Feral swine herds have had explosive growth since the 1990’s, with an estimated population of 6 million pigs, according to the New York Times. What used to be a problem for southern states is spreading and there are now feral swine in 45 states. The estimated annual damage, in the United States, caused by feral swine is 1.5 billion dollars.
The Spread of Feral Swine Herds
Swine are very adaptable and with a near by source of water, can thrive almost any place. Capture and release practices are one of the major causes of the rapid geographical spread of feral hogs. Some people capture nuisance pigs and rather than killing them, transport them to a new location, while other groups may introduce wild hogs to an area for sport hunting.
Government Responses
Many states governments are taking aggressive action to decrease the harmful impact of feral swine on the environment. New York State, as well as many other states, has an open hunting season on wild hogs. North Carolina has a serious problem, with every county in the state reporting wild pig populations, along with an open hunting season, new regulations have been adopted. In North Carolina all domestic hogs being transported on public roadways must be identified with either an ear tag or a tattoo. The fine for transporting live, unidentified swine is $5,000.00 for each pig.
Tattoo Supplies
Ketchum has a variety of tattoo products available. We offer a hog slap tattooer that can hold 4, 5 or 6 large 3/4″ digits. The slap tattoo is an inexpensive way to mark the hogs before they are transported. Our Baby Pig Tattooer is another option and may be the easiest way to tattoo, while the piglets are small and more easily managed. Ketchum Hog Slap tattoo ink and paste are available in green and black. Please visit our website for more details.
