How to Tackle a Rodent Infestation

This time of year is notoriously bad for rodents and we recommend farmers strengthen their defences against rodents as they prepare to make their annual migration from ditches and hedgerows to cosier accommodation among the farm buildings. Although this time of year is particularly bad, we do always recommend checking for rodent activity all year round as this can be key to keeping the risk of infestations low. We recommend checking the following areas:

• Rat burrows under buildings
• Loop smears on beams or rafters
• Rat holes in dirt banks, damaged doors, holes or entry points
• Runs on the ground between potential feeding areas
• Droppings in ventilation ducts, next to food and equipment stores

How to minimise the attractiveness of the farm environment and in turn reduce the rats around your farm?

• Limit potential food sources. Farms should be kept clear of food sources wherever possible. Spillages lying around can allow the rodent to feed away from the rodenticide and may cause efforts to control infestations to be ineffective.

• Ensure your farmyard is tidy and clean and remove any shrubbery, long grass and waste (whether organic or manmade) this makes the perfect shelter for rats as they remain out of sight from both farmers and natural predators. 

• Remove debris that rodents can use for nesting, such as piles of wood, left over rubble and old equipment.

• Ensure all holes and possible points of entry are sealed, such as where pipes pass through a wall or cracks in an old window

Preparing the farm:

• Trap boxes are great to use all year round on farm land. We recommend the Doc Trap Box and the Doc 150 Spring Trap
• Around the farm, we recommend the Quill Vermin Trap Box and the MK4 Fenn Spring Trap

If you notice rodent activity:

As soon as you discover rodents on your farm, we recommend continuing with traps and introducing bait. In order to prevent resistance build-up towards a specific bait and keep rodents interested in eating them, change the active ingredient of your rodenticide periodically often. We recommend alternating the following poisons:

• Sapphire Grain / Sapphire Paste – Sapphire poison contains the single feed active ingredient Brodifacoum on an oat grain which can control mice and rats in one feed. The Sapphire poison is a highly attritive bait packed with peanut oils and cereals making it very palatable to rodents ensuring infestations are controlled fast.

• Jade Grain – Jade Grain 25 poison is a highly palatable milling grade grain, impregnated with the active ingredient Bromadiolone and is excellent for quickly controlling rodent infestations, kill rats and mice in as little as two feeds.

• Ruby Grain – Ruby Grain 25 is a highly attractive and very palatable Difenacoum grain bait, effective against rats and mice. It is a multi-feed active Difenacoum that gives users the confidence to treat a rodent infestation in more sensitive areas where pets, animals and children may also frequent. The active ingredient is lower in toxicity to other actives and rodents will need to feed multiple times to hit a lethal dose. 

• Racumin Foam – Racumin Foam is a water-based foam designed for use against rats. It contains coumatetralyl making it idea for use as part of an integrated Pest Management programme. The Racumin Foam works by taking advantage of a rat’s grooming behaviour. The foam should be placed in areas where the rodents are known to pass, such as access holes, cavity walls and pipework. The foam will then transfer to the pests coat and as they groom it will be ingested straight into the bloodstream.

Rat bait must always be used with a bait station. We recommend the BETA Rodent Bait Station. This robust and fully secured bait station is ideal for internal and external use. The product has an innovative design and is manufactured to work in all environments. The BETA Rodent Bait Station is;

• Tamper resistant
• Robust
• Water resistant
• Supplied with detachable tray to protect bait from contamination
• Supplied with click fast baiting rod
• Supplied with wall fixing bracket
• Lid springs to aid ease of opening

If you are ordering over 1kg of rat poison, you must provide a valid rat certificate with your purchase.