In order to make electric pasture fences safe for livestock owners and farmers as well as their animals, but also for outsiders, there are various legal regulations and information sheets. Basically, fences must be installed in such a way that they do not pose an electrical hazard to people, animals or their surroundings. The basic standard on this subject is the safety standard of VDE 0667, VDE 0131 and DIN EN 60335-2-76, according to which it is necessary, for example, to mark an electric fence accordingly. It must be recognisable from a distance by appropriate warning signs that the pasture fence is electrified. This also applies to ensure optimal safety for walkers and visitors.
The VDE standards also provide helpful guidelines on the number of rows, distances between rows or conductor materials that can be used for fencing in the various animal species. Furthermore, risk areas are defined, i.e. at what distance from a motorway, for example, fences must be erected with which components. The recommended quantity and composition of the earthing or earth rods is also defined.
The fact that the electric fence must be checked daily at several points along the course of the fence to ensure that the minimum guard voltage has been reached is also specified here, as is the regular (e.g. weekly) inspection of the fence for mechanical integrity. In parallel to the safety standards, regional and animal-specific requirements (e.g. the DLG leaflets) must always be taken into account when building fences. At the municipal level, regulations and necessary approvals from the landscaping sector must be taken into account.