Electric "Snow" Fence

Planning is always important…  until you miss something, then, it’s pointless.  When we set up the winter pasture for the pigs this fall we made sure we put large a couple of large round bales of hay between their hut and the west winds we get.  We also put the feeder and the waterer where they would have minimal drifting to contend with.  The water bucket is also close enough to the barn that we can run a heavy gauge extension cord out to it for the heater to keep the water from freezing.  Really, it’s been a good layout.  Until we got our first real snows and strong winds.

Then, the snow that comes tumbling up the field blew against a pair of big round bales at the west end of the greenhouse (and around the greenhouse).  The result was a bunch of that air dropping the snow before it accelerated around the structure.  It dropped it on a section of our electric fence.

The issue here is really two fold.  First, snow drifts are packed densely and therefore they pull on the twine.  It’s not an ideal scenario by any stretch.  The second issue is when the fence is covered the pigs don’t see a barrier.  The result is likely pigs that think they can walk up the drift instead wallowing THROUGH the drift and hitting a hot wire.  Since they can’t “see” what’s getting them it’s anybodies guess if they would run forward or backward.  Another less than desirable scenario.

The work was easy with a plastic shove…  just dig it out and the pigs respected it.  The only thing I’m left thinking is…  if a 2’ drift can from from 4” of wind blown snow…  what’s this gonna be like when we have out first REAL snowstorm this winter?