Even though I just own one cow, Molly, while Dad has a few and my nephew, Derrick, owns the bulk of the herd, I love to work with the cattle and especially the baby calves. Tonight I went to the pasture with Dad to check cattle. We have been having baby calves for the last couple weeks and have at least 20 with a set of twins also. We ear tagged 5 new baby calves. The new hook he made to catch the little critters works well. I tighten up my seat belt on the Ranger and lean out as far as I can as Dad drives (chases) them around the pasture and I hook their little hind legs. Usually when I go out with Dad, he will open the gates and have me drive but not tonight since I wanted to catch. As we were coming back home, I got off the Ranger to hook up the electric fence. The wire would not reach all the way across for some reason. I knew that while the fence was not hooked it would not shock me. I had hold of the plastic handle but grabbed the wire on the other side that I hook it into. DUMB! OUCH!! I got shocked from the fingers on my left hand, up my left arm, across my body and ended with tingles down my right arm to the hand holding the handle of the gate wire. After laughing at me, Dad explained that the gate wire is not hot when unhooked but the remainder of the fence wire is! That line is hot and runs the electricity to the entire pasture with a 100 mile fence charger. O.K. I'll have to remember that. Now, 4 hours later, my left hand and under side of my forearm still hurt. I do not know how Dad can grab any of the electric wires and just feel a little tingle at best to tell if the fence is working.
No wonder I do not like to work with electricity even to change out a switch or outlet, let alone replace a light or ceiling fan. I will change a light bulb, though.
