $0.20 per foot. MYTH: TRUTH CA low voltage line is safe. It's the amps you have to watch out for, not the voltage. The amperage of an electric fence is what provides the shock. Fatal heart irregularities in humans only require 1 amp of shock. The average house has roughly 100-200 amps running through it. MYTH: Electric fences are inhumane to animals. TRUTH ALUMINUM CONDUCTS ELECTRICITY TIMES The shock provided by an electric fence is nothing like the dangerous and potentially deadly shock from a home electrical system. These fences are designed as a psychological barrier to train animals to stay in a designated area - the name Pavlov rings a bell. BETTER THAN GALVANIZED STEEL. MYTH: Everything that touches an electric fence will be shocked TRUTH Electric shock is only felt when the circuit is complete. A large part of the circuit is the connection from the ground to the live wire. This is why birds aren't shocked when they sit on telephone wires however; a blade of grass completes the circuit from earth to wire and decreases the voltage of the wire. MYTH: You can't teach an old dog new tricks. TRUTH Livestock and other animals might test the waters and quite possibly escape from the electric fence if not properly trained. While some animals learn after being shocked 1 or 2 times others will need assistance. 6 MYTH: SNOW AND FROZEN GROUND CAN HINDER AND Don't whiz on the electric fence LESSEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AN TRUTH ELECTRIC FENCE. While the old Ren & Stimpy song gives sound advice - peeing on an electric fence isn't necessarily a fatal mistake. As Mythbusters discovered in various tests, this myth is only plausible under the right set of circumstances, such as a rainy day, hands placed on the wire, and a really, really powerful and continuous stream of urine. Distance and completing the circuit from earth to wire is the key to this myth". So while peeing on fence isn't likely to be fatal - it's still not going to be a pleasant experience. MYTH: Wearing shoes will prevent the shock electric 700 VOLTS TRUTH ARE REQUIRED TO Rubber soled shoes are the only kind of shoes that can prevent a person from receiving a shock from an electric fence. Some sneakers are PENETRATE THE HAIR, HIDE, AND HOOVES OF LIVESTOCK made with a mixture of rubber and artificial materials, which will not ground the current and will result in a shock. 8 MYTH: Horses can't see electric fencing. TRUTH While some thin wires can be difficult to see, horses can see electric fencing. Even though their eyes are located at the sides of their heads, horses can see nearly 360 degrees with vision sensitivity at roughly 20/33, which is just slightly worse than a human's 20/20. HORSE'S EYES ARE THE LARGEST OF ANY LAND MAMMAL. 10 MYTH: Grab the wire to test the fence. MYTH: Plants near the fence will not grow. TRUTH TRUTH Grass, weeds, and shrubbery certainly can grow near an electric fence, but must be well maintained Grabbing a fence with the palm of the hand is not recommended - all you'll get for your trouble is a very uncomfortable shock, which won't help you gauge the to reduce the amount of interference in the electrical current. Plants that touch the electrical fence will complete the circuit, which weakens the energy of the wire. true output of the fence. A STATIC SHOCK FROM TOUCHING A DOORKNOB AFTER WALKING ACROSS CARPET CAN PRODUCE ROUGHLY 5,000 VOLTS IT'S NOT PAINFUL BECAUSE THAT KIND OF SHOCK CONTAINS VERY LITTLE ENERGY. MYTH: An electric pence will stop a herd of cows TRUTH Because an electric fence is a psychological barrier and not a physical one, a herd of cows can stampede through an electric fence. There are high-tensile, heavy-duty electric fences that can stand a charge or two - but any fence would have a tough time up against a stampeding herd of cattle. Sources http://www.pasturepro.com/blog/2011/04/horses-dont-see-electric-fences-fact-or-myth/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equine_vision http://www.rd.com/home/6-electricity-myths-that-can-kill/ http://gardening.yardener.com/An-Electric-Fence http://www.wildlifehotline.org/Frame-49-deerelecfencingpage49.html?refresh=1311513654358 http://www.rd.com/home/6-electricity-myths-that-can-kill/ http://www.urbanchicken.org.uk/index.php/Electric_Fences http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=69685&p=819717 http://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/livestock/html/bl-75.html http://www.zarebasystems.com/resources/faqs%3safe-for-animals COPYRIGHT 2013 FISHOCK.COM | ALL RIGHT RESERVED