The Farmers Mart Oct-Nov 2018 - Issue 59 | Page 55

PEST CONTROL 55
• OCT/NOV 2018
Palatability is key in rodencticide choice
THE greatest possible palatability is farmers’ key priority in choosing a rodenticide, reveals the national
farm rodent control study run by BASF Pest Control Solutions. The annual study conducted independently
with more than 250 farms across the country also shows the vast majority continue to prefer loose grain
baits. And they employ them in one of two distinct approaches with very different degrees of success.
“THE fact that more than 70%
of farms look for the greatest
palatability in their rodenticide
bait while just 28% prioritise the
least cost underlines the impor-
tance they place on effective rat
and mouse control,” comment-
ed study co-ordinator, Helen
Ainsworth.
“Under these circumstances,
it isn’t surprising that Fortec-en-
hanced Neosorexa Gold cut
wheat formulation, which our
research shows to be four times
more palatable to rats than
standard difenacoum-treated
wheat, is by far the most widely
used bait. 39% of the farms in the
study are employing it against
10% using the next most popular
brand.
“Farmers are quite clearly
appreciating the value of Neoso-
rexa Gold’s superior palatability in
increasing the speed with which
rats and mice consume a lethal
rodenticide dose, allowing infesta-
tions to be stamped out faster and
more reliably than ordinary baits,”
she stressed.
But Helen Ainsworth stresses
that even the most palatable bait
needs to be used in the most ef-
fective way for the greatest value.
In this respect, the most suc-
cessful of the main approaches
currently being employed on farm
involves putting down bait at the
first signs of rodent activity and
wherever it can be detected. Only
55% of farmers doing this report-
ed serious problems with rats or
mice last year compared with 76%
of those baiting in less disciplined
and well-structured ways.
Miss Ainsworth accepts that the
best baiting strategy demands
a high degree of vigilance at all
times to spot activity as soon as it
occurs. However, she sees the fact
that 85% of farmers are regularly
inspecting their premises for ro-
dent activity as clear evidence the
approach is practicable.
“Actively seek out tell-tale
signs of rodent activity like fae-
ces, hairs, gnawing and rat runs
across the farmstead through-
out the autumn and winter
months and put down Neoso-
rexa Gold bait as soon as and
wherever you spot any,” she
advised. “This will ensure you
keep firmly on top of inevitable
infestations at the least possible
cost in both rodenticide bait
and damage.”