[desmondthecamel]

 

Hi - I'm new to both pig keeping and this website.

I started with 4 Tamworth weaners, 2 of which are now sitting in the freezer having been finished to pork weight. The other 2 I am taking up to bacon weight. They have now reached a size where they flip their water bowl out of its tyre as a pastime. I have tapped a large beer barrel and inserted drinking nipples, but they are reluctant to use them. I've adjsted the flow to maximum and coated them in peanut butter which was licked off with relish. Still not keen to drink though. The barrel was thoroughly cleaned and the water is fresh. Any suggestions?

Also, suggested weight to finish Tamworths for bacon?

[Possum]

Welcome to TAS. I' afraid I don't have any experience of this but I'm sure there was a discussion about it a year or two ago. If you click on "Search" (underneath the Fruit section) you may find what you are looking for.

[alang]

I used the water nipples on my previous farm. We had both water troughs and tanks with nipples. Some pigs never had used the nipples before and so had to be taught about them. I've found that you have to stand and 'teach/train' the pigs to use the nipples as they are used to drinking from a water trough. This can take some time though. But patience and perseverance is the key.

Putting peanut butter on the nipples imho is a waste of time. They need to see and hear the water coming from the nipples to know what it is for.