Rodent pest control on the farm.
The period of late summer and autumn, when crops, and thus the natural food of rodents, disappears, causing them to come to farms in large numbers, looking for shelter and food during the winter. This is a key moment to intensify the fight against these pests.
Mice and rats cause considerable material damage on farms, but they are also a threat to the health of both animals and humans. The scale of potential losses can be demonstrated by the fact that one rat can eat up to 20 kg of grain a year. It is true that this is a small amount, but if converted to several dozen individuals, it can cause serious losses. In addition to losses in agricultural produce, an additional threat resulting from the presence of rodents is the possibility of them damaging building equipment. Damage to the electrical installation may cause a fire, which, given the presence of litter in the livestock facility, may end tragically for the animals staying there.
The specificity of reproduction of these rodents means that if we miss the right moment to combat them when their numbers are still small, there may be an uncontrolled population growth, which will be much more difficult to eradicate.
Routine rodent control should be particularly adhered to if animals are kept on the farm. Livestock buildings, especially in winter due to the higher temperature inside the buildings, are a particularly popular location for rodents. When starting rodent control, this procedure should be treated comprehensively, combating rodents both inside buildings and in their surroundings. It is important to keep the area tidy and avoid waste accumulations. Foil, branches or spoiled fodder lying around buildings are potential places for pests to gather.
If the scale of the pest invasion is small, mechanical fighting by setting mouse or rat traps may be enough. However, if the number of individuals is large, it is necessary to use chemical control using rodenticides. Currently, rodent control treatments most often use the so-called anticoagulants causing internal bleeding, leading to the death of the body. The delayed effect of the preparations is intentional. If the poison acted immediately, other individuals could perceive the new food as a threat, which would reduce the effectiveness of the agent. This category includes: grain baits, granulates, wax cubes and soft paste poisons. According to farmers, soft poisons in the form of sachets work best, as they are most eagerly consumed by rodents. It is worth remembering to spread the poisons in rodent feeders, which will avoid accidental ingestion of the poison by farm or companion animals. These feeders should be placed on rodent migration routes, e.g. along walls, where rodents feel more confident compared to open spaces. It is important to regularly monitor the degree of bait uptake in places particularly frequently visited by rodents.
One way to support chemical rodent control is to use electric rodent repelling devices. These devices produce ultrasounds that are unpleasant for rodents, discouraging them from approaching the source of their emissions. This solution covers an area of up to 1,000 m2 and limits the influx of new pests to the farm. After rodent control, systematic monitoring of buildings and their surroundings is necessary. If you notice any signs of the presence of rodents, it is necessary to take quick steps to combat them to prevent the pest population from growing.
