USER GUIDE. The fastest, most effective solution for indoor farm rat and mouse control. BASF Pest Control Solutions

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1 The fastest, most effective solution for indoor farm rat and mouse control USER GUIDE BASF Pest Control Solutions Proven single feed flocoumafen efficacy Highly palatable and durable block Quick, easy and secure to use Maximum value, least cost pulse baiting Enabling the most effective solutions to your pest problems.

2 Introduction STORM Secure gives farmers the unrivalled power of flocoumafen to help protect livestock, stored crops, animal feeds and property from rats and mice. Restricted to indoor use by UK legislation, it is formulated as a highly palatable block with a central hole for firm anchoring within baiting points. This prevents removal and relocation by rodents and the risk this poses for foodstuff contamination and non-target species consumption. STORM Secure may be the single fastest, most cost-effective solution for indoor farm rat and mouse control, but the best product is only half the battle. All the more so since in many situations it will need to be used alongside external baiting with a complementary multi-feed rodenticide. This guide is designed to help rural users make the very most of STORM Secure by employing it in the most effective, efficient and safe way possible. Reasons to choose STORM Secure STORM Secure kills in a single feed Unlike multi-feed rodenticides that are only lethal if rats and mice consume them several times, a single feed of STORM Secure is sufficient to deliver a lethal dose. Over 200 times more potent than warfarin and five times more potent than bromadiolone, its active ingredient flocoumafen delivers the most rapid control possible to minimise rodent damage. STORM Secure prevents bait shyness A typical delay of 3-4 days between consumption of STORM Secure and death means rats and mice never sense they are being poisoned. This means all individuals consume the bait readily without the shyness induced by rodenticides that act with less stealth. STORM Secure tastes good to rats and mice STORM Secure is based on high quality crushed grain in a low wax block that is very much more palatable to rats and mice than melted wax blocks. The palatability of the block and the power of flocoumafen mean that rats and mice consume a lethal dose of rodenticide rapidly and reliably even in the presence of the range of other attractive feeds readily available on most farms. STORM Secure resists tough conditions As well as being highly palatable, STORM Secure is extremely durable, resisting both moisture and moulding extremely well. This means it can be used with confidence under even the most challenging indoor conditions. STORM Secure saves time and money Less potent rodenticides need to be used in much larger quantities than STORM Secure and topped-up more frequently over an extended period. As well as delivering the lowest overall treatment cost, the simple 21-day STORM Secure pulse baiting programme means only four bait applications are required, saving considerable amounts of time. STORM Secure combats resistance No practical resistance has yet been detected to flocoumafen in either rats or mice. This means STORM Secure will give reliably complete control of even challenging populations, including those resistant to other anticoagulants. 2 3

3 10 Reasons to Take Rodents Seriously 1. Rats are the most destructive mammals on earth. They consume or contaminate 20% of the world s stored crops with hair, faeces and urine. 2. Each rat produces around 15,000 droppings and 6 litres of urine and sheds some 300,000 hairs per year, often amongst stored crops. 3. Each mouse produces around 30,000 droppings and a litre of urine per year. 4. As well as the potentially fatal condition, Weil s disease and well-documented cases of bubonic plague transmitted to humans by rats, they are known to carry a wide range of damaging human and animal diseases, including brucellosis and salmonella. 5. Compulsive gnawing by rats and mice can cause considerable damage to buildings, electric cables and machinery. Rodent damage is responsible for 25% of all farm fires. 6. Increasing food safety and farm assurance standard place particular emphasis on preventing all rat and mouse infestations in and around stored crops. 7. Rats and mice are prolific breeders. Sexually mature at around 10 weeks of age, each female is capable of producing 6-8 litters and up to 80 offspring per year. 8. This rate of breeding means survival rates of only 20% allow treated populations to re-establish themselves in around one month. 9. Rats and mice adapt rapidly to diverse conditions and are known to have developed physiological or behavioural resistance to all kinds of toxins, including less potent anticoagulants. 10. Rats and mice are also both tough and resourceful. Indeed, they have been known to survive tidal waves, hurricanes and even atomic bomb blasts. Taking Control When used as a complement to external baiting with the multi-feed rodenticide, difenacoum in programmes that take the greatest possible advantage of natural rodent behaviour STORM Secure offers the fastest, most cost-effective solution to rat and mouse problems. Understanding Rat Behaviour Rats are nature s great survivors. Intelligent and adaptable, they can swim, climb walls, and jump obstacles. Extremely sociable, they live in colonies in outside burrows. As a survival strategy rats are extremely wary of unfamiliar things. This means they may only consume small amounts of new foods until confident of their safety. Rats are creatures of habit, feeding at one or two familiar places and using established, well-covered routes to move from burrows to feeding sites. For the best rat control it is important to site internal and external baiting points effectively along well-travelled rats runs and use an attractive bait to overcome any initial reluctance to feed. Understanding Mouse Behaviour Mice always live indoors in extended family groups. They are markedly more inquisitive than rats, actively investigating rather than avoiding new objects. Like rats they primarily feed at night. However, they are very much more erratic and sporadic feeders, moving rapidly between 20 or more different feeding points and only consuming small amounts of food at each. For the best mouse control it is important to provide a large number of baiting points within the main foraging area and ensure the bait is as arresting as possible to keep them feeding. Spotting the Signs of Infestation Because rats and mice tend to keep a very low profile, spotting signs of their activity is essential if baiting points are to be located for the greatest effect. Regular rat-runs between outside burrows and indoor feeding areas are relatively easy to spot in vegetation and alongside walls where rats feel safest. Rat droppings about 16 mm long and spindle-shaped tracks in mud and dust, and greasy smears along walls are all tell-tale signs of infestation; as are holes and gnaw marks at points of access to buildings. Mice leave smaller rod-shaped droppings about 3 to 6 mm long as well as tracks in dusty places and evidence of gnawing most commonly of sacking, plastics, cardboard and insulation materials. 4 5

