Brown County Agri-Life: Feral Hogs Eat Everything

Written by Scott Anderson – Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are considered opportunistic omnivores –meaning they will consume both plant and animal food sources available to them throughout the year. The vast majority of a wild pig’s diet consists of plant materials and an important, seasonal food source for wild pigs are mast crops (acorns, fruits or beans). Common mast producing species in Texas include oaks, hickories, honey mesquite, prickly pear cactus and persimmon.

Based on extensive research, feral hog diets consist of 88% plants, 10% animals, 2% fungi, and less than 1% other materials which include debris, garbage, lichens, rocks/gravel, soil/sand.

Mast crops represent a high-quality food source for wildlife and are consumed by many native Texas species including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, collared peccaries and multiple small mammal species, including squirrels and rodents. Honey mesquite pods contain high concentrations of carbohydrates, some protein and several minerals, including sodium, calcium, iron, and zinc9. Acorns of both white and red-oak species are high in fat and carbohydrates, and contain some vitamins and minerals, including calcium and phosphorus8, 15. Acorns of the red-oak group have a high concentration of phenolics and tannins15, which are compounds that can reduce palatability to wildlife.

Acorns from trees in the red-oak group are considered semi-annual producers since they take approximately 15 months (two growing seasons) to mature, whereas acorns in the white-oak group are considered annual producers since they only take approximately 3 months to mature (one growing season). These crops are often available in large quantities for limited periods of time, mainly in the fall and winter months. Because mast crops often are distributed unevenly across the landscape, there is potential for competition among various species of wildlife for these resources.

The growth rate of wild pig populations has been shown to be correlated to the seasonal availability of mast producing tree species, and the yield of both previous and current mast crops influences the timing of reproduction and the proportion of reproducing sows in a given year.

Abundant mast crop availability also led to direct increase in fertility, indicating that wild pig sows adjust their reproductive output to track resource availability. Thus, sows born in years with high mast crop production should be heavier the next breeding season and potentially have higher fertility levels and larger litter sizes than sows born in years with low

mast crop production. Therefore, litters born in a productive acorn crop year will have increased growth and future reproductive capability over litters born in unproductive years.

Invasive wild pigs also have the potential to change the species composition and diversity of forests through their consumption of mast crops, destruction of habitat and proliferation of invasive plant species. Continued wild pig control and damage abatement efforts remain imperative.

CEU PROGRAM IN COMANCHE DECEMBER 14^TH

Private Applicators License must obtain 15 hours of CEU’s every five years to renew/recertify their license. These hours must be form 2 hours of Laws and Regulations, 2 hours of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), AND any mix of these and General hours to equal the required 15 hours of CEU’s. Licensed commercial and non-commercial applicators are required to recertify every year by obtaining five continuing education credits; with one credit each from two of the following categories: laws and regulations, integrated pest management or drift minimization.

Once again, we will be offering the opportunity to get a lot of CEU’s in one day. The program will be held on Thursday, December 14, 2017. This seminar will offer eight (8) CEU’s for the private applicator license and certificate holders. The approved credit hours are: four (4) General, two (2) Laws and Regulation and two (2) IPM hours. Commercial and non-commercial license holders will be able to obtain all of their needed hours for license renewal with the first 5 hours of the program. This year’s program will be held at Cook’s Fish Barn. The cost of registration is $50.00, which includes lunch. Doors will open at 7am with program starting at 7:30am. 8 CEU’s in one day makes for a very long day. Please call the Comanche County Extension Office at 325-356-2539 to RSVP.