Talon Track Passes the Paste Taste Test

Speaking at PestTech 2017 in Coventry earlier this month, Dr Sievert reported the recent trials demonstrated the combined use of Talon^®Track with Talon^®Soft allows a great continuity when transitioning within the various phases of the track, treat and monitor integrated approach.

Dr Sievert has completed a series of palatability and bait consumption trials for mice and brown rats in Germany. His research was using the non-active monitoring paste, Talon Track, along with Talon Soft - the active formulation with precisely the same bait matrix.

“Using Talon Track during the monitoring phase allowed the quick identification of the sites with rodent activity,” he said. “That enabled the effective continuity of consumption on a switch to the toxic bait, where it would be quickly taken.”

“The habit of rodents is known to be highly selective of food sources making palatability crucial to ensure they consume sufficient bait,” added Dr Sievert.

He pointed out that this strategy was essential for better targeting of bait use within a control zone, as well as minimising exposure in the wider environment.

One brown rat trial in Dresden, for example, demonstrated the attractiveness of the Talon Track pre-baiting – quickly seeing the consumption of bait rising, to average 57.5 g/day across the trial area in the nine days before a switch to Talon Soft. When the active bait was exchanged, consumption of 88 grammes on Day 1 was exactly the same as the previous day’s Talon Track.

Consumption of Talon Soft then declined day on day as control occurred, falling to 19 grammes by Day 4 and ceasing altogether by Day 10 – indicating complete control.

A second trial, in Kaiserslauten, showed very similar results, with 67 g/day of Talon Track consumed in the five days prior to Talon Soft introduction, followed by 72 g/day on the first day of active bait use and rapidly falling to just 12 g/day within five days as the rodent population was brought under control.  

Furthermore, the Talon Track trials for mice have identified that whilst some bait stations were consistently visited and consumed, other bait stations within the same vicinity, even just centimeters away, were left untouched. “This reinforced the need for multiple bait station placements when tracking and treating mice.

“Operators may be rightly concerned about putting down too many bait stations containing active bait – from both a cost and exposure viewpoint,” he advised. “But when using an inert tracking paste there are no such issues.”

Additionally, the trial demonstrated the Talon Track monitoring paste in one bait station location that was not touched in the initial stages, was consumed completely in the ninth week. “That highlighted the movement of mice within a control zone as they search out new food sources and nesting sites,” he said. “It also demonstrated the importance of a long shelf life for the tracking paste where it can be left in situ for a longer period and still remain palatable to foraging mice.”

“When the monitoring paste was exchanged for the active Talon Soft, bait consumption followed the same pattern,” reported Dr Sievert.

“That indicated mice determined no difference between the Talon Track and active rodenticide - ensuring rapid and complete bait consumption to achieve quick control,” he added.

Talon Soft contains a highly palatable formulation of brodifacoum, typically requiring just 0.2g of bait to deliver a lethal dose for a mouse - equivalent to just 5% of its daily food intake.

Talon Track, introduced earlier this year, has exactly the same bait matrix as Talon Soft, but without the active ingredient. For monitoring there is no risk from its use and, when it is exchanged for the active Talon Soft, there is a faster acceptance of the toxic bait and thus faster control.

The Talon Track is also extremely stable to adverse conditions and remains palatable for weeks, making it ideal as an ongoing monitoring tool and a key part of a successful rodent control program.

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