How to translate text using browser tools
1 June 2011 Evaluation of Fences for Containing Feral Swine under Simulated Depopulation Conditions
Michael J. Lavelle, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Trevor J. Hefley, Gregory E. Phillips, Scott E. Hygnstrom, David B. Long, Justin W. Fischer, Seth R. Swafford, Tyler A. Campbell
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Populations of feral swine (Sus scrofa) are estimated to include >2 million animals in the state of Texas, USA, alone. Feral swine damage to property, crops, and livestock exceeds $50 million annually. These figures do not include the increased risks and costs associated with the potential for feral swine to spread disease to domestic livestock. Thus, effective bio-security measures will be needed to quickly isolate affected feral swine populations during disease outbreaks. We evaluated enclosures built of 0.86-m-tall traditional hog panels for containing feral swine during 35 trials, each involving 6 recently caught animals exposed to increasing levels of motivation. During trials, fences were 97% successful when enclosures were entered by humans for maintenance purposes; 83% effective when pursued by walking humans discharging paintball projectors; and in limited testing, 100% successful when pursued and removed by gunners in a helicopter. In addition to being effective in containing feral swine, enclosures constructed of hog panels required simple hand tools, took <5 min/m to erect, and were inexpensive ($5.73/m excluding labor) relative to other fencing options. As such, hog-panel fences are suitable for use by state and federal agencies for rapid deployment in disease response situations, but also exhibit utility for general control of other types of damage associated with feral swine.

© 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Michael J. Lavelle, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Trevor J. Hefley, Gregory E. Phillips, Scott E. Hygnstrom, David B. Long, Justin W. Fischer, Seth R. Swafford, and Tyler A. Campbell "Evaluation of Fences for Containing Feral Swine under Simulated Depopulation Conditions," Journal of Wildlife Management 75(5), 1200-1208, (1 June 2011). https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.134
Received: 4 March 2010; Accepted: 27 October 2010; Published: 1 June 2011
JOURNAL ARTICLE
9 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
classical swine fever
containment
disease
fence
feral swine
foot-and-mouth disease
pig
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top