Lessons Learned from Pig Fencing: Containment, Challenges, and Fixes
Lessons Learned from Pig Fencing: Containment, Challenges, and Fixes
Farming, in my opinion, is a bunch of ideas put into action that either become valuable learning experiences or massive failures. Our journey into pig breeding has certainly provided plenty of both.
The Fence Charger Dilemma
When we first started breeding pigs, I bought a budget-friendly electric fence charger— a Patriot model rated for 5 miles or 20 acres. Later, I upgraded to a much more expensive Gallagher 20 solar fence charger, rated for 12 miles or 40 acres, to avoid reliance on mains power. These chargers worked great for our small training paddock (about 50’x50’), but when we released the herd into a nearly 1-acre paddock, the real lessons in pig containment and management began.
The Great Escape: A Hard Lesson in Grounding
Recently, our gate chain became loose, allowing the gate to swing about two inches forward and touch the removable gate electric fence spring. This spring was energized to keep pigs from testing the gate and was also connected to the 16’x48’ pig shelter, which was covered with galvanized roofing on three sides for wind protection. In short, the energized spring touched the gate, which electrified the entire pig shelter and caused the whole system to ground out. The pigs quickly figured out the system wasn’t working, and we found them wandering freely one morning.
After fixing the immediate issue, I had one particularly determined 280lb barrow who realized that the weak shock from our small charger was worth the reward of freedom. He continued escaping several times a day until feeding time.
Lessons Learned
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Small chargers work fine for training piglets but fail on 300lb pigs.
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Ignore the marketing on charger boxes—joules matter more than miles or acres. A higher joule rating means a stronger charge that better handles contact with weeds and grounding issues.
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Temporary fencing solutions aren’t good for permanent paddocks. Rebar stakes used for mid-line support eventually loosen and cause grounding problems. Wooden posts or T-posts are much more reliable.
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Polywire is not a long-term solution in extreme climates. The Arizona sun destroyed our expensive polywire within weeks, requiring constant repairs. We ultimately replaced it with 14-gauge galvanized electric fence wire—practically indestructible.
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If there’s a way for your wires to ground out, they eventually will. Murphy’s Law applies heavily in pig fencing.
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Proper grounding is non-negotiable. Initially, I grounded our solar system by attaching the ground wire to a painted T-post, which was hammered two feet into the ground—completely inadequate. A solid grounding system is essential for an effective electric fence.
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Daily fence checks are necessary. Pigs are incredibly smart. If the fence malfunctions for even a day, they’ll figure it out and start ignoring it.
Recommendations for Better Pig Containment
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Buy the most powerful fence charger you can afford—aim for at least 2 joules for pigs.
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Invest in strong fence posts and corners to avoid costly repairs and upgrades later.
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Use a proper grounding system. Most vendors recommend at least three 6’ grounding rods, spaced 10’ apart, all interconnected.
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Plan for gates. You will eventually need access for vehicles or livestock movement, so design your paddock accordingly.
The Fix
Last night, I hammered in three 8’ copper grounding rods, spaced 10’ apart, installed a new 2-joule, hard-wired (non-solar) fence charger, and disconnected the solar unit. The before-and-after fence tests showed significant improvement. Hopefully, this convinces our roaming barrow to respect his boundaries.
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Final Thoughts
Fencing pigs is an ongoing learning process, but with the right equipment and setup, managing them becomes much easier. If you're planning on raising pigs, invest in the right tools from the beginning—it will save you time, frustration, and the occasional heart attack when you wake up to find your pigs on the loose!