[Cran]

Hi All! as I mentioned on my intro post my wife is planning on getting two pigs I have a sheep farm so as far as feed and health goes I'm up to-date on whats required. What I need clarity on are the normal items fencing and water supply... I had the DVO out, I know the inspector from importing sheep so theres an openess there and he raised a couple of items that have me thinking.

Fencing: have 3 paddocks which told herself she can use, all have sheep fencing up with strand of barb wire on top. I was going to add two rows of barb wire to the bottom and put a 3 strand electric tape fence on the inside with those white plastic stakes. Inspector said stakes wouldn't be stong enough and really need wooden stakes. I don't want to put more wooden stakes inside the ones already, would the screw in tape holders into the current stakes work or is he being over cautious about the plastic stakes? Being a sheep farmer I'm fairly paranoid about having fencing that works

Water: I put in a old concrete trough into the paddock to be used first for water, and linked up to the water supply. Again inspector told me they'll destroy the connector and pipe coming into the trough. Plan was to run the electric fence down the back of the trough to keep them off the pipe and connector. Will this approach work, is there a better way to set-up the water trough or would I be better getting one of those push cast iron water troughs for pigs? by any chance anyone know where you'd get one online?

hope theres not to many questions here

[hughesy]

We contain our pigs using two strands of electric wire and plastic posts. Just a wooden post at each corner to help give the whole set up a bit of tension. Once pigs are trained to respect an electric fence they are usually fine and won't touch it so the plastic posts don't need to be strong. The screw in insulators work fine too. You will find that after a period in an enclosure with electric and stock fencing you'll be able to use just electric as the pigs will not cross the fence line. Your idea with keeping the plumbing behind the fence line should also be fine.

[Daisys Mum]

Up until this year, I have used plastic posts with electric fence, when I changed to the screw in holders just cause it looks tidier.I have kept pigs purely behind 3 strands of electric fence, this was only ok as my boundery is very secure, but I never had any escape.
My 4 saddlebacks have a plastic trough fed from an IBC container, the 2 Middle whites just have a trug in a tyre, the electric fence to protect the pipe and connectors should work fine as long as they dont get a shock when they first come for water as happened to my guys and we had to move the whole thing before they would go back for a drink

[HappyHippy]

Either plastic posts or the screw in extended tape holder will be fine - the pigs will naturally stay away from the electric once they've had a shock  I'd put your first run at around 8-10 inches off the ground and the other about 12 inches above that. If you've got sheep netting and a bottom strand of barbed wire beyond that, it's safe to say they'll be contained, even if they do get through the electric 

The only issue I see with the heavy drinkers is they're not ideal for emptying and cleaning (especially when surrounded by mud  ) we use a tyre drinker, like this https://www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk/tyre-bowl-feeder-drinker-p-1276.html - but a sturdy trug inside an old tyre will work just as well for weaners. Just be careful that your leccy fence isn't actually touching anything that will conduct the current to the water as Daisy's mum says - pigs remember 

Good luck with your piggies 

[shygirl]

and watch out for rooting mud up against the electric fence and shorting it.