HogStop Approved

Sorry if this has been posted - did a search and review and could not find...time will tell if this has any impact, but it is interesting.

https://www.texasagriculture.gov/Ne...NOUNCES-NEW-PRODUCT-IN-FIGHT-AGAINS.aspx

https://hogstop.com/

👍

what will it do ta other animal's (deer) ?

From their site:


"Can other animals be affected by HogStop?
Mono-gastric and ruminant animals such as deer, raccoons, sheep, and goats may be affected by a reduction in fertility, if eaten in large quantities. To avoid nontarget animal effects, we recommend hog-specific feeders that work to keep out all other animal types."

That Sid Miller is excited about it...is enough to give me pause. He has tried to champion everything that has come down the pike so far and in some cases tried to ram rod some through it appeared.

I'd like to know a LOT more about the product and testing. Because I certainly don't trust those who have been involved in earlier ventures.


https://www.texastribune.org/2017/0...says-hog-poison-restrictions-not-doable/

It will be interesting to see how TPW reacts to the introduction of a hog solution that has the potential to significantly reduce the state’s deer population.

Based on the Texas tribune article Miller shouldn’t be trusted to make any important decisions!

That's kinda the opposite of what hunters do...
Kinda sounds like in a hog trap, what they suggest, catch & release ?

still say , land owners working with hunters...
All the high-tech, i used trail cams ta monitor.For night hunts had AR-15 set up mildot scope over/green laser under.
Zeroed for close shots, had feeder, foodplot by creek, (hogs followed it), with cellular lights on right side & in open field
had feeder & small food plot by oak tree... 20-30yrd shots. Set up worked great @ OSBWMA close incounters...

Best wish's...

Man, I dunno.

It seems to me to be very effective, it would have to have VERY widespread distribution.

The reason I say that is that it targets the boar, making it sterile...

Okay.

So what about the sow? The sow will still continue to come into heat because she's not impregnated.

We all know that boars can roam quite a distance looking for sows in heat. So the guy two ranches down isn't using it...

It seems those boars are gonna roam and impregnate sows in heat?

I sure don't have all the answers, and while I know they need to find something that's effective, I'm just not sure that this is it.

^^THIS^^

I had the same thoughts after reading the article. It seems interesting and at least it is something, but sounds like it would be best suited for LARGE ranches or HF places. On a very large ranch, the managers could bait at the perimeters to catch local boars and those traveling through from neighboring properties, which over time could make an impact. Combined with aggressive hunting/trapping the overall numbers MIGHT be reduced. On HF ranches the population could be reduced in a similar fashion.

Flipside, for those of us on smaller LF properties, unless everyone in the area is on board and baiting, not much chance that it would make much impact. It would just take a handful of roaming boars to negate the entire effort.

At some point someone will come up with something meaningful and lasting...

^^^^

It's called a 'bounty'. Which would bring with it....its own set of problems... but I'd wager would put a big dent in the population wherever implemented.

Yeah, I somewhat agree. The problem with this is that it requires taxpayer money whereas the Hogstop will probably need to be purchased by the individual landowner. Bounties have been used in a few counties around me, but typically they run out of money less than halfway through the year.

Several years ago Lee County had a $5 bounty on hogs. We'd cut off the tails, bag 'em, & leave them in a freezer. When there were enough to make it worth the trip to turn them in one of the neighbors would take them down and claim the bounty. We let her keep the money. We don't kill a ton of hogs so it wasn't all that much. Beer money, basically.

However, some guys that worked at a local feed lot set up traps and made more money on the hog bounty than they earned as wages. None of the counties around here have offered bounties in recent years though, it's just too expensive.

That is where the warfarin failed miserably. Hogs are not fastidious eaters. Other animals died because hog-specific feeders were not hog specific. Imagine that.

Did y'all catch the embellishments made by Miller to make the feral hog problem sound worse than it is? This drives me nuts. Hogs are already a huge problem, but he is going to stretch the truth to make it sound like more of a problem than it is...



Feral hogs can produce a new new litter in about 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days, or about every 114 days, or about every 4 months...CAN, meaning it is biologically possible. In reality, they manage about 3 over 24 months.

