Big Bale Feeders

For those that are breaking out their round bales for winter feeding, here are a few tips when it comes to using Premier's Big Bale Feeders.

• We find 4 ft diameter bales to be optimal. 5ft and larger bales leave a core in the center of the feeder (sheep can't reach that far). This core needs to be knocked down by the shepherd. We find the added materials (twine, net, wrap) needed to make smaller bales are offset by the convenience and ease of handling. 
• Remember, these are meant for polled (hornless) sheep and goats. We advise against their use with horned animals and livestock larger than sheep/goats. 
• Do not attempt to lift the panels out of frozen soil with a tractor. This is an excellent way to break welds and bend rods. 
• No more than 8 ewes per panel. Overcrowding leads to injuries. 
• Don't turn out starving livestock with the feeders. Hungry sheep are aggressive sheep. 

A quick poultry feeder hint

Large cone feeders, finely ground poultry feeds and humid environments do not mix. 

Here's why: 

1. Fine feeds are easily compacted when pressure is applied
2. A full feeder puts pressure on the feed at the bottom—this compacts the feed. 
3. Moisture in the air further aids the binding/compaction of fine feeds. When dried, the result is the chicken feed equivalent of concrete.  

What to do? 

• Feed coarsely ground feeds in humid seasons (be sure to provide supplemental grit). 
• If continuing with finely ground feeds, use smaller feeders (for less pressure). 
• If the feeder can be adjusted, set the feed flow for a faster rate. This will allow fine feed to flow easier when humid. 

Electric fence…what happens

What happens when grass touches energized fence wires?

Think of the wires as pressurized with excess electrons from the energizer's pulse. 

Green vegetation is a conductor—particularly when wet. When it contacts and energized wire, energy is pushed through the moisture in the stem into the soil. This is often called a "leak" (similar to a hole in a water hose) or a "short." 

In short—grass leaks electrons from the fence. However, if the energizer's pulse (joules output) is large enough, it can cope with the loss due to grass contact (overcoming weed-load). 

What happens when an animal touches the energized wires?

The high voltage of the pulse pushes electrons through the animal's point of contact (often nose or ears) then through the body's tissue and fluids and out through the feet/hooves/paws into the soil moisture. 

Is the animal's weight a factor?

The weight of a heavy animal compresses the soil. This reduces electrical resistance of the soil and increases the joules that can flow through the animal. 

This explains why heavy animals are more affected by electric fence and light animals less so. 

Weight (or the lack of it) explains in part why calves and lambs will seem to be less affected by a pulse than adult cows and ewes. 

Which species are most affected by an electric fence pulse?

In order from most to least: pigs, horses, cattle, canines (wet noses, bare pads) raccoons, sheep, goats, deer, geese, chickens and rabbits. 

This assumes a low-impedance energizer was used and adult animals are contacting the fence with their nose, beak or paw. 

Electric Fence Pulse

A pulse from an electric fence energizer lasts less than 3/10,000 of a second. The pulse's strength can reach up to 10,000 volts. That sounds extreme but static electricity is often as much as 25,000 volts.

What exactly is a fence energizer?

It is simply a box that takes in small amounts of electrical energy from an outside source (battery or 110v outlet).

The energizer pushes this energy from the outbound (positive, fence) terminal in very brief, high voltage and high amperage pulses, The ground terminal's (negative, earth) purpose is to absorb as much of the pulse energy as possible back into the energizer. 

An electric fence is the extension of these two terminals (fence and ground/earth).  

The inbound terminal is extended by driving metal rods (ground rods) into the soil and connecting them to the earth terminal with conductive wires to it. 

The outbound terminal is extended by attaching conductive wires to it. They are suspended above the soil and kept separate from the soil by insulators and/or nonconductive posts. 

How an electric fence works

Well, how does an electric fence work?

1. The fence energizer sends an electric pulse through its positive terminal to the fence. 
2. The fence then carries this pulse until an animal comes in contact with the fence. 
3. The pulse travels through the animal and into the soil/ground. 
4. The pulse is then absorbed from the soil back into the energizer via the ground rod system. 

So where do the terms joules, voltage and ohms come into play?

• Joules is the volume of electrical energy in a pulse (think gallons, pints etc. in water systems). 
• Voltage is the measure of pressure upon the pulse to move from A to B (similar to PSI in air and water systems).
• Ohms is the resistance to electrical flow (constrictions in these systems). Higher ohms reduce the felt pulse.   

Points to consider:
For a fence to be effective, we suggest a minimum of 3000 volts. This means the fence needs to have reasonable high pressure (voltage). But that's just half of it. The other half being the size of the pulse, which is measured in joules (read as released, not stored, on fence energizers).

High pressure (volts) behind a large pulse (joules) results in a deterring shock when the fence is touched by an animal. The smaller the joule (output) the smaller the potential shock and vice versa. Also, the lower the voltage the smaller the felt pulse.

If bigger is better (or so it seems), why do we recommend .5 joule units?
For fences with low resistance (ohms) and have high voltage (at least 3000v), a .5 joule energizer is enough to deter animals. Longer fences with more resistance need more joules in order for pulse to be felt. 

Announcing Premier's Gift Section

Silence the room with the perfect gift!

There's a chill in the air. And for those who delight in discovery, that means the gift giving season is officially upon us. We know you’re always searching for that special something—that unique, handcrafted item with a great story. In that spirit, enjoy this collection of thoughtful and distinctive gifts, sourced directly from the craftsman—just in time for the holiday season. 

Items include:

• Home Accents
• Apparel 
• Personal Care items
• Handmade crooks and walking sticks
• Sheepskin rugs 
• and much more!