Feral hogs a growing health threat to Saskatchewan herds

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  A University of Saskatchewan professor is concerned about feral pigs and the health threat they pose to commercial pig herds.

  From WATTAgNet:
  A University of Saskatchewan professor is concerned that the Canadian province could see a larger population of feral hogs than its human population, which could cause huge health problems within the Canadian pig industry.
  Ryan Brook, a professor at the University’s department of animal science, said the feral swine carry a lot of diseases.
  "Certainly, the biggest concern I would have is the potential for disease transmission," said Brook. "There's quite a number of important pig diseases to be really worried about."
  Brook and his team have taken to the skies via planes and a helicopter as well as using ground search crews to seek out the wild boars. They collar them with GPS tracking devices as part of Canada's first movement study of feral pigs
  "Where are these animals going? How long are they living? We do have some anecdotal evidence that suggests that there are animals that have moved to the United States from Saskatchewan," Brook said.
  While their numbers appear to be rapidly growing, finding the feral pigs is still a challenge, as they often emerge at night. The majority of the photos of wild hogs the team has collected are through night vision cameras.
  The challenge of finding them compared to other animals is "easily five times the work," Brook said, “They are there. It's just a matter of finding them."