Pigs Are Surprisingly Easy to Contain
Pigs are one of the easiest animals to control with electric fencing. They have very little hair and large, wet noses — which means the shock travels well — and they are intelligent enough to learn, after one or two contacts, to respect and avoid the fence entirely.
The Three Things That Matter
1. Wire Height — Rooting Is the Problem
Pigs root, so the lowest wire must start 6 inches or less from the ground, with the next wires closely spaced at even intervals up to the pig's nose height (e.g. 8 inches, 10 inches and up). Plan on at least 3 strands and a total fence height of at least 24 inches.
2. Spacing — the "Behind the Eyes" Trap
If a pig gets its head between wires and takes the shock behind the eyes instead of in front of them, it tends to push into the fence rather than pull out. Proper spacing — including a hot wire at shoulder height — is what keeps the shock in front of the nose so the pig backs away.
3. Voltage and Energizer
You need an energizer that maintains a minimum of 2,000 volts on the line. Because the low wires sit close to the ground, a low-impedance energizer is the right choice: it pushes through weed contact, and it penetrates the mud that would otherwise insulate a pig from the shock.
Tips That Save Trouble
- With wires close to the ground, low-impedance is essential to overcome weeds.
- Mud insulates pigs — another reason to choose low-impedance.
- Piglets need more protection: if piglets share the pen, add wires spaced closer together and lower to the ground than for pigs alone.
- Pigs challenge fences with their snouts at ground level, so keep that bottom wire tight and hot.
Getting the Rest of the System Right
Match the energizer to your fence length and vegetation load — see our energizer and grounding guides — and test the far end of the line before turning the pigs in. A fence that reads at least 2,000 volts at the far end will hold hogs; below that, they'll find out for themselves.