Litters of 20? Again, it may be possible, but the reality is that the average litter is 6-8 according to the folks at A&M. I have cut open a LOT of pregnant sows, and exceptionally few have more than 10 and I think my personal record find is 13. I see a lot with 4-6 on board.

Getting 3 litters a year with litter sizes up to 20 may be what pig farmers can do in controlled environmental and breeding situations, but these are not what is going on out in the field with feral hogs.

I keyed in 3 different area codes and there were NO dealers in those areas. May be hard to find.

They also only lightly brush over the hazards to humans. We are mono-gastric animals too. The site says use caution when handling because it may be harmful to humans. I am sure that means "may sterilize you."

It also only lightly touches on eating the hogs that have consumed this stuff. Says it is safe because it is made from typical feedstuffs. Yes, I am sure the cornmeal or whatever is used as a carrier is fine, but what residual contraceptive is left in the animal? My family eats most of the pigs I kill. Does feeding those hogs to my teenage boys mean no grandkids? Would be nice to know that. At least warfarin turned the fat blue so you knew not to eat that one.

Well, warfarin didn't turn the fat blue. A die did, but yeah, it posed a danger and the die they used in rat poison would let you know that the hog had eaten rat poison. I don't know that they were using the die in Kaput, the brand for the hog poison. This stuff probably poses a danger as well, although Sid Miller isn't really going to tell you about it.

Notice that they don't list the active ingredients on the Hog Stop site? Why?

They say it is "natural." That must mean it is good like arsenic, carbon monoxide, strychnine, ricin, cyanide, etc.

DON'T TRUST COMPANIES THAT WON'T TELL YOU WHAT IS IN THE PRODUCT YOU WILL BE USING ON YOUR LAND.

There is very little information available on the companies website. The information provided is sketchy at best. There are no long term studies, just one man’s opinion. This should be a real concern to all hunters and consumers of wild game and domestic animals that could consume Hog Stop.

Agreed. A die, not warfarin itself. I should have said "product." My bad. I was told Kaput used the dye as well, but I have no first hand knowledge of that, so it's just a guess. At a minimum, I want some kind of tracer in this stuff.

Seems like a waste of time.

In an effort to control the deer herd, other cities have tried to sterilize the deer. To any no sportsman's surprise, that program turned out to be a costly failure.

I believe that education and access to contraception is the key to solving the problem of hog over population. I'm shocked that Austin hasn't gotten on board with that program yet

Of course, you would first need to address the problem of hog literacy. It's hard to read and comprehend the literature if you can't read.

Maybe the company just scammed the hell out of Sid Miller and the stuff is garbage? Unfortunately, a lot of landowners will be scammed out of $$.

I'd love to see a independent study on the efficacy of this product with detrimental effects to non-targeted species noted. If you have nothing to hide, this shouldn't be a problem to share.

Not just the company, but this has Texas Farm Bureau written all over it. Them and their lobbyists.

^^^^^

I'd like to think that anyone smart enough to own and successfully manage land would not be so easily taken in. But....perhaps in desperation, some folks would try it. Hogs are certainly a problem and I don't disagree with the concept of sterilizing the males....but surely it warrants more study and more transparent sharing of information. As it stands.....apparently the EPA has listed it a 'pesticide' that you buy online and apply as you see fit. What could possibly go wrong. It would be interesting to know who all has a financial interest in this.

One problem is that it only takes one male to cover a bunch of sows. And this stuff only effects boars. Make 75% of the boars sterile and you’ve accomplished almost nothing.

Hmmm, related topic here...

https://www.insider.com/mice-plague-poison-is-killing-dozens-of-native-wildlife-australia-2021-6

I would have thought the possibility of crossover to deer sterility would have made this a non-starter, I guess not.

Charlie

Kimble county has an association, as I believe Menard does too, that costs so much an acre that you own as a membership. Then bounties are paid off ears or tails, I can't remember which. (Along with other predators.) A neighbor told me that Menard accepts frozen tails. I replied that it reminded me of my 1st wife. I would think that any LO would pay the membership if he had hunters committed to taking hogs off his/her place. I haven't joined one yet, but may in the future. Kinda don't need the hassle of saving proof.

