Evaluation of rifle cartridge and shot placement for euthanizing feral swine (Sus scrofa) in traps.

ABSTRACT: Feral swine are a highly destructive invasive species around the globe. Wildlife managers commonly trap and euthanize feral swine with firearms to reduce their adverse impacts. The utility of euthanizing domestic swine with firearms has been considered when emergency situations arise such as in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak in domestic swine. Similarly, the rapid depopulation of domestic swine facilities became necessary when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted pork production in 2020. Evaluation of the effects of caliber, cartridge, size of feral swine, and shot placement on effectiveness and safety of the method is needed. We collected data from feral swine euthanized in traps on how those variables influenced the effectiveness in time to death and number of shots required a

SUBMITTER: Lavelle MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11484799 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature