Hog Fence and Hog Panel Fencing
Hogs are harder on a fence than almost any other livestock. Here's what actually keeps them contained.
A fence built to hold cattle or horses won't necessarily hold hogs. Hogs root, burrow, and push against a fence line low to the ground in a way most other livestock don't, which means a hog fence has to be built differently from the ground up rather than just scaled down.
Why hogs are harder to contain
Cattle and horses generally test a fence by leaning or pushing at chest height. Hogs work the bottom of the fence — rooting with their snouts, digging underneath, and using their weight to push against panels close to grade. A fence that would easily hold other livestock can fail against a hog herd simply because the weak point (the bottom foot or so) is exactly where hogs apply the most pressure.
Height and mesh size
A hog fence generally needs to run at least 4 feet high to keep hogs from jumping or climbing out, though the more important spec is often the mesh itself. Openings of around 4 inches or smaller keep smaller hogs and piglets from squeezing through gaps that a taller but more open fence would miss entirely.
Preventing burrowing underneath
Because hogs root and dig, the bottom of the fence needs its own plan. Burying the bottom of the wire several inches to a foot below grade, or running an apron of wire flat along the ground on the inside of the fence line, keeps hogs from simply digging under the fence rather than going through or over it. Skipping this step is one of the most common reasons a hog fence fails within the first year.
Posts, rails, and reinforcement
Hog fencing needs sturdy posts set with enough depth to resist the constant low, heavy pressure hogs put on a fence line, along with horizontal rails or bracing at stress points like corners and gates. Many hog fences also add a strand of barbed wire along the bottom and top of a woven wire panel for extra reinforcement in spots that see the heaviest pressure.
Hog panel vs. other fence types
Hog panels differ from cattle panel, sheep and goat fencing, and general-purpose field fence mainly in mesh opening size and how low the reinforced section runs. Cattle and horse fencing can use wider openings since those animals aren't rooting at ground level; hog fencing can't. If a property runs mixed livestock, we'll often recommend a fence spec built around whichever animal is hardest to contain, which is almost always the hogs.
What we build
Our farm and ranch fencing work includes hog panel and hog-specific woven wire fencing sized and reinforced for the property's actual containment needs, not a one-size-fits-all spec. We serve properties around Onalaska, Livingston, Coldspring, Point Blank, Shepherd, Huntsville, Trinity, Corrigan, Goodrich, Oakhurst, Cape Royale, and New Waverly.
Frequently asked questions
How tall does a hog fence need to be?
A minimum of about 4 feet is standard, though mesh size at the bottom of the fence usually matters more than overall height for keeping hogs contained.
Do I need to bury the fence wire to stop hogs from digging under it?
In most cases, yes. Burying the bottom of the wire or running a buried or ground-level apron along the inside of the fence line is the most reliable way to stop hogs from rooting or digging their way out.
Can hog fencing be combined with barbed wire?
Yes, a strand of barbed wire along the bottom or top of a woven wire hog fence is a common way to reinforce spots that see the most pressure.