Current outbreaks of African swine fever (ASF) that have resulted in billions of dollars in losses across the globe are heightening the need for the eradication of wild swine populations that can transmit foreign diseases, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) said in comments to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) request for approval of a study to understand knowledge and beliefs about the translocation of wild pigs.
“More than 6 million feral hogs roam the U.S., expanding their range from 17 states back in the 1980s to more than 35 states today. Where there are feral hogs, there are threats to farming and ranching,” AFBF wrote in its comments. “These animals will eat and uproot almost any crop, with common targets including sugar cane, corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, wheat, oats, peanuts and rice. Vegetables and nut and fruit crops are also favorites and pastureland makes an inviting place for herds to wallow, killing perennial grass species that provide feed to livestock. Damaged pastures and rangeland increase operational reliance on outside feed sources, increasing farm input costs and decreasing overall land value.”
That’s in addition to the impact feral hogs have on the U.S. livestock industry. Feral hogs have been documented killing calves, lambs and vulnerable animals during the birthing process. Additionally, they play an active role in transmitting more than 30 dangerous diseases including pseudorabies and swine brucellosis. Pigs are known to be amplifying hosts of influenza A viruses, too.
For example, although National Pork Board Chief Veterinarian Dusty Oedekoven says he has not heard of the H5N1 strain being identified in pigs at this time, he points out that they are susceptible to influenza A viruses, and swine influenza is not uncommon in the U.S. Read more.
“We see outbreaks of routine swine influenza fairly frequently,” he says. “We don’t know if there’s any special higher risk of disease or illness or mortality for pigs due to this virus strain than any other swine influenza strain we have.”
A foot-and-mouth disease outbreak, for example, would cost the U.S. $13.6 billion to $20.82 billion in the first year alone, further intensified by spread among feral herds. Feral swine are estimated to exist in 43% of swine-producing counties, increasing the likelihood of contamination and disease spread, and greatly increasing the difficulty of controlling the disease.
“Direct losses of crops and livestock to feral hogs and costs associated with population management and control impose substantial costs on farmers and ranchers already facing the normal challenges of farming. Time and labor dedicated to fighting feral hog populations and the associated risk of their presence near farm and home are also factors. In total, across the U.S., feral swine result in billions in economic damage and control costs borne by more than 1.1 million producers,” AFBF wrote.
Because of this, AFBF said it strongly supports the collection of additional data and information about the transportation and movement of feral hogs.
“The National Feral Swine Damage Management Program (NFSDMP) has been vital to slowing the negative impacts of feral hogs but requires timely and accurate data to inform best management approaches,” AFBF wrote.
Feral hog eradication can often be a culturally sensitive topic, AFBF explained, especially in states with thriving hunting and sportsmen’s businesses reliant on the existence of feral hog populations. The challenge is lack of awareness of state laws and regulations limiting the movement of feral hogs greatly undermine management efforts.
“This study intends to inform on population movements of feral hogs using APHIS’s extensive database of feral hog DNA. When combined with survey data from hunters and the general public, the impetus for certain feral hog movements and population increases will be better understood and easier to counteract. AFBF believes collection of this data is necessary for the proper performance of APHIS and the NFSDMP, which has the objective of protecting agricultural and natural resources, property, animal health, and human health and safety by managing damage caused by feral swine in the United States and its territories,” AFBF wrote.
AFBF suggested any survey includes a measure of hunter and general public understanding of the negative impacts of feral hog presence to farming and ranching operations.
“Pathogenic implications alone, especially during an era of heightened communicable disease awareness, threaten the lives and livelihoods of people and livestock
worldwide. Eradication of feral hogs is essential to a safe and secure food supply and to guarantee stability for thousands of farm and ranch businesses,” AFBF wrote.
Read More:
Top 10 States with the Largest Wild Pig Populations
