New lethal bait could help reduce the feral pig population
Feral pigs are a nuisance in many areas of the country, causing billions of dollars in damage. They are reported in 35 states with a population of approximately nine million causing billions in damages each year. They eat crops, dig up trees and devour food that other animals depend upon. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries estimates the state’s population of feral pigs at more than 900,000. The damage estimates to Louisiana’s commodity production are $66 million and other non-production losses are at almost $25 million. Feral hogs multiply quickly, with sows able to have two litters of five to six piglets per year. They have few natural predators and can thrive in almost any habitat, whether it be a tidal marsh or a hardwood forest. Statisticians have estimated that approximately 70% to 75% of the population must be eliminated to control feral swine numbers.
Louisiana State University AgCenter is working on a bait and delivery system to help reduce the population of feral hogs. The baits are soft and can be swallowed whole by the pigs, which reduces the chances of crumbs being consumed by other animals. The baits have sodium nitrite, a common food additive in products such as bacon, that is lethal to pigs at fairly low levels. The researchers had to look at several factors when developing the bait, including choosing a formula that was more attractive to hogs, based on features such as smell and texture, than other animals such as deer or raccoons.
The baits are in the commercialization process through patents and getting federal and state approval for the process. Landowners who wish to use the lethal baits may one day need some form of pesticide applicator license. Some hunters worry that the lethal baits could wipe out the feral pig population, but that’s unlikely, according to LSU AgCenter researcher Dr. Glen Gentry. “We’ve been poisoning rats for 50 or 60 years, and we still have rats,” Gentry said. “When we do this to pigs, you’re still going to have pigs.”
Link to full statement on website: http://landgrantimpacts.tamu.edu/impacts/show/6210