ANOTHER RESISTANCE, THIS TIME RODENTICIDES, FOR FARMERS TO DEAL WITH

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Just when farmers are getting the hang of rodenticide stewardship rules, introduced mid-2016, a new study by Reading University confirms that rats in some parts of the country are resistant to some of the most widely-used poison baits.

The report states that the study “shows the massive extent of L120Q resistance across the whole of central southern England.” Co-author Dr Colin Prescott explains that L120Q is the most severe form of resistance identified to date, effective against first generation anticoagulant rodenticides and one or more of the second generation group.

“Moreover, this doesn’t mean the rest of the UK can relax, because lack of sample availability means we just don’t have the data,” he says. “Another concern is that most rats with L120Q resistance carry the gene from both parents. Where this occurs, it suggests most or even all rats with some susceptibility have been eradicated by widespread use of resisted rodenticides, leaving a population of resistant pure-breds.”

The report was commissioned by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) under its stewardship regime remit to an HSE-led Government Oversight Group (GOG).

CRRU chairman Dr Alan Buckle says the difficulty for farmers, of course, is knowing the resistance status of rats on their own units.

Read the full article here...
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
"The report was commissioned by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) under its stewardship regime remit to an HSE-led Government Oversight Group (GOG).

CRRU chairman Dr Alan Buckle says the difficulty for farmers, of course, is knowing the resistance status of rats on their own units.

“One effective course of action, but also involving extra work and cost, is to employ a professional pest controller with the necessary qualifications to investigate,” he suggests. “Reading University, for example, offers paid-for resistance analysis of rat tissue samples, from which a farm’s status can be identified and control plans developed.

“For farmers, this exemplifies how there is rather more to rodenticide stewardship than membership of an approved farm assurance scheme or taking a training course. For stewardship to be judged a success by GOG, meaningful and lasting reductions in rodenticide residues carried by non-target wildlife are expected. Without widespread best practice by farmers, enabled and supported by farm assurance and training, this might be an unlikely outcome.”


Please excuse me for being cynical....! :rolleyes:

Interesting how the article is aimed directly at farmers. It's almost as if they aren't happy about farmers doing their own pest control work.....! :whistle:
 

Happy

Member
Location
Scotland
Report commisioned by campaign for responsible rodenticide use comes up with another reason for farmers not to be using rodenticide.

I smell a rat.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
From the below report:

"Consequently, bromadiolone and difenacoum are no longer advocated for use anywhere in this area against L120Q (RRAG, 2010). Once again, brodifacoum, flocoumafen and difethialone are recommended for use against L120Q but their use is largely precluded by the regulatory restrictions upon them to indoor use only."

https://www.pestmagazine.co.uk/medi...e-in-rats-and-mice-report-to-hse-may-2012.pdf


Anyone serious about rodent control is likely using brodifacoum anyway....and "indoor use" is not considered as restrictive as it was. Bait in hole, covered over, was recommended on the pest control course.
 

Steevo

Member
Location
Gloucestershire
From the below report:

"Consequently, bromadiolone and difenacoum are no longer advocated for use anywhere in this area against L120Q (RRAG, 2010). Once again, brodifacoum, flocoumafen and difethialone are recommended for use against L120Q but their use is largely precluded by the regulatory restrictions upon them to indoor use only."

https://www.pestmagazine.co.uk/medi...e-in-rats-and-mice-report-to-hse-may-2012.pdf


Anyone serious about rodent control is likely using brodifacoum anyway....and "indoor use" is not considered as restrictive as it was. Bait in hole, covered over, was recommended on the pest control course.

In fact....the report referred to in the above article referring to L120Q states almost exactly the same as the 2012 report.

"Consequently, bromadiolone and difenacoum are no longer advocated for use anywhere in this area against L120Q (RRAG, 2010) and only brodifacoum, flocoumafen and difethialone have been recommended for use against L120Q."

It also states:

"Field trials of bromadiolone and difenacoum were conducted by workers from the University of Reading recently on farms near Newbury (Berkshire) and Winchester (Hampshire), where the rat infestations where almost entirely homozygous for the L120Q resistance mutation. Very large quantities of bromadiolone and difenacoum baits were used at these sites and poor levels of control were achieved (Rymer, 2017)"

I hope they dispatched all of these rats they tested on properly....else all they are doing is exacerbating the situation and causing resistance to spread. Pirbright anyone...?

https://horticulture.ahdb.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017 Resistance Report.pdf
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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