fencing Archives | Alberta Farmer Express

Don’t cheap out on materials, and “start basic,” says Greg Paranich, an agricultural field specialist and electric fence “troubleshooter.”

Here’s how to stay (properly) grounded when installing electric fencing

Quality — whether ground rods, wire or insulators — is worth the money, says fencing expert

By Jeff Melchior June 9, 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes To anyone who’s never built one, an electric fence can seem like a pretty simple structure. In some ways they’re right — like any kind of electrical circuit, an electric fence requires a source of power, a conduit, some kind of ground and usually insulators. But, as is often the case, it’s only as good […] Read more

Livestock, Machinery & Shop, Reuters

U.S. to remove tariffs on Canadian aluminum

Ottawa drops threat of retaliation on stock trailers, fencing, other aluminum goods

By David Lawder, David Ljunggren, GFM Network News September 16, 2020

Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — The Trump administration said on Tuesday it will remove 10 per cent U.S. tariffs on raw Canadian aluminum as long as imports of the metal stay below levels that are expected to “normalize” over the next four months. In response, Canada dropped a threat to impose billions of dollars of retaliatory […] Read more

General, Machinery & Shop, Markets, Reuters

Canada may unveil retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods Tuesday

Stock trailers could be among affected aluminum wares

By Reuters, GFM Network News September 15, 2020

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will announce on Tuesday that it is going ahead with a threat to slap retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods after Washington said it would impose punitive measures on Canadian aluminum imports, CTV said on Monday. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said last month that Ottawa would impose sanctions on $3.6 […] Read more

Some producers use rubber hoses as insulators at the corners and ends of an electric fence, as pictured on the left. Jason Williams says doing this defeats the purpose of insulation as most “rubber” hoses are actually made of carbon, which acts as a conductor. Instead, use proper, store-bought insulators as pictured on the right.

Livestock, News

Don’t be shocked when electric fences underperform

Undersized wire, rusty rebar, and ‘rubber’ hoses are common mistakes on many ranches

By Jeff Melchior June 10, 2019

Reading Time: 5 minutes Want to hear a Captain Obvious statement? Electric fences need to be able to shock animals enough to keep livestock in and predators out. The reality is many electric fences are not up to this basic task. Just ask Jason Williams, who tours the country teaching producers ways to make their electric fences more effective. […] Read more

With feed in short supply after a long winter and late start to spring, farmers found it particularly painful over the winter to lose hay to elk or deer.

News

Tired of providing a hay lunch for the neighbourhood?

Hay yards are magnets for elk and deer, but 3D fencing can be a lower-cost way to keep them out

By Alberta Farmer Staff June 12, 2018

Reading Time: 2 minutes A long winter coupled with a late and dry start to spring has stretched feed supplies across Alberta. Which means any loss of hay to wildlife last winter was especially painful. To avoid that grief — or at least lessen it — many producers on the Prairies have turned to three-dimensional fencing. Unlike typical fencing, […] Read more

Fencing falls under several pieces of legislation in Alberta, including one that makes cattle owners liable for any damage caused by strays.

Livestock, News

Fences can cause issues — but there’s an act for that

There are at least four provincial acts which deal with fencing matters such as strays, maintenance, and location

By Alberta Agriculture and Forestry October 23, 2017

Reading Time: 2 minutes The Stray Animals Act, Line Fence Act, Public Lands Act, and Surveys Act all affect how farmland fencing issues are handled in Alberta. “Under the Stray Animals Act, a landowner is responsible for keeping his livestock properly fenced and contained,” said Jeana Schuurman of the Farmers’ Advocate Office. “If damage is caused by cattle trespassing […] Read more

Livestock

N.S. communities to get clear powers on runaway livestock

By Alberta Farmer Staff October 21, 2016

Any community defined as a “municipality” in Nova Scotia will soon be able to act to deal with stray livestock and local fencing problems. The provincial government on Wednesday introduced legislative changes to its Fences and Detention of Stray Livestock Act, to make it easier for municipalities to respond when livestock go wandering. The law […] Read more

Portable electric fencing is all you need for mob grazing, but there are a number of factors to consider when building a permanent fence.

Beef Cattle, Livestock

Making electric fence installation easier

Thanks to better technology, electric fences aren’t as prone to breakages, fires, and shorts — but improper installation is costly

By Jeff Melchior July 17, 2015

Reading Time: 4 minutes Although it’s arguably the most basic structure on almost any farm or ranch, building a fence can come with a surprising number of decisions in terms of placement and materials. Add electricity to the mix and producers are faced with even more complexity. The good news is that technology has improved dramatically since the days […] Read more

Livestock, Sheep/Goats

N.S. sheep producers backed for handling upgrades

By Alberta Farmer Staff January 2, 2015

Handling upgrades expected to help Nova Scotia’s sheep farmers cut down parasite loads in their flocks may be eligible for some public funding. The federal and provincial governments and Sheep Producers Association of Nova Scotia (SPANS) recently rolled out a Sheep Handling and Parasite Control Program, which will pay up to 40 per cent of […] Read more

Tessa Nybo used a trail cam to capture this picture of a moose in their haystack yard, which is only protected by barbed wire fence.

News

Protecting stored hay from wildlife

‘Sweet and simple’ and 3D are two of your options, but the starting point is putting a  dollar figure on the hay eaten by Bambi and his hungry mates

By Tessa Nybo July 10, 2014

Reading Time: 3 minutes Deer, elk, and moose pose a serious threat to stored hay reserves on farms across the Prairies — especially during winter when they are most desperate for feed. Hazing and chemical deterrents may keep these ungulates away in the short term, but this route is often time consuming and not a permanent solution. Fencing the […] Read more

Hemp industry looking forward despite hurdles

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures gain

U.S. grains: Corn, soybeans lower on the week

GFM Network News