Research reveals UK farms are plagued by rodent problems

• 84 per cent of farmers have faced problems with rats, house mice or field mice in the past year
• Over half are unaware if their farm is in an area of known rodenticide resistance
• 40 per cent of farmers felt rodent control has become more difficult over the last 12 months
• Farmers may unknowingly be helping with the spread of “super rats” in their area

Over three-quarters of UK farmers have experienced rodent issues on their farms, a recent survey by the leading pest control solutions manufacturer BASF has revealed.

The research, which aimed to gain a greater understanding of current rodent control measures and rodenticide usage on farms, has discovered that a staggering 84 per cent of those surveyed have faced problems with rats, house mice or field mice over the past year.

Despite this, over half were unaware if their farm was in an area of known rodenticide resistance, suggesting that farmers may unknowingly be helping with the spread of “super rats” in their area that are resistant to certain anticoagulant poisons.

Laurence Barnard, Country Business Manager for Professional & Specialty Solutions at BASF, said: “We all know that rodents have long been an issue for farmers, with the perfect combination of attractive food sources, a plentiful supply of water and harbourage making farms the ideal environment for rats and mice to infest. Sadly, our recent research suggests that many farmers are still struggling to prevent and control infestations on their sites. It’s really important that something is done to act on these findings and encourage the farmers to improve rodent control on their farm before the problem gets worse.”

In fact, the survey revealed that 40 per cent of respondents believe rodent control has got more difficult in the past year, with many reporting that they felt this was largely due to rodenticide resistance.

Promisingly, though, the data suggests that awareness of the issue is increasing, with the number of those unaware if their farm is in an area of rodenticide resistance having decreased by 25 per cent compared to last year.

This follows the launch of BASF’s virtual digital pest control training portal Real Results Virtual Farm last year, which aims to encourage farmers to gain CPD points for pest control before completing the CRRU Safe Use of Rodenticides certification.

Laurence commented: “At BASF, we believe chemical control should be a last resort, and are committed to working closely with farming communities to educate people about rodent behaviour and best practice, as well as effective environmental management, to minimise the chance of an infestation, which is one of the reasons we launched Real Results Virtual Farm. The fact that this year, fewer farmers are unaware of rodenticide resistance is a promising sign.”

Laurence added: “When it comes to controlling rats and mice, there are several factors that farmers are up against, which is why choosing the right rodenticide is so important. At BASF, we offer a variety of rodenticides so that farmers can find the right one for them.

“For example, Selontra^® is ideal for those who want to avoid anticoagulants and gain control in as few as seven days, while rodenticides like Neosorexa^® Plus Blocks can deliver a lethal dose in just one feed. Importantly, neither the Selontra^® or Neosorexa^® Plus Blocks baits have any known resistance, so farmers don’t need to worry about unknowingly contributing to rodenticide resistance.”

Earlier this year, BASF also launched Monitoring Paste^®, a highly palatable, non-toxic bait block designed to help farmers monitor rodent activity and detect early signs of an infestation, preventing the need for permanent baiting and making chemical treatment more effective when required.

Information: Use biocide products carefully. Always read the label and product information before use.