Squealing on Wild Pigs: How PCR Testing can Help Control Invasive Species
How much would you say you know about invasive species? For most of us it’s not a topic we often think about in our daily lives. You may even encounter several invasive species every day and not even realize it. Do you think you could name one of the most damaging invasive species in North America?
No one would fault you for not knowing the answer, but that’s exactly how invasive species thrive. Luckily there is an organization out there who focuses on raising awareness, takes in sighting reports and offers solutions. Squeal on Pigs! is an awareness program that has been working with the Canadian Council on Invasive Species to help control the population of wild pigs in the prairies.
Wild pigs, also known as wild boar were introduced to Manitoba from Europe in an attempt to diversify agricultural livestock in the 1980’s. Escaped animals, and those let loose by farmers since then have resulted in a thriving population who leave destruction in their wake. These animals are incredibly successful breeders, capable of having two litters a year with up to 12 piglets per litter. They adapt well to our climate, have a wide omnivorous palate and are excellent foragers. Unfortunately, their skilled foraging causes extensive damage to crops and natural habitats by rooting, nesting and wallowing. These behaviors also damage the habitats of endangered species and their voracious appetites reduce resources for other wildlife.
Wild piglets are distinguishable by their brown and white striping pattern which begins to fade around 10 months of age.
Their very existence is a threat to Manitoba’s thriving pork industry as they are carriers of many diseases that can be transferred to commercial livestock and even small-scale livestock. Now to all the hunters reading this, before you run to get your rifles to try and solve the problem yourself, you should know that conventional hunting actually makes the problem even worse. Firing into herds of wild pigs disperses them, spreading the population over wider areas and hindering trapping efforts. If you do hunt a wild pig, you are responsible by law to report it to Squeal on Pigs!
By now you must be wondering what all this has to do with us at BDx ENVIRO. As a laboratory that specializes in environmental testing, we couldn’t simply ignore the impact these animals have on the province we call home. Wild pigs are notorious for polluting water sources with fecal coliforms, including E. coli. We offer simple testing for environmental water sources to detect E.coli and coliforms at an affordable price for our clients who are concerned that wild pigs may have contaminated water, but that’s not the only reason we’re talking about this.
Our animal diagnostics lab is no stranger to pigs and their DNA. In fact, we extract porcine DNA from samples submitted to us from some of Manitoba’s top pork producers like HyLife Foods, Maple Leaf Foods and Topigs Norsvin almost daily to test for a number of illnesses. We’re proud to offer same-day results for qPCR testing, and that puts us in a unique position to help. Wild pigs have large and diverse habitats and are often nomadic. Not to mention they roam nocturnally, making them even more difficult to track and trap. Through PCR testing, we can detect porcine DNA from water, soil and fecal samples submitted to us, helping Squeal on Pigs! determine if wild pigs are in the area, and how long ago they may have visited. Narrowing down the presumed territory of wild pigs helps trapping efforts, allowing Squeal on Pigs! to trap whole herds for humane euthanasia, reducing dispersion.
Wild pigs come in a variety of colours from generations of hybrid breeding with domestic pigs. They are most commonly black or brown with coarse wiry hair.
The other benefit of our laboratory is our ability to test for common porcine illnesses such as Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV), Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV) and Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV). Scat samples can be tested, giving insight to the health of these wild populations. Knowing the health of these animals helps farmers prepare their animals for the potential spread of disease carried by the wild pigs in the area.
We’d like to think there’s a much larger level of separation between farms and wild pigs, but the fact of the matter is easy access to water and food sources make farms an enticing draw to wild pigs. Keeping these animals out is easier said than done as they have been known to cause damage to pens and fences designed to keep animals contained, giving them direct access to feed troughs and water sources. An infected or carrier animal can contaminate the food and water, spreading illness to your livestock.
If you suspect your animals have come in contact with wild pigs, we can use PCR testing on a variety of sample types such as saliva, feces, hair and environmental swabs, and can provide you with results in less than 8 hours. This information is especially important when you consider the threat of African swine fever. Although this viral disease has not yet reached Canada, we need to be vigilant and prepared in the event positive cases begin to appear. African swine fever does not have an effective vaccine available to protect livestock and has a mortality rate up to 100%. Rapid diagnostic testing will be crucial in controlling the spread of this highly contagious viral disease should it reach Canada, but so is eliminating sources of transmission, such as the wild pigs.
Squeal on Pigs! are doing their best to manage the latter, and should African swine fever reach us, we at BDx ENVIRO fully intend on being prepared to provide our rapid-testing services for immediate diagnosis. We’re doing our part, but you can also help. If you see wild pigs or evidence that they’ve been in the area, please contact Squeal on Pigs! by calling 1-833-SPOT-PIG (1-833-776-8744) or visit their website to fill out their Wild Pig Report Form here. For more information on how to recognize the signs that wild pigs have been nearby you can download their digital brochure here.
Together we can rid our province of this invasive species and protect domestic livestock from the threats they present.
For more information about our Animal Diagnostic testing, please take a look at our packages here. We are proud to focus on rapid turnaround times and affordability.