Agricultural

Electrical Networks as a Livestock Facility Management Parameter

Neutral/ground networks have the characteristic of using the ground as the return path of current because it’s safer and more reliable. A portion of the return current flows on the grounding network of livestock farms. On an electrical basis, livestock is in parallel with the grounding network, thus whatever is flowing back includes a portion of current going through the animal.

There is nothing exceptional about the presence of current in the body of an animal providing the voltage doesn't exceed the animal's sensitivity threshold, which varies between species. Nevertheless, excess current produces stress in the animal, and over time affects its immune system, thus increasing the incidence of diseases and reducing its performance.

The present trend of farm automation is considerably increasing the electrical load in animal environments. Consequently, the return current increases, therefore leading to more stress in the animal.

The return current for traditional equipment is of 60 Hz and may even reach more than 100,000 Hz due to new technologies that facilitate farm automation.

Besides return current linked to the electrical network, there also exists leakage current provided by faulty electrical equipment.

Of all livestock, the dairy cow is more likely to be affected by this current due to its low resistance and an environment which regularly puts it in contact with complex electrical systems.

Our expertise enables measuring, analyzing and neutralizing these types of current.