[Bionic]

OH noticed that the sheep were much closer to the electric fence this morning than they usually are.
When he checked the fence was not working. How do the sheep know?  Does the fence give off some sort of noise of something that only they can hear?
Sally

[suziequeue]

In my experience - most electric fences give off a little click each time the pulse goes through.... although I am not sure if this can be heard all the way down the wire.
 
I remember when I was small we used to listen to an electric fence before trying to get over it but I've lost so much of my high frequency hearing range that I would be unable to detct it now so - I think it probably does hum a little..... and of course - sheep don't go to rock concerts so their hearing is liekly to be alot better 
 
Remember the triffids in John Wyndham's book (OK - they are not your average smallholding stock) - they could hear the electric fence.

[Mel Rice]

My sheep know if a person goes near then the power often goes off (when I press the botton on the box) I dont always do it and they do get zapped but they do seem to check it by sniffing it...perhaps there is a static charge they can sense with their noses, Ive not noticed them listening but may be thats what they are doing when I think they are 'smelling'!

[robert waddell]

pigs are better at sensing when the fence is down  i always put it down to there nose    but not smelling it

[Pedwardine]

Our rams pushed right through their tape fencing when it had 6000 volts going through it. They had full fleeces at the time. They feel it more when the fleece is shorter. My sheep (and donkeys) test fencing with their noses. It must give off a static charge. I've noticed also when I use a tester on my fences, if the surge is strong then it registers before the tester has even touched the fence!

[Fleecewife]

The fence we used to use was battery powered and definitely made a tiny clicking noise - I can't have gone to enough rock concerts because I can still hear it  .  The pigs heard it but ignored it anyway - would push under whilst squealing but decline to come back .  The sheep hear it too, but their behaviour is different - they will still jump 'over' as if the fence is still there even after it has been removed, but they will push through when the fence is still there but off.

[suziequeue]

Somebody shared on here once that they noticed one pig pushing another pig towards the fence to test if it was on 

[Fleecewife]

Somebody shared on here once that they noticed one pig pushing another pig towards the fence to test if it was on 

  Too bright to be food animals 

[robert waddell]

the energiser clicks     the wire should be silent unless it is earthing out and depends on the power it will crack or just a light tick
 
now the old fashioned telephone wires  they used to sing in the breeze

[Fleecewife]

When it's not earthing out you can still hear the wire, too far from the energiser to be mistaking it for that (and much quieter than the click of earthing out).  Then don't forget that prey animals will have better hearing than we do - although we are prey animals too to big cats    - so they will hear it more clearly than we do.

[Foobar]

Anything having a current passed along it will have an electromagnetic field around it, and I suspect the animals can sense that.
I don't know if we are sensitive enough to feel it, maybe try putting a bit of your skin near it and see what you can feel ... ... an index finger tip would be ideal ...

Also wet things (like noses) conduct better, and the electric charge will leap across a small gap between the wire and a nose.

[robert waddell]

sorry fleecewife your fence is just not right if you can hear it sometimes moist algae  will have the current tracking  that is a very low sounding tick  snails are a favourite for frying and earthing it out
 
DO NOT TRY FOOBARS  ELECTRIC FENCE TEST you will get a shock   that is like testing a car plug lead with your finger or tongue  but try it and report back  i try not to get to near it when it is on

[Foobar]

Yes, to be clear, I was joking.  Don't try it, unless you like pain  .

[robert waddell]

incidentally they recon that any  animal or human will only last about 20 minutes until the heart gives out

[Fleecewife]

sorry fleecewife your fence is just not right if you can hear it sometimes moist algae  will have the current tracking  that is a very low sounding tick  snails are a favourite for frying and earthing it out
 

My hearing is just better than yours Robert