IPM importance to prevent farm pests

From harassing animals to spreading disease, pests such as flies and rodents can cause huge productivity and profitability problems for farms raising livestock, including cattle, poultry and pigs.

By combining environmental factors, such as good hygiene, with effective products as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, PCOs can help increase the chances of keeping farms as pest-free as possible, advocates Syngenta Technical Manager, Kai Sievert (below).

"One of the first steps to eliminating pest populations is making the environment as inhospitable to them as possible," he advised.

Customers can play their part in helping PCOs keep pest populations down:

• Keep environmental conditions dry
• Clean areas every seven to 10 days
• Prevent high temperatures
• Keep bins with food sources closed and secure
• Remove broken eggs and dead birds daily on poultry farms
• Use screens and mesh to keep flies away from animal units
• Keep areas around buildings clear
• Prevent pest access to breeding sites
• Remove potential breeding sites

A hygienic environment is only half the battle when it comes to farm pest management, according to Dr Sievert. "An IPM approach also requires effective products to knock down pests and keep them at bay.

"When customers are dealing with rodent infestations, they need an effective rodenticide, with formulations that can be applied in a variety of scenarios."

Syngenta offers a full range of Talon rodenticides, all containing the resistance breaking brodifacoum, to help meet the diverse rodent control needs.

Talon®Pellet is highly effective in dry conditions, while Talon®Waxblocks are more durable and work well in damp environments.

"For quick, precise applications, you’ll want to use the paste-like formulation of Talon®Soft," he advised. Talon®Glow allows for tracking of rodent that have consumed bait, and Talon®M is an excellent competitive option with the grains on farms.

All these solutions:

• Attract rodents with a highly palatable formulation
• Control all anticoagulant-resistant rodents
• Require less bait than most rodenticides

"Livestock animals that are pest-free are healthier and more productive, saving customers time and money," enthused Dr Sievert.

"By taking the right hygiene and control steps, you can implement an IPM strategy on farms to efficiently eliminate fly and rodent populations."