A guy at TWA emailed me this from USDA regarding a poison:

Notice of Availability-Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for a Supplement to the Environmental Assessment (EA) entitled "Field Evaluation of HOGGONE Sodium Nitrite Toxicant Bait for Feral Swine".
05/25/2021
NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY – Alabama/Texas: Wildlife Services (WS), a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, has issued a Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for a Supplement to the Environmental Assessment (EA) entitled “Field Evaluation of HOGGONE® Sodium Nitrite Toxicant Bait for Feral Swine”. The Supplement to the EA analyzed data from past research field trials and highlighted changes incorporated into the application strategies and the product HOGGONE® and their potential environmental effects. Based on the analysis in the Supplement and the associated Decision/FONSI, WS concluded that implementation of the proposed action alterative (Alternative 2) would not have a significant impact upon the quality of the human environment. WS signed the Decision and FONSI on May 3, 2021 selecting the proposed action alterative.

You can view the Decision/ FONSI and the Final EA and Supplement by going to: http://www.regulations.gov. In the search box, enter APHIS-2017-0067.
You may also request a copy of the Decision/FONSI and final EA and Supplement by sending a written request to:
Feral Swine Research Project, National Wildlife Research Center
USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services
4101 Laporte Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Phone: (970) 266-6000

As a land owner of East Texas where we are covered with hogs I have but 2 things to say.
1. I agree with flintnapper, where's the money really going?
2. What can the Aggies tell us about this? By this I mean, where's the research report?

Until these are answered, I'm nervous and ain't pulling out my wallet. The hogstop site says to purchase from your local feed store. I'll bet you lunch that the good folks at Iron Gate don't carry it.

I'd have concerns about deer management on ranches too.

It obviously states it can and will affect deer sterility.

How about your low fence neighbor that feeds this stuff free choice, and sterilizes all the bucks you've been letting age for breeding benefits?

If used properly, it may help some. But it seems there's more questions than answers at this point.

Sodium nitrite doesn’t work by sterilization. It kills the pigs outright. Also kills some other species, and apparently sterilizes others which I have never heard about until reading this here thread.

But that’s all I am gonna say about that.

Yeah BbarVRanch, but you know lots of folks aren't going to be using this stuff properly. Most will not be buying the hog-specific feeders (which aren't all that species-specific). Many aren't going to bother fully reading the directions. There will be plenty of folks that will run it through regular feeders.

The only good thing about the stuff concerning misuse is that the effects are temporary. Farmer Bubba may try the stuff, but I don't see him enduring the expense for the long term, not when the rest of his neighbors aren't using it as well.

-------------------------

Since this stuff may impact humans, has anyone found the MSDS on it? Seems like there should be one, but I can't find it.

A friend of mine dug this up. The active ingredient is cottonseed oil, but it isn't cottonseed oil that causes infertility, but gossypol that is in cottonseed oil.

NO. 12101
HogStop
Contraceptive bait for feral hogs. Reduces the fertility of male feral hogs within 5 days.
Maintains fertility interruption for at least 30 days after 5 feedings. Results may vary.
Contains only nontoxic ingredients. Contains all natural ingredients.
For use to control feral hogs (Sus scrofa) on pastures, rangeland, forests, and non-crop areas.
Suitable for use in areas adjacent to crop rows and growing areas.

Guaranteed Analysis
This part did not copy from the pdf, but appears to be the filler material for making the feed. PM with an email and I will send you the pdf


