April Conference To Examine Stray Voltage
CAMP HILL (Cumberland Co.) —More than 20
researchers, educators, consultants, and investiga
tors will share their knowledge and answer your
questions at Stray Voltage and Dairy Farms: A
Conference for Farm Advisors, Educators, Utilities,
and Public Policy Advisors. The conference will dis
cuss the impact, sources,, measurement, prevention,
and mitigation of stray voltage on dairy and other
livestock farms. It will take place April 9-11, in
Camp Hill.
Stray voltage is defined by the USDA as “a dif
ference in voltage between two surfaces that may be
contacted simultaneously by an animal,” When this
occurs, the cow acts to complete the circuit and ex
periences a small shock or “tingle.” Research shows
that stray voltage may increase cow stress and
health problems. Sometimes, however, problems at
tributed to stray voltage are in fact caused by some
thing else, and a multidisciplinary team is needed to
identify the actual problem.
The conference will begin with an overview of
electricity and wiring fundamentals to ensure that
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everyone has the background necessary to under
stand subsequent, more technical presentations.
The program will allow ample time for questions
and discussion. It is sure to be a unique educational
opportunity for many, including veterinarians,
dairy scientists, extension educators, engineers,
builders, rural electric contractors, agribusiness,
utilities, public policy advisors, and milk coopera
tives.
Specific objectives of the conference are to:
•provide an overview of the fundamentals of elec
tricity, power distribution, and farm and home
wiring systems,
•present research accomplished since the 1991
publication Effects of Electrical Voltage/Current on
Farm-Animals: How to Detect and Remedy Prob
lems, the most current USDA handbook on the
topic,
•discuss on-farm and off-farm sources of stray
voltage, the National Electric Code, measurement
of stray voltage, data interpretation, and mitigation
technology,
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