What Do You Do with the dead Pigs? Understanding Lethal Control and Donation

“What do you do with the dead pigs?” After being trapped by JAGER PRO® Hog Control Operators™, feral swine are killed inside the trap enclosure. This is because it is illegal in most states to transport live feral pigs or sell the meat. The US Department of Agriculture also prohibits donating wild pork directly to food banks due to risks like swine brucellosis and the pseudorabies virus.

So, what do you do with the pigs once they are euthanized? Most feral pigs harvested are either processed by guests or donated to local families and churches for food. Feral swine can be eaten, but it is important to remember that wild pork must be thoroughly cooked to 165 degrees to ensure safety. While some people focus on whether the meat is eaten, mission success is determined by removing the entire sounder from each property. Whole-sounder lethal control ensures that no pig escapes, survives, reproduces, or becomes wary of removal methods.

Many ask again, what do you do with the dead pigs The answer is that consumption or donation is secondary to effective damage management. The goal is to eliminate the pest population entirely, similar to controlling termites, rats, or cockroaches in a home—removing all pests prevents future damage regardless of whether they are used for food.

Finally, what do you do with the pigs that are not eaten? Any carcasses that are not donated are buried according to Department of Agriculture regulations. While the number of pigs donated is positive for local communities, it does not affect the number that must be euthanized to achieve effective population control.

In short, when people ask what do you do with the dead pigs, the answer goes beyond simple disposal or donation. It is about combining legal compliance, food safety, and proven field strategy to manage feral swine populations responsibly. Whether the pigs are eaten, donated, or buried, the overarching goal is to prevent damage, reduce reproduction, and keep the population under control—because the United States cannot BBQ its way out of the feral swine problem.