Portable Fence System Simplifies Cattle Management
If you saw Norm Ward’s blaze orange trailer on a highway, you might think it carries traffic safety cones. But it’s actually called a “Power Grazer” and it’s a portable fencing system designed to make it quick and easy to put up miles of temporary fencing.
“I came up with this product because our ranch needed more than just permanent cattle fencing,” says Norm. “We do a lot of intensive grazing, moving cattle from one pasture to another.” Ward first built a prototype, refined it after using it on his own ranch, and now offers it for sale.
The unibody construction of the Power Grazer uses 12 gauge and 14 gauge sheet metal. Reinforced sidewalls support the 3-ft. diameter spool that rides on pillow block bearings. “I wanted the machine built strong enough to spool the wire, but light enough so I could pull it with my Quadtrack,” Ward says. “It weighs about 1,100 lbs. fully loaded, and my 800cc Quad can pull it without a problem.”
The Power Grazer rides on torsion spring axles and carries up to 2 miles of braided fencing. The storage rack holds 100 metal posts and a screw-in grounding rod. On top is a recessed solar panel to collect energy that is stored in two deep cycle batteries. Those batteries hold enough to energize 35 miles of fence and also run the reel that winds up braided fenceline. “In case the juice runs out,” Ward says, “there’s a hand crank as backup.”
The trailer has a ball hitch for truck towing or a 3 pt. hitch for towing behind a small tractor. There’s even a receiver on the back to hook up another Power Grazer or to pull a salt box or water tank to a remote pasture.
Ward uses his machine throughout the grazing season. He says the Power Grazer is an inexpensive portable fencing tool for managed grassland, swath and bale grazing.
Ward says it takes 2 people less than 2 hrs. to set up or take down a mile of fence using the Power Grazer, a system he first built back in 2009. In 2011 he contracted out the trailer manufacturing. He finishes the electrical component installation in his shop. The solar panel is a 135-watt model made by Kyocera. Energizers from Galagher or Stafix can also be specified by customers buying the machine. A standard energizer powers up to 20 miles of fence and has indicator lights to handle up to 35 miles of multi-strand fence. He also offers a Stafix energizer that connects to a 110-volt electrical source.
Ward equips the Power Grazer with up to 2 miles of 3/8 in. diameter red and white Turbo Equi-Braid rope. He says the product, which has 9 strands of metal woven into a braid, is easy to see, easy to handle and is almost impossible to break. If it does get cut or damaged, it’s easy to repair.
Posts stored on the Grazer are made from lightweight steel with an insulated loop at the top to hold a single strand of wire 34 in. off the ground. The 100 posts stored on the rig will fence about a mile. The Power Grazer is priced at $11,000 and includes the batteries and fence charger.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Norm Ward, Power Grazer, Box 118, Granum, Alta., Canada T0L 1A0 (ph 403 687-2260; nward@platinum.ca).
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Portable Fence System Simplifies Cattle Management FENCING Fence Systems If you saw Norm Ward’s blaze orange trailer on a highway you might think it carries traffic safety cones But it’s actually called a “Power Grazer” and it’s a portable fencing system designed to make it quick and easy to put up miles of temporary fencing “I came up with this product because our ranch needed more than just permanent cattle fencing ” says Norm “We do a lot of intensive grazing moving cattle from one pasture to another ” Ward first built a prototype refined it after using it on his own ranch and now offers it for sale The unibody construction of the Power Grazer uses 12 gauge and 14 gauge sheet metal Reinforced sidewalls support the 3-ft diameter spool that rides on pillow block bearings “I wanted the machine built strong enough to spool the wire but light enough so I could pull it with my Quadtrack ” Ward says “It weighs about 1 100 lbs fully loaded and my 800cc Quad can pull it without a problem ” The Power Grazer rides on torsion spring axles and carries up to 2 miles of braided fencing The storage rack holds 100 metal posts and a screw-in grounding rod On top is a recessed solar panel to collect energy that is stored in two deep cycle batteries Those batteries hold enough to energize 35 miles of fence and also run the reel that winds up braided fenceline “In case the juice runs out ” Ward says “there’s a hand crank as backup ” The trailer has a ball hitch for truck towing or a 3 pt hitch for towing behind a small tractor There’s even a receiver on the back to hook up another Power Grazer or to pull a salt box or water tank to a remote pasture Ward uses his machine throughout the grazing season He says the Power Grazer is an inexpensive portable fencing tool for managed grassland swath and bale grazing Ward says it takes 2 people less than 2 hrs to set up or take down a mile of fence using the Power Grazer a system he first built back in 2009 In 2011 he contracted out the trailer manufacturing He finishes the electrical component installation in his shop The solar panel is a 135-watt model made by Kyocera Energizers from Galagher or Stafix can also be specified by customers buying the machine A standard energizer powers up to 20 miles of fence and has indicator lights to handle up to 35 miles of multi-strand fence He also offers a Stafix energizer that connects to a 110-volt electrical source Ward equips the Power Grazer with up to 2 miles of 3/8 in diameter red and white Turbo Equi-Braid rope He says the product which has 9 strands of metal woven into a braid is easy to see easy to handle and is almost impossible to break If it does get cut or damaged it’s easy to repair Posts stored on the Grazer are made from lightweight steel with an insulated loop at the top to hold a single strand of wire 34 in off the ground The 100 posts stored on the rig will fence about a mile The Power Grazer is priced at $11 000 and includes the batteries and fence charger Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Norm Ward Power Grazer Box 118 Granum Alta Canada T0L 1A0 ph 403 687-2260; nward@platinum ca
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