Ingredients
Active ingredients: cottonseed oil (1.0%). Inert ingredients (99.0%): sodium chloride, corn, cottonseed meal, molasses.
Feeding Directions
It is a violation of federal and state law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. This product should only be used to control the reproduction of feral hogs. This bait should only be applied in hog feeders equipped with heavy lids (minimum of 17 lbs. total lid weight) on bait compartments to limit access by non-target animals. Locate hog feeders in or near probable resting areas for hogs as indicated by sightings, soil rooting, hog wallows, and fresh hog tracks and scat. Secure feeders in place to prevent hogs tipping them over. Ensure that there are sufficient feeders to address the hog population. Ensure that sufficient bait is available in each feeder. If moldy or spoiled bait is apparent, remove immediately and replace with fresh bait. When feeder is emptied by hogs, clean feeder of old bait residue before refilling. Collect and dispose of spilled bait properly.
Conditioning the hogs to feeders:
Bait application: Add 50+ pounds of HOGSTOP® to each feeder and close lids. Monitor feeders every 2 to 4 days after loading to determine whether hogs are accessing the bait and replenish bait as necessary. Store product in unopened bag in a cool, dry place inaccessible to children, pets, domestic animals, and other wildlife. Dispose of unused product properly.
CAUTION: May be harmful if swallowed. Dust may cause eye and respiratory irritation. Wear gloves when handling. FIRST AID: If swallowed, drink plenty of water. Do not induce vomiting. If in eyes, rinse thoroughly
with clean water. If on hands or clothing, wash thoroughly. Call a physician if discomfort occurs. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN.
This product has not been registered by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Corona Feed Additives, LLC represents that this product qualifies for exemption from registration under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
HOGSTOP is a registered trademark of Corona Feed Additives, LLC of NM.
Copyright 2021 Corona Feed Additives, LLC. US Patent Pending
Manufactured For:
Corona Feed Additives, LLC
623 CR 497
Dublin, Texas 76446
(866) 850-4191
www.hogstop.com
50 lbs (22.68 KG) NET WEIGHT
12101 06/21

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So the active ingredient is "cottonseed oil" which is freaking vague. What they are talking about is gossypol in the cottonseed oil.
https://www.fertileheart.com/cottonseed-and-fertility/#:~:text=Cottonseed%20contains%20toxins%20that%20harm%20male%20fertility,%20according,cells%20that%20are%20crucial%20for%20healthy%20sperm%20creation.

It would seem that gossypol can have negative impacts on cattle, but in females, not males.
https://dairy-cattle.extension.org/...-a-performance-concern-for-dairy-cattle/

Maybe not so much on fertility, but on embryo development...
https://www.researchgate.net/public...seed_products_on_reproduction_of_mammals

However, the folks at the University of Florida note that cottonseed CAN reduce the fertility of bulls...
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/an130

So this would be a LIE that this is only harmful to monograstric animal fertility.

All of this is outside of my biological background. Maybe somebody here can shed light on the possible problems of gossypol on farm animals or wildlife.


According to my friend, what she was told is that boars need five good feedings (1 per day) to drop sperm count and then maintenance feeding to keep it suppressed. There is no such thing as a boar-specific feeder, so you are going to have to use hog-specific feeders so at least half of your HogStop is going to be eaten by sows from your hog-specific feeders. My friend could not get an estimate on the cost of the feeders but was quoted a price of $600-650 per ton for HogStop, which comes out to $15-16.25 a bag but will probably include a by bag upcharge for the bag, labor etc. in bagging.

Wonder if it would work on Raccoons.

They are the second biggest pest on my property.

Hog specific feeding areas?

I will stick to shooting and trapping.

We raise cattle and hunt if we farmed crops I might sing a different tune.

They need something to work on the sows, one boar can slip by this and keep a lot of sows kicking out more.

Right. Lone boars may serve multiple sounders. As the sounder goes about its travels, it may move to an area where there is a boar that doesn't hit the particular feeder. So while all the juvenile boars in the sounder may go sterile, the outsider lone boar the sounder comes in contact with may be fully viable and quite happy.

If you have one viable boar and 50 sows, you are apt to have 50 pregnant sows. If you have 50 viable boars and one viable sow, you can only have one pregnant sow.

If I'm going to feed them anything, I want them dead. To heck with a steady diet of come over here and eat out of your special feeder. That's not helping the rooting and destruction one bit.
You're actually encouraging them to hang around? Not gonna work.

It is true enough that they are attracted to a steady food source. On the other hand....I've had pretty good luck setting up feeders back the wooded areas of my property which tends to keep them out of my pastures. Not 100% of course, but it does make a difference. I have a couple of dedicated hog stands that I shoot them from.

In my case... the location of my land, the topography and resources (food, bedding areas, water) combine to insure I will always have hogs whether I bait them or not. But that is not the situation for everyone, I understand.

Not on my place. Hope my neighbors look long and hard at it as well.