When Allenite Farms built its new free stall and robotic parlour in Glengarry County four years ago, the corporation anticipated problems with stray voltage. "All the steel was welded together and grounded," Kevin Allen says. "But that was still not enough. There were still eight volts coming in."

The final solution was to buy a meter that filtered out the electricity. "It was a hell of an expense. It cost about $30,000," he said.

When asked how many dairy farms he knew of that had occurrences of stray voltage, Allen replied, "All of them." Allen says that even though they had the foresight to look ahead, problems persisted.

Farmers expanding shouldn’t discount new problems with stray voltage, says Ted Cowan, energy researcher for the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. Farmers who built parlours and free stalls had the most complaints but every type of operation has problems, including tie stalls.

Problems with stray voltage have been around for 30 years. Unfortunately, problems associated with stray voltage are similar to many other problems, a fact that allows Ontario Hydro to dodge the issue. That may change, but when it comes to stray voltage, it’s best to live by this old Dutch proverb: a handful of patience is worth more than a bushel of brains.

The Ontario Energy Board published a report last month following last year’s series of consultations with farmers across the province. It states that power distributors should take remedial action where stray voltage on farms is a problem. The report, however, doesn’t get specific. The end result is that more consultation will follow. The report, however, does acknowledge that stray voltage can cause cows to avoid drinking or feeding, elicit changes in behaviour and reduce milk output.

Meantime, farmers grappling with stray voltage are used to waiting. Four years ago, Merton and Jodilyn Albright at St. Eugene added an extension to their tie stall barn, and increased the herd from 63 milking cows to 80.

They’ve had nothing but grief ever since. The variable speed fan they installed didn’t cause problems when it operated at full capacity but at lower speed created problems with stray voltage. The fans have been replaced.

They installed a $35,000 filter system, then unin-stalled it. They brought in more test equipment and lowered the voltage, but didn’t eliminate it. They put blockers on the hydro pole and problems continued. "We are exhausting our resources," Jodilyn says.

On bad days, the "cows kick off their milkers constantly," and Machabee trucks, which haul away deadstock, are too common a sight.

Francois Cayer of St. Albert has struggled with stray voltage for more than 20 years. But when he expanded his barn in 2005, from 60 to 75 milking-cows stray voltage problems increased. The day Farmers Forum visited him, the Relax monitor was registering 15 volts, five volts above the Ontario limit and14 volts more than is allowable in Alberta. He says dead and sick cows are costing him $50,000 per year.