The true cost of pest control
With rising food costs, escalating fuel charges and increases in energy prices to consider, it can be tempting to look at areas where cutbacks can be made - but is pest control one of them?
This year has seen yet more climatic changes. The prolonged dry weather in some parts of the country has resulted in one of the earliest harvests in memory.
Combined with surging grain prices, significant increases in the price of animal feed and a shortage of grass in fields means it is more important than ever to protect your stored crops and animal feed from unwanted visitors.
A single rat may only consume around 30g of food per day but, in your grain store, will contaminate ten times that amount with hair, faeces and urine. Spread of disease, threat to biosecurity and damage to buildings and machinery are also costly impacts of rodent infestation.
Even just a small amount of time and money spent on pest control can make a significant difference when it comes to keeping rodents at bay. Prevention is always better than cure and although rodent infestations are inevitable on many farms, certain measures can be taken to contain them and make control that much easier.
Before rodents invade, tidy up areas around buildings, feed stores and animal housing, take the time to dispose of old feed sacks
and cut back any overgrown areas around farm buildings.
This will help minimise areas where rodents gather but also allow easy access for bait.
Seal the bottom of old wooden doors with metal strips and fill in any old burrows so you can spot a new infestation. Clean up spilt grain or feed immediately and try to minimise access to water sources.
Put bait stations in areas that have seen high activity. This helps to reduce the neophobic reaction - a fear of anything new - in rats
and allows bait to be quickly placed when infestations do occur.
Once the food remaining in fields and the fruits and berries on hedgerows have been exhausted, that’s when the first signs of infestation occur - and it’s likely to be earlier this year.
When using rodenticides, pick the right bait. Wheat baits are generally most palatable on farm but if bait security is paramount, block baits can be easily secured in place.
We have a comprehensive range of Mole Valley Farmers baits which offer the highest quality and value for money, plus they are
manufactured, tried and tested in the UK.
Both our wheat and block baits are available in three active ingredients. Difenacoum and bromadiolone will be effective in most cases, with the single feed brodifacoum available if resistance is suspected or for the most troublesome infestations.
The key is to remain vigilant, as once one population is eradicated it is common for new infestations to take their place, often in
as little as just a week or two.
Please remember, anyone wishing to purchase over 300g of block or 150g of wheat-based rodenticides must complete training in responsible rodenticide use.
To get qualified visit moleonline.com/rodentcontrolcourse
