The Ultimate Guide to Watering Pigs in 2023

Read this guide to watering pigs for a complete understanding of how, when and how much water you must give your pigs. This guide includes simple watering systems, how much water your pigs would need and how you must administer them.

Guide to Watering Pigs: Introduction

Pigs need water to meet their physiological needs like growth, reproduction and lactation. It is very important to keep your pigs well-hydrated at all times. Not providing enough water for pigs will lead to many issues like lack of weight gain and dehydration in your pigs. But giving water to pigs is not easy compared to other livestock. Pigs will easily uproot and spill water buckets.

How much water do pigs need per day?

The estimated water requirements of pigs differ according to their size, type, age, weather and many other factors.

A pregnant sow will need about 10-12 liters of water a day
A lactating sow will need about 20-30 liters of water a day
A growing feeder pig will need about 6-8 liters of water a day

A boar requires about 12-15 liters of water a day.

It is a common practice for most pig farmers to water the pigs once a day. But this is inadequate for them, especially during the summer. Not all the water is consumed according to their needs. A lot of water is wasted, polluted by the pigs or simply insufficient for the number of pigs there are in the sty.

Providing them with automatic water feeders or nipple drinkers will make sure that they have clean water throughout the day. If you are providing water in troughs, then the water must be replaced every 4 hours. Pigs will not drink water that is contaminated with feed. Water troughs must also be cleaned out often, so having troughs in your sty is a bit of a hassle.

Watering Systems for Pigs

There are many types of watering systems for pigs. You can use heavy metal troughs or build a concrete trough to prevent them from being toppled over. Nipple drinkers and automatic water feeders are highly recommended as they prevent water from being contaminated, as in water troughs.

Automatic pig watering system

Providing water for pigs is a lot different than giving water to other livestock. This is due to their size and stature. Pigs are strong animals and have rooting instincts that will make them uproot anything in their path, including water buckets and troughs. So the water troughs you provide have to be very robust and strong enough.

A great alternative to regular water troughs is automatic water feeders. With this system, you are saved from the hassle of giving water to your pigs all day. Pigs will have a constant supply of fresh water whenever they want. This system is ideal for summer when the pigs tend to get dehydrated from a lack of water.

But in winter, the water in automatic systems would freeze and cause damage to the system. So it would be wise to turn it off and use a simple water feeder system instead. Also, when you don’t want to spend on an automatic water dispenser, then here is a simple watering system for your pigs.

A Simple Watering system and Drinker for Pigs

One of the simplest ways to water your pigs is to give them a wide bucket of water with a heavy brick or large stone at the bottom. This will prevent them from overturning the bucket. Place the bucket at the center of a used tire. This way, the water cannot be spilt.

Automatic water dispensers also tend to freeze in the winter, so this system is a great alternative. Do not use high-sided buckets, or your pigs may not be able to get to the water, especially the smaller ones. And there is also the risk of piglets falling in and drowning when using simple bucket water systems. Adding stones to the bottom will make the water shallower, so if they do fall in, they can easily get themselves out.

Water pipes to fill water troughs

Fit the water pipe as close to the main water supply as much as possible. The diameter and thickness of your water pipe should also be able to cope with the water pressure of the mains.

Fit the water pipe with a stop tap to be able to turn the water supply on and off whenever you want. You may need to insulate the water pipes, bury them in the ground or adequately covered to prevent them from freezing during winter and bursting.

Ideally, use metal or copper water pipes at the pen so that it will be strong enough to withstand being lifted or bent. It’s a bad idea to run plastic pipes along the floor of the pen as pigs can uproot and break them easily. Watch this for an idea on how to install an easy watering system for your pigs.

Guide to Watering Pigs: Conclusion

It is important to provide clean drinking water to your pigs throughout the day. They need adequate water to grow, lactate and reproduce. Not giving them enough water will also prevent them from gaining weight adequately.

There are many types of watering systems for pigs, but automatic systems and nipple feeders are highly recommended as it provides water for them constantly throughout the day. Water troughs are likely to get toppled over, and the water often gets polluted by the pigs.