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November 09, 2013
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November 09, 2013
Electric Fence Planning Overview
Before building your electric fence you'll need to take into account many factors including the climate and terrain, the animals you need to fence in - or out, and many other factors. You need to know:
What type of animal(s) do you want to control?
The animal being controlled will largely determine the type of electric fence you need. The animal's hooves, thickness and length of coat, height, jumping ability and many other factors impact your fence selection.
In general, animals with thick, shaggy coats require a more powerful controller than animals with shorter coats and thin hides. Electricity relies on conductivity to deliver a shock, and heavy coats act as an insulator.
One of the conductive wires should be placed at the animal's nose level. The strands need to be spaced so the animal cannot push its head through any two wires without receiving a shock. You may need low or high wires to prevent animals from digging under or jumping over fences.
Do you want to contain or keep out the animal(s)?
A short, safe pulse of electricity creates a psychological barrier that trains most animals to avoid the fence. However, predators, bulls, and other aggressive animals are more apt to challenge the fence, requiring a more powerful fence controller.
What type of electric fence do you need?
We group electric fences into four categories: (1) portable or temporary, (2) semi-permanent or permanent, (3) permanent high tensile, and (4) the Horse Sense Electric Fence System.
Temporary electric fence systems can also be easily moved by using a battery or solar fence controller; poly step-in posts or steel or fiberglass rods; poly wire, tape or rope; and other lightweight components. Temporary fences typically run for short distances, are affordable, are quick and easy to install.
Semi-permanent or permanent electric fences consist of a combination of either wood posts, T-posts, U-posts or rod posts using any type of wire, tape or rope. Installation is easy to moderate, depending on the terrain and the animal being contained or excluded. Often used for pastures and cross fencing, this category of fence will last up to 20 years.
Permanent high tensile electric fences use well-anchored wood posts to support steel wire under high tension. While more time-consuming to install than other electric fence systems, it is the most effective permanent perimeter fence and provides the highest level of security for keeping out or containing difficult or aggressive animals, such as bulls or predators. A well-built high tensile electric fence requires minimal maintenance and will last up to 40 years.
The Horse Sense Electric Fence System® , designed specifically for equine use, emphasizes the horse's safety as well as containment. The system uses white, flexible poly tape or poly rope to make it easy for the horse to see the fence. White vinyl sleeves and caps that cover wood and t-posts protect the horses from injury and complete the classic white-rail appearance. The fence will typically last from 5 to 15 years.
Why is electric fencing a cost effective option?
Electric fencing typically costs less than traditional barbed and woven wire fencing. In addition, animals are less apt to damage a fence, as they usually don't touch an electrified wire more than once. Choosing and installing high-quality components will pay dividends later with fewer maintenance problems and longer fence life.
A more powerful fence controller may cost a bit more, but will save you time and money in the long run. The higher-powered low impedance fencers increase energy on the fence line as weeds touch it, minimizing the need to remove vegetation. It also gives you greater flexibility to add to, or reconfigure, your fence at a later date.
Consider your investment in your livestock, horses and/or pets. You want to protect them with quality electric fence components that will do the job and keep them safe.
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Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLY at 717-786-0368
November 07, 2013
Cranes rely on open freshwater wetlands for survival during most of their lifecycle. The loss and degradation of these kinds of habitats are among the most pressing threats to the survival of these huge birds. Another threat, of course, is the ever-present danger of predators such as raccoons and mink.
The International Crane Foundation, founded in 1973, operates a 25 acre compound north of Baraboo, Wisconsin devoted to protecting this endangered species which are “the largest and oldest flying birds in the world,” according to ICF spokesman Dave Chesky.
About 20 acres are fenced and netted to protect the birds. Chesky says the site is home for over 120 cranes including every species. “We’re the only place that has all of them – whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, Siberian cranes – all 15 species.”
Most of the birds are part of a protected, captive flock; permanent, non-migratory cranes held in place by and overhead netting that keeps them from flying away. The perimeter fence that shields them from predators is an ingenious masterpiece of engineering created to keep some wily animals from gaining access to the rare birds.
Chesky described the protective perimeter this way: “To keep burrowing animals out, we’ve got a two-foot wide wire mesh buried two inches underground in front of the fence. The fence is eight feet tall with the first four feet made of one inch mesh chain link fencing. Over the years, we’ve learned to size it slightly smaller than a mink’s skull to prevent them from entering the area.”
The top four feet is a Gallagher supplied electric fence powered by B-260 chargers. “The chargers have proven very reliable,” said Chesky. “We just had one that was about 20 years old rebuilt by the factory and reinstalled it. It works perfectly.”
