Field drinking troughs

[sheepdip]

I want to put some more drinkers in fields, but last year I put a temporary trough straight on the ground in what I thought was a dry part of the field, only to have it turn rapidly into a sea of mud for about 10 yards all around. I'm thinking I need to dig out an area and pack it with hard core, but how big does it need to be? Are there any alternatives like maybe ground stabilising mesh, or does this stuff have anything to offer?
https://www.solwayrecycling.co.uk/recycled-shop/home-garden-communities/raised-beds/easy-pave
Could add a fair bit to the cost of a trough

Its for groups of 30-40 cows and calves. Sheep too but its the cattle that cause the damage

 

[Lovegoodstock]

Probably get less rain than you but we have never even dug in the hard core. Use around a tank the soil has worn away around it over time, don't use crushed stuff or cover with road planings, and whilst it would be more bricks/ breeze blocks not rough broken concrete, touch wood never had anything damage/ gash leg, have odd field that would at times have 400 sheep and upto 60 cows, would only go as far as 1.5/2.5 metres all around tank, the more you go the wider the mess goes, you will always get soiled area around hard core, but spending money for job does not appeal to me, especially whe often paid to take hard core