Written by Farm Supply Store.

Installing an electric fence is one of the most effective ways to ensure that your livestock stays contained in the right areas. However, many farmers struggle with getting the most out of their electric fence. This is a problem when failures can lead to lost cattle and other significant problems. Many of the issues that farmers face with electric fencing come from improper installation. Here are a few of the most common issues that you should avoid when you are installing your electric fence:

Not using enough grounding rods. Your horse fencing needs to be well grounded if it is going act as a powerful deterrent. You need to install several galvanized grounding rods around the perimeter of your fencing to avoid a weak charge.

Using different types of metals. Using two different types of metals in your fencing – such as copper and steel – can create galvanic corrosion between your wires. This can cause accelerated corrosion of your wires and lead to a weakened shock.

Building new fences too close to existing fences. It’s important to remove old fences and wires before you put up new fencing. Simply installing the new farm fencing around the old fencing can create significant problems. If the old fence gets knocked down or a wire winds up touching the electrified fence, you can end up with a short that knocks the whole system out of commission.

Having the fence make contact with wet grass. Grass will grow over time, which can create a problem when it is also wet. When wet grass or other vegetation comes into contact with wires in a fence, it will drain the power from the entire fence. Make sure that your lower wire is sufficiently high off of the ground, and can be turned off if needed without shutting down the entire system.

Using wire that is too small. It’s a simple fact that a larger gauge of wire will carry a stronger electrical charge. It’s important to make sure that the wire you are using is sufficient enough to carry the charge through your entire system at the level you expect.

Not training livestock. Installing an electric animal fence is about more than just having the right electric fence supplies. You also need to make sure that you are training your animals to be around the fence – particularly if you have never used one. Having your livestock train in a controlled environment like a small pasture will quickly teach them the lesson that they should not go near fences.

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Farm Supply Store offers a wide range of electric fencing supplies including fence energizers, wires, polytapes and polyropes. They sell Field Guardian fences along with products from other leading brands.