Modern technologies are gradually replacing a person from professions that have been worked out for centuries, where it was previously impossible to even imagine his absence. The electric device for pasturing sheep is a substitute for the usual shepherds: both people and dogs.
Electric shepherd: what is it, what does it look like
Contrary to the name, the electric shepherd does not look like a robot or something humanoid. This is just a type of fence that shocks grazing animals with small electric shocks so that they do not try to leave the pasture. This device is presented in the form of a grid or wire, which is energized.
Did you know? Animals very quickly draw conclusions and learn – a couple of electric shocks from the electric shepherd are enough, and they will no longer approach the fence.
With the use of electronic fencing, several conditions necessary for the safe grazing of animals are met at once:
- preventing the dispersal of pets;
- conservation of crops surrounding the pasture;
- savings on the wages of employees;
- protection from foreign animals.
Advantages and disadvantages of using
The main advantage of using an electronic shepherd – this is an exception to the notorious human factor. The fence is impersonal and does not depend on the pity or thoughts of the worker.
If an animal violates the established regime of the fence, it is immediately punished with a current discharge and returned to the grazing place. Among the shortcomings, one can note the need for animals to get used to this type of protection, because the sheep will not immediately understand why it was punished, and will try to leave the guarded perimeter again.
addictive sheep
Animals are capable of learning and may well understand what is required of them. No matter how cynical it sounds, a few electric shocks are enough. This unpleasant effect teaches not to approach the fence and not to touch it. After that, grazing takes place inside the fenced area – the sheep develop an addiction to this grazing order.
In order for the animal not to receive stress, it needs to see what caused it to receive a negative impact, therefore the wires of the electric shepherd must be visible and not thin.
Important! Invisible wires can be damaged by animals. This will disable the entire surveillance system and pets can disperse.
A dangerous place is better remembered if it is more noticeable visually, so light-colored or copper-colored braided wire will stop animals after a few electric shocks.
Principle of operation
The device itself is simple. – this is just a transformer with an armored core and a winding of ordinary PEV wires with a cross section of 0,31 and 0,18 mmยฒ. Current is supplied through capacitors to wires fixed on racks around the perimeter of the grazing enclosure. Typically, a three-level arrangement of wires is used.
When the animal touches the fence, it receives a weak discharge of current, which does not harm him, but causes displeasure. After several such contacts, sheep and rams begin to understand that there is no need to look for a way out of the territory.
What to look for when buying
When buying an electric fence, you need to pay attention to the number of cores in the wires.. The fact is that in our time, the cross section of the current conductor declared by the manufacturer may differ from the real one by up to 40% downward.
Important! Checking when buying an electric shepherd is required. Electrical connections must be checked at the store so as not to buy a useless set of wires.
Because of this, the conductors overheat and are capable of not only shocking animals, but also burning them. Sheep must not only run into an artificial shepherd, but also have a good view of him, avoiding visual contact.
User’s manual
The installation and use of any electrical appliance requires a basic knowledge of the safety of using such a device. In the case of an electric shepherd, you need to correctly position the equipment around the perimeter of the enclosure and connect it in time when grazing animals.
When located on the site of the equipment, it is necessary to provide grounding conductors and insulators so that the electric current does not hit a person. When using the device, do not touch current-carrying parts, even taking into account a small voltage in them.
Overview of manufacturers and models
It is difficult to come up with something fundamentally new on the market for developers of electric shepherds – there are racks and a fence through which current flows. The only difference is how well the device is made.
Chinese “shepherds” can be much cheaper, but their quality leaves much to be desired. An ordinary break in the conductor can lead to the failure of the entire device, so it is better to use more expensive European models. In this case, there is a chance that the product will be of high quality, and there will be someone to file a claim if something goes wrong.
The main problem of our farmers is the lack of access to a direct manufacturer of equipment. In Russia, the German brand Kerbl offers a wide range of products and accessories. But its goods are offered by numerous firms specializing in resale.
In the countries of Eastern Europe, electric shepherds are produced in Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia. This kind of assistance to farmers is in mass production. And the models are very different – from a fence for geese to enclosures for cattle on several hectares of territory and wire levels in height.
How to do it yourself at home
An alternative to buying expensive professional equipment is to make it yourself. This requires the following items:
- current generator (step-down transformer 220/12);
- power supply (battery, uninterruptible power supply);
- wire products (calculated depending on the perimeter of the site and the number of levels in height);
- poles (wooden, concrete, plastic – for attaching wires);
- insulators (for insulating poles);
- control cabinet (for system power supply).
It is better to order a project on the side or find it on the Internet. In the absence of special knowledge in design and installation work, it is worth using the services of specialists. When designing and installing the system, all materials at hand will do and you will need quite a bit of imagination. Used and cut plastic bottles can serve as insulators, welding wire can replace wires, car tire scraps can help secure wiring.
Did you know? Sheep have excellent memory and habituation. If mix 2–3 herds and ask their shepherds to disperse to the sides, then it is his herd that will approach each of them.
The electric animal control system is promising in terms of automating animal care. In small farms, this helps to eliminate the dispersal of sheep and damage to the plants surrounding the pasture, and on serious farms it helps to keep the herd within certain limits and appropriate discipline.
