Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced a new tool in the war against feral hogs with the release of a new hog contraceptive bait entering the market this week. A new product called HogStop is being released with the goal of curbing the growth of the feral hog population in Texas over time.
“The feral hog problem has exploded into a crisis,” said Commissioner Miller, “Texas farmers and ranchers need every tool they can get their hands on to stop these hogs. With this new product, we’re one step closer to my goal of making feral hogs an endangered species in Texas.”
According to recent reports, the feral hog population in Texas has swelled to over 2.6 million. Feral hogs cause an estimated $52 million in damages, not just to farm and ranch land, but to urban areas, parks, golf courses. Feral hogs were even responsible for at least one human death in the last few years.
An all-natural contraceptive bait, HogStop targets the male hog’s prodigious ability to reproduce. Feral hogs have the highest reproduction rate of any similar species and can produce a new litter every three months or so and can produce litters of up to 20.
“I am very excited about this new product, Hogstop,” Miller said. “This could be a great new weapon in the war on feral hogs. It appears that unlike other hog baits, this is not a poison. Instead, it interrupts the reproduction of this animal over time, and therefore makes the product more humane. Hogstop, or any other product that is available to help Texas farmers and ranchers curb the damage done by these feral hogs, is welcomed at the Texas Department of Agriculture.”
Hogstop is considered a 25 (b) pesticide by the EPA, and as such, does not have to be registered by TDA before use.
“Contraceptive baits like HogStop work to strike a blow against the exponential growth of the feral hog population in Texas,” said Miller. “As we fight to find other ways to eradicate these pests, these kinds of products can knock down the numbers over a period of time.”
For more information about HogStop, visit their website at www.hogstop.com
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