(See "Flying Pigs for Farming".)

Pigs are smart and tough enough to forage for a lot of their own food. However, they dig deep enough to destroy any but sturdy trees. Some farmers use "pig tractors" on purpose, corralling pigs into a field that needs rototilling or harrowing. This needs really sturdy (or very sharp) fencing, which is in turn hard to build and move.

A technological solution to that might be very useful. Implanted shockguns in the pigs, set off by proximity to (moveable, solar-powered) scarecrows in the tender crops, lets pigs roam about finding beechmast and acorns, fattening on what would otherwise feed squirrels. When rototilling is needed, the shockguns can keep the pigs in the field.

One drawback is that people in the neighborhood now need pig-shock-broadcasters to protect themselves.
-- hello_c, Oct 16 2000

Flying Pigs for Farming http://www.halfbake...igs_20for_20Farming
Give pigs an overview [hello_c, Oct 16 2000, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Animal tractors http://www.agrofore...ry/overstory50.html
Combinations and sequences of animals used in agriculture [hello_c, Oct 16 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004]

1,762 hits for 'Invisible fence' on Alta Vista. http://www.altavist...anslate=on&text=yes
Keep animals away from certain areas with light shocks/annoying noises/scents. [StarChaser, Oct 16 2000, last modified Oct 05 2004]

Pigs are smart, but also sneaky, greedy, and disobedient. "No Pig Trespassing" signs would be treated like menus, if we taught them to read.

Wolf pig-crop-management has the drawback that we don't want the pigs destroyed when they stray into our fields, but the wolves do. Pigs are enough competition for the top of the food pyramid.

Besides, wolves in the field aren't a lower-tech solution, since we'd need to wear wolf-shock-broadcasters to protect ourselves.
-- hello_c, Oct 16 2000


Wild boars forage for themselves. You may hunt them; you may eat them.
-- Vance, Feb 05 2001



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