Pig pen feeding and drinking

[Greenbeast]

Been brewing this idea up for a few months while i wait for the tractor to get running so i can start new pig grower pens.

A concrete feeding trough and water station with surrounding apron/standing area

The idea is to do away with both metal feeding troughs (that get destroyed or pushed onto electric fences) or feeding onto the ground where i will no doubt lose some.
In addition i can sink the water trough in the concrete by an inch or two to stop it being pushed around, and the pipework is surrounded by concrete upstands and probably covered with a metal/plywood plate.

The feeder is open ended to stop it filling with rain and make wash down easy

Standing area is drawn as 75mm thick, edges of trough 100mm thick, as are pipework upstands

Would appreciate any constructive criticism

 

[RWG Contracts]

If the feeder is open ended will they not push all the fees out of the end?

 

[Greenbeast]

If the feeder is open ended will they not push all the fees out of the end?

The amount they could move in the time it takes them to eat a meal i'm not worried about, plus there's the apron of concrete to catch that stuff and attempt to prevent too much rooting right off the end.

What do you think about 75mm thick for the surrounding apron?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Looks good to me!
I know what you're up against with pigs.. just like bored children with more muscle!
I had to bury the water line deep and make a 5 foot diameter plywood disc as they'd root it up and chew it on a daily basis
Maybe sink threads in the trough edges so you have the option of bolting down the lids if need be, to keep them out and help keep the water nicer? Just a thought,

 

[milkloss]

I was wondering what the pigs will step onto when they come off the apron. 75mm isn't a lot for a digging pig so I was thinking dig a trench round the outside so you have a non diggable wall under the base.

 

[Greenbeast]

I was wondering what the pigs will step onto when they come off the apron. 75mm isn't a lot for a digging pig so I was thinking dig a trench round the outside so you have a non diggable wall under the base.

like it! more robust but not as much concrete as a thicker slab

 

[Pan mixer]

Why not get a short wall panel from @Unbrako precast or someone to be the base?

Pig saliva and feed mixed together dissolves most normal cement in time leaving rough gravel. I use quarry tiles under the leading edges of my feeders.

I can see where you are coming from

 

[Greenbeast]

Why not get a short wall panel from @Unbrako precast or someone to be the base?

i get your idea but if i cast this in one piece there's no joints for pigs to move anything or freezing water to move anything

 

[Pan mixer]

i get your idea but if i cast this in one piece there's no joints for pigs to move anything or freezing water to move anything

just make sure that the concrete is really strong around the trough edge particularly, you will need reinforcing in the slab too of course.

I thought that a panel would be strong enough to lift up and put somewhere else when you moved pens about, or even moving it within a pen.

The only concrete troughs I have that have stood the test of time are the polymer concrete ones.