Feral Hog Management Event Dec. 7 in Lampasas- AgriLife Today

A seminar on wild pig management will be held on December 7 in Lampasas. The workshop is a collaboration between Lampasas River Watershed Partnership, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife ResearchHill County Soil and Water Conservation District and Texas Soil and Water Conservation Council.

The workshop will be held from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Lampasas County Farm Bureau, 1793 NUS Highway 281. Pre-registration is required by December 5th at 5:00 pm at https://tx.ag/Dec7WildPig or by calling 254-774-6008.

The workshop will educate local landowners about feral pigs and the challenges they pose to agriculture, ecosystems, and human and animal health.

Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units are available to private pesticide application license holders — one integrated pest control, one laws and regulations and one general. The cost for those needing CEUs is $20, payable by cash or check. Otherwise, the event is free.

Threat to waterways, ecosystems

“Wild hogs are a threat to waterways and ecosystems as their numbers rapidly increase across the state each day, causing an estimated $500 million in annual damage,” said Lisa Prchin, AgriLife Research Coordinator for the Lampasas River Watershed, Temple . “This program is a great opportunity to learn more about effective management and trapping techniques.”

Prchin said feral pigs have been identified as a major concern in the Lampasas River watershed protection plan as a cause of bacterial overgrowth in the river and stream system.

“Wild hogs continue to have a huge impact on agricultural production, water quality, habitat and native species,” said Josh Helsel, AgriLife Extension Officer with Texas A&M Institute of Natural Resources, Bryan-College Station. “This workshop will connect producers and landowners with wildlife professionals who will provide information and resources on how to effectively control feral hogs.”

Topics of the seminar

Heath Lusty, AgriLife Extension’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent for Lampasas County, said the event will focus on hands-on instruction and demonstrations of methods to control feral hog populations. Topics and information will include:

Funding and support for the Lampasas Watershed Protection Plan is provided through Clean Water Act grant 319 from nonpoint sources Texas Soil and Water Conservation board and US Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information about the Lampasas River Watershed Partnership and this program, visit the website www.lampasasriver.org.

For more information, contact Prcin at 254-774-6008 or lprcin@brc.tamus.edu.

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