# Will the goats eat the wiring on my trailer?



## PorkPieGuy (Aug 4, 2014)

Hey folks,

My wife and I are converting a utility trailer into a livestock trailer and we are almost done, and none too soon! We are getting ready to take our pigs to the slaughterhouse on Wednesday! We've never loaded pigs up in a trailer before, and after reading on the internet, apparently,the easiest way to do this is to take the trailer where the pigs are a few days beforehand, and start feeding them in the trailer. This way, they get used to it, and the morning of them meeting their maker, one should just be able to put their feed in the trailer and close the door.

My issue is this: While the trailer is down in the field (we have our goats and pigs in the same field), will the goats (or even the pigs) eat at the wiring? If so, is there a way to prevent this? I had thought about seeing how difficult it would be to interlace the wiring in some chain, but I think I'd have to take the whole thing apart. Is this something I should even be worrying about? Any suggestions?

Thanks.


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## AintGotNoCreekRanch (Jan 1, 2014)

It might just be my weird goats but we did that and my goats chewed on the wires.... Although it might be best to ask some other people..... Good luck! 


❤Chelbi in Southern Texas❤


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yep chewed and bit and tore them out. I now have no trailer brakes on mine lol I'm also missing a back up light on my SUV. Husband is very ticked about that. 
Mine usually would go under the trailer....and car to lay and I think got bored. You can try putting ply board up to keep them away from the wires. With my tailer they can only get to the wires where they go to the lights then it goes in some metal pipe so they can't get it there then comes back out where it plugs into the car so it wasn't that bad to rewire but the wire for the brakes is gone lol


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Yes the goats will destroy the wiring. I used a trailer as temporary shelter for my buck. Not only did he chew through the wiring and rip it out but he also tore off the license plates and busted the lights lol.


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Yep, they will destroy the wiring and anything else they can..... that is just the nature of goats.....lol...


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Yes they will...mine love copper wiring especially.


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## AintGotNoCreekRanch (Jan 1, 2014)

Mine love the wood floors...


❤Chelbi in Southern Texas❤


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

xymenah said:


> Yes the goats will destroy the wiring. I used a trailer as temporary shelter for my buck. Not only did he chew through the wiring and rip it out but he also tore off the license plates and busted the lights lol.


Oh yes I forgot about the license plate. Mine is now held on with bailing wire way up high lol but I haven't had issues with the floor or breaking the lights but I'm sure if I gave them time the would

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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I agree. Goats love to chew on things like that and will most likely have it destroyed in no time.


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## PorkPieGuy (Aug 4, 2014)

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I'm glad I checked here first before leaving my new trailer out in the field for a few days.

Ok, so what we've decided to do this this: Basically, this morning (Sunday) is the last time we are going to feed the pigs. I'm thinking that by Tuesday night they will be ready to eat some feed, so we are hoping to be able to lure them into the trailer on Tuesday evening when I get home from work. We will keep them in the trailer until Wednesday morning when it's time to go to the butcher. I'd rather them stay overnight in the trailer than have to try to chase pigs at 6am on Wednesday.

For you prayin' folks out there, I'd appreciate some on Tuesday night if you don't mind! Any words of encouragement or advice is more than welcome.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

When loading pigs, put fencing on either side of the door into the trailer, put a dark piece of material over their 
heads and back them into the trailer. (Can't push a pig!) We used to use old bushel baskets- they back away
from the covering!


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## AintGotNoCreekRanch (Jan 1, 2014)

Oh I didn't know that...


❤Chelbi in Southern Texas❤


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## PorkPieGuy (Aug 4, 2014)

UPDATE:

This past Saturday, we found this trailer on sale at Lowes:










With the help of some U-shaped bolts and some lumber, we turned it into this:










Last night (Monday) after I got home from work (at about 8pm), I went out to a local high school and practiced backing it in to certain spots to get used to it. I've never had to back a trailer before.

We stopped feeding the pigs this past Sunday. My in-laws met me here at the house after they got off of work today (Tuesday). I backed the trailer up to the fence, and using large pieces of siding, we made a sort of makeshift chute. All we had to do was open the gate, throw some feed in the trailer, and they walked right up it. We shut the gate, and now they will spend the night in the trailer to be taken off tomorrow morning at about 6:30am. It could NOT have gone any smoother!










We only had two goats escape in the process. One ended up in the trailer with the pigs. My wife was in the trailer with the pigs and the one goat. Our goats are Nigerian Dwarfs, and they are only 6 months old, so she just picked her up, climbed the side, and handed her over to me. Another goat ended up under the trailer, crawled through, and started walking around in the yard. It was a pretty easy retrieval.

I was so worried about today, and I'm glad it's over!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad it went well!


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