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Texas Agriculture Archive

March 5, 2004

Barbed wire has played an important role in Texas history, and according to some, is really how the West was won. But the importance of electric fences should not be underestimated. Still, there's a lot of myths and mystery about them, particularly when it comes to the question of how animals can tell when the fence is on or off. If you ask 50 people how it is that the livestock knows, you'll get 50 different answers.

"Says here that teaching livestock to fear an electric fence is a 'learned behavior,' that you should put some feed or water near the fence so they get zapped, and 'once is enough,'" I told my husband, reading comments from an online discussion board.

"Well, it cain't be true that once is enough, or they'd never get out, eben when the fence ain't chargin'," he said. "They're a brazen bunch."

"The point is they know when it's off. That's when they get out. What's in debate is HOW they know."

"'At's easy. They draw straws to see which one gits to test it," Mel said with a grin.

I dismissed his trite remark and continued. "I heard somewhere that cows can sense the electricity through the whiskers near their nose. Think there's anything to that?"

"Ah doubt it," he said. "But if it's so, the thang to do is shave 'em off. Then the'll never know when thur 'bout to git a li'l jolt, and they'll steer clear of it."

"I'm trying to be serious," I said.

Mel shrugged. "Okay, mebe they got good ears an' they can tell if it's on or off 'cause they hear th' clickin sound as it pulses through th' wahr."

"That sounds reasonable," I said.

"Rilly an' truly, Ah thank they kin smell it," Mel suggested.

"Do-do-do-do, do-do-do-do," I responded with my rendition of the theme to "The Twilight Zone." "Now that's about as loony an explanation as I've heard. None of the ones on this chatboard can top that."

Mel grumbled, "Ain't so loony. Thur's a scientific explanation. It gives off an ozone odor as the current passes through."

I was impressed with my husband's knowledge.

"Wow! Really? Did you read that somewhere?"

"Nope, but my guess is as good as the next un's," Mel replied. "But some thangs Ah kin tell you from experience...thur's certain thangs you don't ever want to do near a 'lectric fence, if you know whut I mean..."

"Here's a handy tip," I said, scrolling down the computer screen. "This fellow recommends taping 40W florescent tubes to the wire every 15 or 20 feet. Says they will flash when the electricity goes past them and when you get a short in the fence, the tubes beyond the short won't light up."

"He prob'ly owns stock in a florescent tube bidness," Mel remarked.

"Well, from the time or two I've had run-ins with a hotwire, I can only say it's a shame they don't always work that well on the cows," I said.

When I bristled at Mel's suggestion that getting knocked down on your hind side from touching an electric fence is a sure fire way of confirming that you are still alive, he defended his statement by saying, "Don't look so shocked!"