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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.”

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Electric fencing can be used in many situations to effectively deter predators from various attractants. Applications include: beehives, fruit orchards, hunting camps, livestock enclosures, landfills and grain sheds.

Electric fences are easily adapted to most applications and can be installed temporarily or permanently. These fences are relatively easy to maintan and economical to build. However, they require routine inspection and maintenance to ensure proper operation and protection capability.

How an electric fence works

For electricity to flow in a system, such as an electric fence, there must be a complete and uninterrupted (closed) circuit. The electrical current must travel from its source (fence energizer) through the circuit (fence) and back to the source. This flow only occurs when a charged wire of the fence becomes grounded.

Under normal operating conditions, an electric fence functions as an incomplete (open) circuit with repeating pulses of electricity generated by the energizer sent through the charged wires of the fence. When an animal touches a charged wire, it grounds the fence, creating a closed circuit. An electrical pulse travels through the animal and back to the energizer, delivering a shock to the animal.

The electric shock is unpleasant to animals (and humans, too), but is not lethal. However, if an animal gets caught in a fence for an extended period, it may dies of stress. An electric fence is humane, since it can only shock the animal if it persists in making contact; once the contact is broken, the fence does not 'spit' at the animal.

Other objects and materials including vegetation, sticks, fallen trees and non-insulated posts in contact with charged wires can also create a partial or total closed circuit. This partial or closed circuit can result in a reduced electrical charge (voltage) and an inadequate shock to repel predators that contact charged wires of the fence. Fences should be checked and maintained regularly to address this potential problem.

Electric Fence Designs

An effective electric fence for predator control consits of:

• a source of the high-voltage signal, called an "energizer", that may be operated by a solar cell, a batter or, peferably, may be plugged into the domestic system -this generates short, highly peaked pulses of elctricity
  
  

• a live wire, or wires, of high tensile steel that carry the pulses around the enclosed area
  
  

• posts, that can be made of cedar, steel, or fiberglass, depending on budget and topography
  
  

• a grounding system, starting at the energizer, one side of whose output is grounded through a system of low resistance ground rods, which should be carried along with the live wire around the enclosed area
  
  

• insulation, to insulate the live wire from accidentl contact with the ground, whish would short it out, and render it ineffective
  
  

• tension springs on long stretches, to limit the mechanical tension in the wires as they contract when air temperature drops
  
  

• lightning protectors, since the live wires are exposed to lighning strokes and induction from power lines

Landfills

Electrifying your landfill should, not only be mandatory, but should be one of your first considerations. A well-designed and properly installed electric fence will prevent bears from accessing your landfill. There are some special considerations that should be considered when electrifying such a highly attractive site. You will need to consider bears digging underneath the fence. To prevent digging, you can lay down horizontal fencing one foot below the surface.

Bears also have a habit of entering the gate when it is left open and often get caught inside. There are a couple of options to prevent access through open gates: (1) automatic sliding gates that open and close when the weight of a vehicle passes over the entrance, and (2) electrified cattle grate entrance. Of these two options, the second will be more effective and easier from a human-use standpoint.

Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLY at 717-786-0368 between 9:00 AM and 5:00PM, Monday thru Saturday, Eastern Standard Time.

Or email us at sales@valleyfarmsupply.net for help or advice.

 

We are Valley Farm Supply and we were established in 2004 as a source for quality farm supplies.  We offer Gallagher fence products to professional farmers, ranchers as well as hobby farmers. Valley Farm Supply is the largest gallagher dealer in the Northeastern, U.S.A. , which means we can pass along savings to you.

We are a direct source for your Gallagher livestock electric fence needs. We also handle other brands such as Speedrite electric fence products, Parmak electric fence chargers, Stafix electric fence, Cyclops fence chargers, Patriot electric fence chargers and fencing items. We sell electric fence chargers, solar  chargers battery chargers,  energizers, wire, netting, fence insulators, hardware, poliwire, politape, hi tensile wire, wildlife fence, horse fence, gates, electric fence tools, strainers, polirope, equibraid, reels, fence testers, grounding parts,  solar panels, fencing materials, seed, equine items and farm supplies. Please ask if we can supply your farm or ranch with the things you need to be successful.

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Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLY at  717-786-0368

WE HAVE THE NEW I-SERIES ENERGIZERS IN STOCK!!!!!! ORDER NOW!!!

Gallagher i Series Fence Energizer systems allow you to quickly and easily monitor your fence performance, informing you of any problems immediately, so you can take action to save time and money.

Read on to find out how the i Series range can open up the lines of communication between you and your fence.