Feral Swine Disease Risks to Sheep and Goats

Feral Swine Disease Risks to Sheep & Goats
Why should I worry about feral swine?
In addition to damaging agricultural crops and destroying farm equipment
and fences, feral swine also carry pathogens and parasites that can infect
sheep and goats. Feral swine are known to carry and transmit nearly 80% of
the diseases of concern for sheep and goats. This may occur either through
direct contact or by ingestion of water or feed contaminated with feral
swine feces, urine or respiratory secretions.
Feral swine also pose a predatory threat
to small livestock. Feral swine are
omnivores, and although their diet consists primarily of plant material, they
may opportunistically prey on newborn sheep and goats. It can be
challenging to identify a lamb or kid killed by feral swine, because they
consume their entire prey.

Diseases of Feral Swine that Can Affect Sheep
and Goats
Disease

Routes of Transmission

Symptoms

Toxoplasmosis

Ingestion of contaminated water or feed.

Abortion, stillbirths, and birth defects.

Salmonellosis

Ingestion of contaminated feces or food or water that Fever, lethargy, dehydration, diarrhea,
is contaminated with the bacteria.
stillbirths, and abortions.

Pathogenic E. coli
Infection

Ingestion of contaminated feces or food or water that
is contaminated with the bacteria.

Diarrhea, lethargy, and excessive salivation
in lambs.

Tuberculosis

Contact with infected animals or indirect contact
with contaminated feed or water. Uncommon
outside of Hawaii.

Weight loss, lack of appetite, low grade
fever, cough, diarrhea, and constipation.

Brucellosis (Brucella
species)

Direct contact with infected animals, aborted fetuses,
afterbirth, or vaginal discharges.

Abortion, fever, swollen udders, and
swollen testicles.

Q Fever (Coxiella
burnetii)

Ingestion, inhalation, or direct contact with birthing
fluids, aborted material, milk, urine, or feces.

Anorexia, spontaneous abortion.

Leptospirosis

Direct or indirect contact with infected urine.

Abortion, reduced milk production, and
death.

Pseudorabies
(Aujeszky’s disease
or “mad itch”)

Nose-to-nose contact, contaminated water or feed,
ingestion of infected tissues, aerosol, or
contaminated equipment.

Intense itching, weakness, convulsions,
rapid breathing, and death.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Feral Swine Disease Risks to Sheep & Goats
What is at risk?
Sheep and goat farmers contribute more than $900 million to the U.S. economy each
year through the sales of meat, milk, wool, and mohair products. Feral swine
populations commonly overlap sheep and goat production with as high as 54% of
sheep and goat farms in the United States being located in regions where feral swine
occur. Preventing interaction between your livestock and feral swine is important in
reducing the negative economic and animal welfare impacts feral swine can have
on your farm and livestock.

How can I protect my sheep and goats from feral swine impacts?
• Take precautions to prevent interactions with your
sheep and goats if feral swine are found in your area.
See the map to determine where feral swine currently
exist.
• Store feed indoors, off the ground, or contained to
prevent access and contamination by feral swine and
other wildlife.

• Prevent feral swine access to feed and water sources
used by sheep and goats.
• Use fencing or other means to prevent direct contact
between feral swine and sheep and goats.

Want to Learn More?
Call Wildlife Services, a program within the United States Department of
Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, at
1-866-4-USDA-WS or visit www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife-damage/stopferalswine
to learn more about the problems caused by this invasive animal,
as well as to seek advice and assistance in dealing with feral swine.