Electric FenceFast is a type of power fencing that uses high voltage and short bursts of electricity to discourage livestock or wildlife from straying off a property. A component called a power energizer converts electricity into a pulsed electrical current that is delivered over the fence wires and back to the energizer through a metal rod implanted in the ground, called a grounding rod. When an animal touches the energized fence wire and the grounding rod at the same time, a circuit is completed, and the animal receives a shock that can be painful or lethal.

In most cases, the pain of an electric fence shock induces a level of vigilance that discourages animals from approaching the fence again. The level of vigilance that an animal exhibits towards the fence can vary among species and even between individuals within a given species, depending on the sensitivity of their bodies to the energized pulses.

From Livestock to Security: The Versatility of Electric Fences

The effectiveness of an electric fence is determined by the ability of the soil to conduct electricity. Ideally, the soil should be moist, but this can be difficult to achieve in dry climates. In these situations, multiple ground rods should be installed. In addition, a good quality grounding system is essential. Approximately eighty percent of all electric fence problems can be traced to poor grounding. It is also important to purchase an energizer with enough joules for the length of the fence and the size of the animals that will be contained or deterred from the fence.