How to Put in an Electric Fence for a Cow
Electric fences are a safe, effective way to contain your cows. Fence energizers send out an electrical pulse at regular intervals. When a cow touches the fence, she receives a shock as electricity flows through her body to reach the ground. The jolt is strong enough to startle, but not to harm her.
Two-strand fences, with wires at 18 and 36 inches above the ground, will create an effective psychological barrier that cattle fear to cross.
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Things You'll Need
- Wooden posts
- T-posts
- Shovel
- Post hole digger
- Sledgehammer or T-post driver
- Three foot or longer level
- Screw-in ceramic insulators
- Plastic insulators
- Insulated wire
- Electric wire
- Permanent wire tightener
- Permanent wire tightener handle
- Wire cutters
- Pliers
- Drill
- Fence energizer
- Electrical supply or solar battery pack
- Grounding rods
- Volt meter
- PVC pipe (optional)
Instructions
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Place and Prepare Posts
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Use sturdy wooden posts, 6 inches in diameter by 8 feet tall, for corners and gateposts.
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Dig post holes approximately 4 feet deep using a shovel and post hole digger.
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Drop a wooden post in each hole and level the post while backfilling, tamping the soil firmly, leaving 4 feet of post above ground.
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Drill two holes for insulators on opposite sides of the post and screw them into place.
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Select one post of every two to use for mounting permanent wire tighteners, and wire them to the insulator. Permanent wire tighteners are small devices that allow you to adjust wire tension quickly, using a special handle.
Run Wire
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Tie wire to the empty insulator using pliers to wrap the tail end of the wire around the main wire several times to ensure good contact. In "Grass Fed Cattle: How to Produce and Market Natural Beef," Julius Ruechel recommends using 12.5-gauge or thicker wire to limit electrical resistance.
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Run the wire to an empty permanent wire tightener and weave the wire through the tightener, then use the handle to tighten the wire only slightly.
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Use a sledgehammer or T-post driver to drive T-posts into the ground every 25 to 30 feet between posts, using the level to keep the T-posts straight.
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Attach plastic insulators to the T-posts and string the wire through them.
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Take the slack out of the wire using the permanent wire tightener handle. Do not over-tighten.
Electrify
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Connect the electric fence around wooden posts and under gates with insulated wire. If installing a gate, dig a shallow trench and lay insulated wire from one gatepost to the next, protecting the wire by running it through a length of PVC pipe laid in the trench. Backfill the trench with soil.
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Connect top and bottom strands of electric wire by running wire between the two, wrapping several times around each strand with pliers to ensure good contact.
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Install an energizer near your power source, either an electrical outlet or solar power charger. Ruechel recommends selecting an energizer with at least one joule for every six miles of electrified wire.
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Run insulated wire from the energizer to one wire on the fence, and run a second insulated wire from the energizer to at least one grounding rod. Use one rod for every two joules of energizer strength.
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Plug in the energizer and test the fence with a volt meter between every connection point. Plan for at least 2,000 volts on the fence for cattle containment.
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Tips & Warnings
Never electrify barbed wire or add electrical fence next to barbed wire fences as animals can become trapped between the two and injure themselves when trying to escape.
