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Protecting man’s best friend
By Judy Wade
The feral hog population in Oklahoma is estimated to be between 600,000 and 1.5 million, according to a recent Noble Foundation newsletter. News on 6 reports these swine are costing $1.5 billion each year in agricultural and livestock losses. They are carriers of diseases such as brucellosis, leptospirosis and pseudorabies that can be passed on to people and other animals as well as carrying and transmitting other diseases. They compete with other animals for food resources.
On the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation website, “Jeff Pennington, a biologist with the Oklahoma Wildlife Department, said eradication is not realistic. A realistic goal is to slow the spread and reduce the density of feral hogs.”
Eradication is not realistic for several reasons: feral hogs can live anywhere, they will eat almost anything, they can reproduce rapidly, both sexes are sexually mature as early as six months, litter sizes average six, but can be three to eight, females can give birth twice a year, they have a low mortality rate with the average life span of four to eight years, feral hogs have few natural enemies.
However, numerous methods of control are available. Box traps are widely used, and corral-type traps, some with remote controls, are gaining popularity. Helicopter hunts, drop nets, snares and hunting preserves are often used. Even a ‘Judas Pig’ is being used as a technique. A feral swine is caught, radio-collared, released and tracked so other pigs can be located.
To read more pick up a copy of the February 2017 issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By: Jelly Cocanougher
Delicate microbes buried just beneath the surface. We walk by them, unbeknownst to us. Spores, spawn, and sclerotia, each with distinct characteristics. It is said that these fungi are all connected, speaking to one another as they populate the earth. The interconnectedness of all living things and the decaying world, such beauty lies within these otherworldly alien organisms.
On The Road With Dave Alexander
Rarely will you find an event center that includes a music venue, a steakhouse and a wildlife refuge all rolled into one.
Oak Meadow Ranch has been welcoming guests for over two decades with one thing in mind, your complete happy experience.
The Chef Dinner and Exotic Animal Experience includes a four-course meal followed by a hands-on experience with exotic animals.
You can catch up with Dave at the Birthplace of Western Swing Festival in Fort Worth, Texas on November 7, or at the Irving Symphony Orchestra in Irving, Texas on November 9. To read more about his experience at Oak Meadow Ranch, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print.
To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Lindsey Monk
On Aug. 22, 2024 at 11:40 p.m., the Remington fire jumped the line in Wyoming to burn towards Montana at a high rate of speed. The fire burned 194,459 acres and over 41 miles from one end to the other in a span of two days. Livestock producers will be feeling the effects for years to come.
Pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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