Wires are set just one inch apart at the bottom of this powered section and spaced wider at the top. The fence has ended the foundation’s losses to predators. “We haven’t lost a bird since it was installed,” said Chesky.
“An electric fence is a psychological barrier that keeps animals where they should be with safety and security. Because the fence is a psychological barrier, it doesn’t require great strength to be effective. However, it must be well designed in accordance with the species to be controlled.”
The company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric fences designed to contain cattle, horses and other farm animals as well as prevent wild animals and predators from gaining access to areas where they can do economic damage.
Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLY at 717-786-0368
November 07, 2013
Gallagher and Midwest MicroSystems L.L.C. announced today additional automation compatibility between Midwest’s Cow Sense® herd management software and the Gallagher 700 indicator. These features offer tremendous benefits to Gallagher customers who are also Cow Sense users. These individuals can now use their Gallagher 700 indicator to record data in the field and then download directly into their Cow Sense herd file.
“This new capability is inline with our ‘Smart Technology Made Simple’ theme,” says Todd Mach, Products Manager for Gallagher USA of North Kansas City, Missouri. “We have had a good working relationship with the people at Cow Sense. Through that relationship we realized that we are both working toward the same goal of simplifying record keeping for today’s progressive producers,” explains Mach. “It just made sense that we raise the bar to the next level and deliver a product to our joint customers that would further simplify their data collection needs, be durable enough to stand up to inclement weather and working conditions, as well as automate the process of delivering data between our two systems. You can use the Gallagher 700 indicator for any type of data collection and you don’t have to use it with loadbars. Just collect data with it!” Mach continued. “In addition to weight, the Gallagher 700 is compatible with RFID readers to record the EID with the animal’s visual identification or tag number. Furthermore the 700 has customizable features to collect additional information on a particular animal’s record. Our customers can configure this indicator to provide fields to capture additional data such as calving, weaning, or yearling information in what we term ‘Trait Tables’. The developers at Cow Sense created standardized trait tables that can be loaded on our 700 indicator and deliver the information back to Cow Sense in a common language, streamlining and simplifying the process for a producer-user to load into their Cow Sense herd” concludes Mach.
“Data entry is often the biggest hurdle to successful record keeping. Tools like the Gallagher 700 that simplify data collection and automate data exchange are a great asset to producers” adds Tim Davis, Vice President of Midwest Microsystems, developers of Cow Sense herd management software. “We have long had automated systems for delivering weight data from the Gallagher Scale indicators and RFID readers into Cow Sense on a chute-side computer. The preformatted ‘Cow Sense Trait Tables’ provide a convenient means of capturing data in the Gallagher 700, then upon return to the home or office computer import it to Cow Sense with a few mouse clicks.
The Cow Sense Trait Forms allow users to capture critical data points tied to events including: adding cow, bull and calf records to a herd or updating existing records with birth, weaning, yearling, breeding or preg check data. The built-in checks and balances in the verification process help to make sure all the necessary data has been entered before the data is added to records in Cow Sense With the data successfully stored in Cow Sense, you can immediately begin to use the powerful analysis and reporting features for management decisions”.
Both Cow Sense and the Gallagher 700 interface with electronic RFID tags and readers. This allows the user to key in the animals visual ID tag or identification and scan the EID. Once this information has been downloaded into Cow Sense those two numbers are linked. Once the animals EID is in Cow Sense, the user only has to scan the EID when collecting subsequent data. When the additional data is downloaded Cow Sense adds it to the animal record linking to that EID number.
“No two ranches or farms are the same, and their data collection needs are no exception. We strive to provide our customers with simple solutions from which they can choose to meet their record keeping needs,” added Davis. “We emphasize to our customers not to let any software dictate their management, but allow their management to dictate how they use the software. The Cow Sense Trait Forms are an example of that solutions simplified focus. Our joint customers of Cow Sense and Gallagher are the beneficiaries.”
About Cow Sense® herd management software
Cow Sense Software is the flagship product of Midwest Microsystems L.L.C. The company deploys superior quality, integrated information management systems in the global market. Cow Sense is a prime example, as it was the first Windows based commercially produced and sold software on the market in 1994. Today Cow Sense has evolved into a suite of products with the original herd management software at the core. Advanced technology, flexibility, functionality for user customization yet Cowboy friendly features have made Cow Sense the dominant herd management program on the market.
About Gallagher
Gallagher’s global Research and Product Development department employs 70- people, including 18 engineers, and owns more than 100 international patents. This has enabled Gallagher to develop state-of-the-art products to meet the present and future needs of livestock producers and consumers.
Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLYat 717-786-0368
November 06, 2013
Dairy farmers are so short on time, the last thing you want to do is muck around trying to find faults — particularly if it’s right on milking time. Of course, you can’t leave a fence not working properly, but neither can you put off milking! But how much time will it take to find the fault?
Or, you might be out on the tractor, about to cut silage, and notice some cows where they shouldn’t be. (Or your neighbour calls to tell you they have “visitors”.) Again, you really should be doing something else, so how long will it take to find the fault?
With the i Series? Not long!
The beauty about the i Series is that it’s a monitored energizer, that will basically tell you where the fault is.
Here’s how to do it
Set up your controller somewhere you walk past often — I’ve commonly seen them in milking sheds or at the back door. Then put the monitors out on the fence, spread over the farm — it’s very handy to have one at the furthest point of your property. If there’s a short, it will light up on the controller, pinpointed by the monitor closest to the short. So instead of driving over your whole farm, you can go straight to the fault. No mucking around.
And when you get there, just turn off the fence with the remote — that’s another fantastic innovation Gallagher has developed. This saves you even more time, because you don’t need to go all the way back to the shed to turn off the power (or hope the worker you asked to do it actually did!).
Texting faults
You can even set it up so the i Series Energizer sends you a text message if there’s a fault. And… if you lose your remote, you can use your phone to do it.
Keeping the bulls under control
If you’re breeding your own heifers, it’s especially important to control when the bull is in with the cows. The last thing you want to see is that he’s found them himself.
Again here, the i Series fits dairy farming to a “t”. Because the fence is monitored, you will know the moment there’s a problem with the bull paddock fencing. And you can fix it immediately. End of problem.
Hot tips:
• dairy farming is all about time management: the i Series saves you time (and time is money)
• monitors pinpoint faults on the fence, so they’re quick and easy to find (no driving everywhere)
• save more time by turning off the fence with the remote (don’t have to go all the way back to the shed)
• put a farm diagram of where fence monitors are to save even more time (no asking, “where’s monitor 2 again?”)
• put the controller somewhere close — like the milking shed, or back door
• the i Series Energizer can send you a text message if there’s a fault
• if you lose your remote, you can use your phone to turn off the fence
• comes into its own in monitoring bull-paddock fencing (vital when breeding your own heifers)
November 06, 2013
November 05, 2013
November 05, 2013
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Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLY at 717-786-0368
November 05, 2013
November 05, 2013
A bear’s fondness for honey is legendary. The stuff even sits in little plastic, bear-shaped dispensers on grocer’s shelves. It the perfect bear food, too - protein is available as bees and honey produces carbohydrates. It’s a source of food that’s particularly desirable in the spring when hungry bears leave their winter dens.
With more than 45,000 bee colonies in Colorado, apiaries are big business. As every bee keeper knows, where there’s honey, bears aren’t far behind. In one night, a hungry bear can do at least $3,000 of damage. During peak feeding season in late summer, bears are “eating machines,” consuming up to 20,000 calories a day as they bulk up for winter hibernation. It’s that kind of potentially enormous economic damage that gives the Colorado Division of Wildlife a massive headache.
The Division is responsible because the Colorado legislature passed a law in the1930’s that requires the state to reimburse property owners for damage caused by big game. It’s why more than 100 Gallagher solar energizers are needed to keep bears out of Colorado beehives.
“The fencing program is multi-purposed; to prevent damage and to protect bears,” said Phil Ehrlich, a game damage prevention technician with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Montrose, Colo. Noting that a hungry bear is both resourceful and intelligent, he said, “These bears have wised up and are going to get in any way they can. With an electric fence, we can educate bears and keep them out of trouble.”
The Division of Wildlife gives beekeepers a “semi-permanent” electric fence which can be set up to protect an area from 400 square feet to 1600 square feet. A Gallagher system powered by a solar energizer is used for the toughest, high-risk situations where they have an existing problem, especially the 40 by 40 yards or larger
“We’re using the Gallagher energizers in high-risk situations to lessen our liability. We wanted to be able to say we gave beekeepers the best equipment and a good system.”
Since Ehrlich began working with electric fences, no Gallagher products have been returned. “You pay a bit more, but they work,” he said.
“Bears can be tough, persistent, intelligent and aggressive animals when they want something,” Ehrlich says. “The Gallagher Energizers give us a lot of options on how to protect the beekeeper and the bear.”
Please order online 24/7 or callVALLEY FARM SUPPLYat 717-786-0368