Drinkers for pigs: requirements and types, how to do it yourself and installation

Piglets are raised by many farmers who have free barns. However, before you get such animals, it is necessary to equip the room and install special drinking bowls for pigs in it. Before installing such structures, you should familiarize yourself with their features and varieties.

Basic Requirements

Drinkers that are installed in a pigsty must meet a number of requirements. Therefore, before choosing a container for water, you need to familiarize yourself with the requirements that it must meet.

General requirements include the following:

• Free access for piglets to water. The design must be shaped so that the animal can easily reach the water.
• The tightness of the container. The liquid storage tank must be completely sealed so that nothing can leak out of it.
• Reliable water supply. The tank must have a special hole through which the drink will be supplied.
• Strength. For a pigsty, it is recommended to choose structures made of high-strength materials.
• Ease of use. The drinker should be such that it is convenient to use not only for piglets, but also for people during its cleaning from pollution.

Also highlight the requirements for the material of the water tank:

• Durability. It is recommended to use products that are made of durable materials. Experienced farmers prefer to use drinkers made of anti-corrosion metal.Plastic structures should not be used, as they are not resistant to mechanical damage and break quickly.
• The presence of an additional filter. Installed filters help purify the water. They need to be changed regularly to improve the filtering of the liquid.
• Installed pressure regulator. This element will allow you to use the liquid in the tank more efficiently.

Types of drinkers for pigs

There are three types of drinker designs that have characteristic features. You need to familiarize yourself with them in advance in order to choose the most suitable tank in the future.

Vacuum

Such drinkers are most often used for installation inside pigsties. These structures are a reservoir in the form of a bowl, inside which water is poured. Also, the products have a separate container for storing liquid.It gradually flows into the bowl until it is completely filled. Then the liquid supply is completed and resumed only after the animals have drunk all the water. Experts advise using a vacuum device for feeding adults. To water the little pigs, you will have to use a different type of drinker.

Vacuum products have a number of advantages that distinguish them from other drinkers:

• this is the most economical drinker type;
• water is always in sight, and therefore animals quickly understand how to drink;
• These designs are easy to care for.

Despite these advantages, vacuum drinkers also have disadvantages. These include the following:

• products can only be used for feeding pigs;
• the liquid inside the drinker gets dirty quickly and therefore has to be washed frequently;
• vacuum tanks are too light and often tip over by animals;
• it is impossible to install filters on them and therefore you have to filter the liquid yourself.

Nipple

Many farmers find nipple designs the most convenient and use them more often than others. Products of this type have advantages that distinguish them from other types of drinkers:

• Versatility. This product is suitable for pets of all ages. Therefore, in the process of growing young animals, you will not have to buy new drinkers.
• Hygiene. Most nipple products are made of stainless steel and brass. These materials prevent the growth and growth of bacteria in the liquid.
• Economy. Design features allow more economical use of water.
• Easy maintenance. Nipple designs are easily cleaned of dirt and disinfected.

Such devices are made from the following components:

• Nipple. Used to supply liquid.
• Regulator. This part is responsible for regulating the flow of water.
• Filter. Nipple drinkers are equipped with mechanical filtration components that are used to purify water.
• Case. Most often made of steel, which is resistant to rust.

Cups

Cup products differ from others by the presence of small sides on the sides. It is because of them that they got their name. Such drinkers can have various sizes. Therefore, for adults and small animals, you will have to buy different products.

In such drinking systems, water is not supplied constantly, but only when it is really needed. It enters the container through a special valve that drops when the mechanism is pressed.

Drinking bowls have merits, which include the following:

• Easy to use. Pigs will have no problem using these drinkers.
• The liquid stays inside the bowl and doesn't spill around. It doesn't splatter because of the high sides.
• Water saving. Fluid is saved by only pouring out when the valve is applied.

Cup products also have disadvantages. Among them are:

• water gets dirty quickly;
• drinkers are inconvenient to clean, and therefore the cleaning process takes longer than half an hour;
• during cleaning, you have to rinse not only the container, but also the valves with tubes.

Required tools and materials

Some people decide not to buy piglet drinkers, but to make their own. However, before proceeding with this, it is necessary to prepare the materials and tools that may be needed. Most often, nipple drinkers are made. To create them, you will need the following:

• Nipples. This is the main material that is needed to create a drinker. It is impossible to make it yourself and therefore you will have to buy it.
• Plastic tube. Small tubes with a diameter of 5-6 millimeters are suitable for a drinker.
• Bucket or bowl. These containers will be used to store the liquid.
• Bulgarian or file. Such tools are useful for cutting pipes. You may also need a drill with which you can drill holes.

How to make your own hands

Production of automatic drinkers for piglets is carried out in several successive stages, which must be familiarized with in advance:

• Tube preparation. First you need to cut the purchased plastic tube. It is cut to such a length that it does not prevent the animals from reaching the container. For example, for small pigs weighing 20-25 kilograms, the distance should be 15 centimeters. For older pigs from one hundred kilograms, the length of the tube increases to 65-75 centimeters.
• Making a hole in the container. Its size must match the diameter of the tube used.
• Installing the nipple. The part is installed inside the pipe. Then it is fixed in the hole made earlier.
• Sealing. All joints of parts are treated with sealant to prevent fluid from leaking.

Installation Features

There are several requirements for the placement of drinkers inside the pigsty:

• Fluid supply structures must be at a suitable height.In this case, the distance from the floor directly depends on the age of the animal. For small individuals weighing 10 kilograms, drinkers are placed at a height of 15 centimeters. For adult piglets, it is placed 10 centimeters higher.
• The product must be fixed at a slight angle. This is done to make it easier for the pigs to use it.
• Don't place drinkers too close together as this will limit access to water.

Conclusion

Each farmer must install drinkers in the barn before breeding piglets. However, before that, you need to familiarize yourself with the varieties of such structures and the features of their use.

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