By Julie Tomascik
Editor
A new hog contraceptive is available in Texas to help control the growth of the feral hog population over time.
HogStop is a male contraceptive developed by Daniel Loper, his father Dr. Daniel C. Loper and their partner, Brad Fails.
“It’s an all-natural feed bait that is made out of ingredients we feed the cattle and deer, and we just combined it in such a way to use it on feral hogs to make the boars sterile,” Loper said in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. “It’s just designed to make the boars less fertile, so we can get a hold on the feral hog population.”
According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture survey, feral hogs cause more than $230 million in losses annually to Texas agriculture. And those damages are expected to grow.
Farmers and ranchers have testified before lawmakers, saying hunting and trapping alone can’t control the invasive species.
That’s where Loper hopes the HogStop product can help.
HogStop is a bait feed developed by the trio, who tested formulas to find a feed that would be palatable for hogs.
“Hopefully, we just keep seeing numbers reduce and reduce and reduce, because the reproductive cycle is three months, three weeks and three days. So, if we can just interrupt a couple of those reproductive cycles, we’re really reducing the threat of the feral hogs,” he said.
A field study showed boar fertility was reduced after five days of eating the feed and that it maintained fertility interruption for at least 30 days, according to Loper.
HogStop is considered a 25(b) pesticide under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act by the Environmental Protection Agency, which means it does not have to be registered by the Texas Department of Agriculture before use.
Loper recommends farmers and ranchers purchase feeders to keep out other animals and feed the product year round.
“We’ve developed hog-specific feeders to keep out other animals, and it impacts monogastrics more than it does ruminants,” Loper said.
The trio has been working on the product for about three years. As a former Texas dairy farmer, Loper’s dad’s experience in ruminant nutrition and background in nutritional biochemistry helped in the development.
“My dad, through his experience, knew that certain feeds impact fertility in animals,” Loper said.
The product is manufactured in Texas and is produced in cooperation with Hi-Pro Feeds. It is available wherever Hi-Pro products are sold.
The trio also established relationships with Barclay and Wild Pig Feeder, two companies that manufacture two different feeders designed to target wild pigs.
“We’ve got the product. We’ve tested it. We’ve shown that it does show a reduction in fertility and morphology and motility in these boars,” Loper said.
He noted it also impacts sow fertility, but it was tougher to trace.
With the feral hog population on the rise, the threat to fields, pastures, water sources and livestock also increases.
The invasive species can degrade water quality and introduce E. coli, making the water unsafe to drink. They also pose a threat to livestock and wildlife, preying on small animals.
“Farmers and ranchers need every tool possible to help control the ever-growing feral hog population,” Tracy Tomascik, TFB associate director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities, said.
For more information about HogStop, visit www.hogstop.com.
So after researching this issue myself… the boars must eat the product for 5 days by a “special feeder” , probably coding a lot more, and only good for 30 days sterilization? Is this the best we can do?
Could it affect javelinas although not swine?
No poison or pest control has worked this far and it just taints the meat. These pigs will eat anything including diesel fuel soaked corn. All I read in this article was how it was designed to work, what part of the scientific method allows you to put out a product where you say it’s going to do this but you have no test results posted….. What works for cattle it’s not going to work on wild boar…… The best way to get rid of this feral hog problem is 6.8 with a super shock tip and a thermal to make ethical and safe shots around midnight when they’re most active. If you don’t have the money or your bad shot, maybe you should consider hiring a professional Hunter to manage the feral hog population on your property and reduce the damage they cause. This is a stupid idea just to make money that’s not going to work.
Harvest and eat them.
I guess this is may better than poison, but I still think it will get to animals it is not intended for. Even with special feeders, how will you keep it from falling on the ground?
Put a $20 bounty on a pair of ears, with proof of kill location.
Why don’t you let out of state people come in hunting for free yeah well come and hunt him for free they would wipe him out pretty muchWhy don’t you let out of state people come in hunting for free they would wipe them out pretty much
What could go wrong? The other pesticide started killing other animals. I am sure this will have impacts on other animals. What about those of us that eat a big that has ingested this stuff? I think that should make big hunting profitable and turn dead hogs into dog food.
Pig not big, doh! Little phone text and no glasses always a mixed bag
It seems that many people are there are a certain group of people who hav so a lust for killing and exterminating animals they don’t want around or care for. This mentality fails to recognize that all animals feel emotions just as humans do. Animals feel pIn, fear, joy, loneliness and many more emotions. Being sadistic and savage in killing animals is bloodlust and thrill killing !!! If there is a non violent way to control wild animal overpopulation than please use that rather than killing just for killing’s sake. Please use the contraceptive on the feral pigs rather than savage killing !!!
DRONES.
Hogs hear hunters coming and scatter; most of the time.
Hogs smell man and hide; most of the time.
AEVs can be employed to do the job.
Could a similar product be made to reduce Feral cats?
Texas needs to declare an emergency and stop allowing pig hunts for sale. Kill them all. No private feral pigs on private property. If you have feral pigs, they need to die. This is why other states now have pig problems. Stop messing around and just deal with the problem.
Maybe you should not charge so much to hunt hawks and you would have a bigger turnout