No one likes to get an unexpected electrical shock. Animals hate it even more than people. Areas constructed indoors or outdoors where wire mesh or other conductive elements are embedded in or placed under concrete, bonded to all metal structures and fixed nonelectrical equipment have the potential to become energized unless the equipotential plane is properly grounded. The energized plane emits stray voltage*.
Jill Nelson shares the story of her family’s 8-year struggle to manage stray voltage and the effect on their cows. She hopes to help other producers and veterinarians be aware of their experiences. People often experience stray voltage as a low-level electric shock when they touch metal or water and consider it a minor nuisance. Livestock can have a much more negative reaction.
*Stray voltage is defined by USDA as “small voltage, less than 10 volts, that can be measured between two points that can be simultaneously contacted by an animal or person.”
Source: Bovine Veterinarian, September 15, 2022. Link.
INSIGHTS: Digging into equipotential plane information we found NEC codes for swimming pools, farm buildings, even temporary installations for concerts or carnivals. The takeaway is that all the metal used in construction has potential to create electrical fields that can harm animals and people. As we lean more toward electricity to power our lives, at minimum be aware of the possibility of these low voltage risks and employ knowledgeable contractors to help avoid them.