With little else to cheer about figures released by Hunter Local Land Services (LLS)  that biosecurity officers working in the Upper Hunter have culled 4,647 pigs, deer, goats, foxes and wild dogs during an aerial shooting program during June is a major acheivement.

The three-week long program targeted pest species impacting local properties from Merriwa to Cassilis, and then from Murrurundi to the edge of the Barrington Tops, where water and feed resources are already critically low because of the ongoing drought conditions. 

In total 2,285 pigs, 2,297 deer, 38 goats, 20 foxes, and seven wild dogs were controlled during the program.

The pigs numbers alone are impressive because of the risks they pose through the spread of various diseases and the impact they have on the landscape.

Pigs can smell grain for miles and given the number of landholders forced to supplementary feed their livestock the feral pigs are on the move looking for a feast.

In an ironic twist, as wild dogs numbers decrease, through the success of control programs currently underway, suckers or piglets are less vulnerable to attack and thereby we are starting to see an increase in pig numbers.

Estimates on the number of wild dogs culled in last 12 months is around 150 so that is a lot of top level carnivores out of the system.

“Once you take the wild dogs away pig numbers are likely to increase so it’s essential we conduct a coordinated feral animal pest campaign across all species,” said Luke Booth Biosecurity Team Leader Hunter LLS.

Mr Booth said  this Feral Animal Aerial Shooting Team (FAAST) program will benefit local farms and native species, struggling with the unrelenting drought.

“And the pigs are appearing in areas where you would never ever think you would find them. On one property alone near Clarence Town we culled 54 pigs – unheard of really,” he said.

Feral pigs have also been causing plenty of problems in the Upper Manning.

Hunter LLS, Scone based district veterinarian, Jane Bennett said with little to eat up in the hills the pigs were seeking out grain feeders and finding their contents particularly yummy. “Therefore the recent aerial shooting program has achieved a great result,” she said.

She listed a number of diseases the ferals pigs carried includingBrucella suis –  an infection that is widespread in Queensland’s feral pig population and it has also been detected in the feral pig population in northern  (NSW). Brucella suis can be transmitted to people. There is also Leptospirosis which can transfer to cattle and if they aren’t vaccinated can cause abortion.

“The last thing we want to see are cows, that have been fed due to the drought, aborting from Letospirosis they have caught from the pigs,” she said.

Speaking generally about the drought in the Upper Hunter Dr Bennett said cattle producers who had retained their core breeding herd were now faced with a very tough period.

“Many of the cows will calve in the next four weeks which means they are now unable to transport those females ,” she said.

“One option available is to early wean the calves but that still means waiting another say at least six weeks post calving to make that move.

“So we are looking at at least eight weeks of hand feeding of those breeders to get them through this critical period. That’s not an easy thing to do financially, physically and today finding suitable feed is very difficult. Even if it rained tomorrow those cows will still need that same type of care.”

Landholders who are looking to control pigs can obtain traps from Hunter LLS offices. Please report all wild dog sightings or pest animal problems to your nearest Hunter Local Land Services Biosecurity Officer: Paterson: Luke Booth 0408 681 576 Maitland: Kyra O-Brien 0427 492958 Singleton: Matt Kennedy 0428 686 178 Scone: Richard Ali 0429 722 944 Scone: Jonathan Randle 0429 342 995 Wingham: Laurie Mullen 0407 785 007 Wingham: Peter Fotheringham 0409034557