October 26, 2008: Electric Fence

Clodfobble · 10-26-2008, 03:13 AM

52 cows were simultaneously killed last Wednesday in a small village near San Jose, Uruguay, when lightning struck the metal fence they were leaning against. Apparently it is common behavior for these and other farm animals to scatter to the perimeter of the field during thunderstorms. Veterinarians confirmed that each of the 52 cows was electrocuted.

classicman · 10-26-2008, 03:16 AM

That's shocking.

xoxoxoBruce · 10-26-2008, 03:33 AM

I've also seen pictures like this with horses. Critters will gather under trees, too, which is a really bad idea. Really sad.

newtimer · 10-26-2008, 04:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by classicman

That's shocking.

I agree. Udderly shocking.

classicman · 10-26-2008, 05:35 AM

They should have moo-ved away.

SPUCK · 10-26-2008, 05:59 AM

That's sad, all of them pasturing away like that..

MAW!! Fetch me my bar bee Q sauce.

ZenGum · 10-26-2008, 06:34 AM

People, I herd that we've already done the electricity puns. Please steer away from them.

Just imagine for a moment that you drove down that road and didn't know about the lightning, and didn't know what had killed the cows. Windows down? or up?

Sundae Girl · 10-26-2008, 10:00 AM

Wow. Like Zen says, what if you didn't know - I certainly wouldn't have guessed.

In fact I'd be looking for the cow equivilant of KoolAid.

Mayor of Shekou · 10-26-2008, 11:52 AM

Wow. A real field day for that rare person into both bestiality and necrophilia!

dar512 · 10-26-2008, 01:59 PM

I blame the parents. These cows would never have died if they hadn't been grounded.

glatt · 10-26-2008, 04:32 PM

I understand that in a fence like this, a strong current can be induced during an electrical storm, even if the fence itself isn't struck. When lightning strikes even a few hundred feet away from the fence, it radiates an electromagnetic field, and as that field passes by the fence, a current is induced in the fence wire. The stronger and closer the lightning strike is to the fence, the stronger the current.

This is exactly the same principle an electric generator uses, only a generator uses magnets for a field source instead of a lightning bolt.

Gravdigr · 10-26-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mayor of Shekou

Wow. A real field day for that rare person into both bestiality and necrophilia!

Jackpot!!! Giggity-giggity-moo!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

I blame the parents. These cows would never have died if they hadn't been grounded.

Elspode · 10-26-2008, 07:22 PM

I wonder if they were medium or well done?

sweetwater · 10-26-2008, 09:17 PM

This is an especially tragic scene because the grass is actually greener on their side of the fence... for all the good it did them.

onetrack · 10-26-2008, 11:05 PM

That number has gotta be some kind of record. I recall a number of years ago, that a farmer situated in the high country (Tablelands) of North-Western, New South Wales (the state in which Sydney is the capital), lost 45 cattle to one lightning strike.
He had previously lost another sizeable number of cattle (about 30, I think) some 10-15 years before.
The Tablelands region has areas that record enormous numbers of lightning strikes, in comparison to other areas, and it's all to do with elevation and topography, that assists thunderstorm buildup.

The number of horses struck by lightning is sizeable, too - both when being ridden, and in older times when working the fields.
If thunderstorms are close, and you're riding a horse, it's advisable to dismount and reduce your profile to lower your chances of being struck.

10-26-2008, 03:13 AM	#1
Clodfobble Gives sound advice Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 8,770	October 26, 2008: Electric Fence 52 cows were simultaneously killed last Wednesday in a small village near San Jose, Uruguay, when lightning struck the metal fence they were leaning against. Apparently it is common behavior for these and other farm animals to scatter to the perimeter of the field during thunderstorms. Veterinarians confirmed that each of the 52 cows was electrocuted. __________________ My new cooking blog

10-26-2008, 03:16 AM	#2
classicman Banished from the land of usertitleage Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 9,903	That's shocking. __________________ "No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power." Jacob Bronowski Most bad government results from too much government. Thomas Jefferson "My views aren't popular, they're just mine."

10-26-2008, 03:33 AM	#3
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 32,457	I've also seen pictures like this with horses. Critters will gather under trees, too, which is a really bad idea. Really sad. __________________ Excuse me Miss, does this handkerchief smell like chloroform?

10-26-2008, 05:35 AM	#5
classicman Banished from the land of usertitleage Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 9,903	They should have moo-ved away. __________________ "No science is immune to the infection of politics and the corruption of power." Jacob Bronowski Most bad government results from too much government. Thomas Jefferson "My views aren't popular, they're just mine."

10-26-2008, 06:34 AM	#7
ZenGum Putting the fist in pacifist. Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 5,323	People, I herd that we've already done the electricity puns. Please steer away from them. Just imagine for a moment that you drove down that road and didn't know about the lightning, and didn't know what had killed the cows. Windows down? or up? __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

10-26-2008, 05:59 AM	#6
SPUCK Lecturer Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 761	That's sad, all of them pasturing away like that.. MAW!! Fetch me my bar bee Q sauce.

10-26-2008, 10:00 AM	#8
Sundae Girl famously pink Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Aylesbury, Bucks Posts: 10,630	Wow. Like Zen says, what if you didn't know - I certainly wouldn't have guessed. In fact I'd be looking for the cow equivilant of KoolAid. __________________ "It's all energy give and take anyway." T E H Shaw

10-26-2008, 11:52 AM	#9
Mayor of Shekou You can't misbehave when you stick out in a crowd Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Shekou, Shenzhen - Southern China Posts: 88	Wow. A real field day for that rare person into both bestiality and necrophilia!

10-26-2008, 01:59 PM	#10
dar512 Just too white and nerdy Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,778	I blame the parents. These cows would never have died if they hadn't been grounded. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

10-26-2008, 04:32 PM	#11
glatt accepts the challenge Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 10,050	I understand that in a fence like this, a strong current can be induced during an electrical storm, even if the fence itself isn't struck. When lightning strikes even a few hundred feet away from the fence, it radiates an electromagnetic field, and as that field passes by the fence, a current is induced in the fence wire. The stronger and closer the lightning strike is to the fence, the stronger the current. This is exactly the same principle an electric generator uses, only a generator uses magnets for a field source instead of a lightning bolt.

10-26-2008, 07:22 PM	#13
Elspode O'er ripe and manky Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 11,735	I wonder if they were medium or well done? __________________ Peas and Logic, Patrick We are the other people...you're the other people, too. - FZ

10-26-2008, 09:17 PM	#14
sweetwater lives inside a Mobius strip Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,044	This is an especially tragic scene because the grass is actually greener on their side of the fence... for all the good it did them. __________________ I knew I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque! - Bugs Bunny

10-26-2008, 11:05 PM	#15
onetrack Resident President Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Western Australia Posts: 84	Not as unusual as you'd imagine .. That number has gotta be some kind of record. I recall a number of years ago, that a farmer situated in the high country (Tablelands) of North-Western, New South Wales (the state in which Sydney is the capital), lost 45 cattle to one lightning strike. He had previously lost another sizeable number of cattle (about 30, I think) some 10-15 years before. The Tablelands region has areas that record enormous numbers of lightning strikes, in comparison to other areas, and it's all to do with elevation and topography, that assists thunderstorm buildup. The number of horses struck by lightning is sizeable, too - both when being ridden, and in older times when working the fields. If thunderstorms are close, and you're riding a horse, it's advisable to dismount and reduce your profile to lower your chances of being struck. __________________ Illiterate??? - Not a problem! Write today for more information!! ....

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