4 The STORM Secure Programme The STORM Secure Programme Using indoor STORM Secure in combination with an outdoor multi-feed rodenticide helps reduce the amount of bait and time required to achieve control. It is also an excellent strategy to combat resistance development where difficult-to-control rodents make this a particular concern. With STORM Secure it only takes four applications of restricted amounts of bait over a 21-day programme to achieve control. Rats and mice feeding on the first baiting will be dead in 3 to 5 days. Further applications at Day 3 and Day 7 will target individuals previously excluded from feeding by the more dominant first feeders. And a final application at Day 14 will clear up any stragglers. After 21 days it is important to remove any uneaten bait and dispose of any dead rodents. Planning the Application Before starting to bait with STORM Secure it is good practice to make a sketch plan of infested buildings (using the Farm Plan on Page 9), paying particular attention to any nest sites, sources of drinking water, rat runs and feeding sites. This allows bait points to be sited carefully in the areas of greatest rat and mouse activity. only five metres apart while a 10 metre separation will be sufficient where rats are scarce. A greater concentration of bait points is advisable for mouse control, with placement every 2 metres or so within their main area of activity recommended. The bait points should be numbered and the position of each marked on the plan to provide a reminder of their location for repeat baitings and final bait removal. This will also allow bait consumption at each point to be monitored (using the Baiting Record on Pages 10 & 11) so siting can be improved, if necessary, and a record of product use is kept as a measure of cost-effectiveness or for farm assurance purposes. Applying the Bait Remember, STORM Secure can only legally be used indoors and by professionals. A multi-feed rodenticide will need to be employed for all outside bait points. Always handle STORM Secure with good quality rubber gloves used only for this purpose to avoid compromising its palatability by contaminating the bait with pesticide, disinfectant residues or human scent. To keep STORM Secure in prime condition, always transport it in the original pack and store it in a cool, secure place out of direct sunlight. Day 0 For rat control place three STORM Secure blocks at each indoor bait point and put one block down each indoor rat hole. For mouse control, use one STORM Secure block per bait point. rats feel safe while eating and the bait is protected from non-target species. This is particularly important with a product as powerful as STORM Secure Make a note of the date and number of blocks used at each bait point in the Baiting Record. Days 3 & 7 Revisit each bait point and replace any blocks that have been eaten. Clear-up any discarded bait around the bait points, and wherever blocks remain untouched consider re-siting the point to a different location. Day 14 Revisit the bait points again, replacing eaten blocks, clearing any debris, and collecting and burning any dead rodents although most are likely to die in their holes. Day 21 Collect all uneaten blocks from the bait points and dispose of them safely, tidy-up around the bait points, and collect and burn any further dead rodents. The risk of disease always makes it advisable to wear gloves when handling dead rodents. Rat bait points should be placed along well-used rat runs. Where infestations are heavy, these may need to be If specially designed bait boxes are not being used, the bait should be covered with tiles, boards or lengths of pipe so 6 7

5 The STORM Secure Programme uptake whenever repeat treatment is required to deal with new infestations. With both rats and mice, new baiting programmes should be undertaken as soon as fresh signs of activity are seen. Farm Plan Use the grid to sketch your farm layout and mark the location of all baiting points Staying Vigilant While STORM Secure will very effectively control all current rat and mice infestations, there are always more rodents waiting to move into attractive territories as they are cleared of existing colonies. Good housekeeping can be very valuable in making this as difficult as possible. In particular: Clearing up any rubbish or overgrown vegetation around buildings Tidying up equally well inside buildings Storing animal feed in closed containers Emptying waste bins regularly Stacking food in sacks or boxes off the floor and away from walls Blocking-up holes and covering windows with fine screen metal mesh Cladding the bases of wooden walls and doors with metal Where rats are the main problem, permanently siting bait points along previously used runs can be very valuable in helping overcome neophobia, ensuring the most rapid bait Employing a Pest Controller Anyone employing an external pest control operator should make it their business to know which products are being used, as well as where and how if they are to ensure the most thorough, cost-effective and safe job. Keeping Safe BASF has taken every care to ensure that STORM Secure is as safe to use as possible despite its great potency. A bitter-tasting additive has been included to make it unpalatable to humans and many non-target species. Even so, it is important to observe the following precautions: Never smoke, eat or drink while baiting. Always wash hands and exposed skin after handling bait. Never use where foodstuffs or water could become contaminated. Always store in a safe place away from children. Always protect bait adequately from non target species dogs in particular. Should accidental poisoning be suspected, Vitamin K1 is a proven antidote. Veterinary surgeons should be called-upon to diagnose and treat suspected cases. 8 9

6 Baiting Record Baiting Record Site and Comments Number of Storm bait blocks at site e.g. Under tile, near green door. Start After 3 days After 7 days After 14 days After 21 days (very active) Date: Date: Date: Date: Date: Placed Remaining Added Remaining Added Remaining Added Remaining Site and Comments Number of Storm bait blocks at site e.g. Under tile, near green door. Start After 3 days After 7 days After 14 days After 21 days (very active) Date: Date: Date: Date: Date: Placed Remaining Added Remaining Added Remaining Added Remaining

7 STORM Secure is the fastest, most cost-effective and convenient solution for indoor farm rat and mouse control STORM Secure kills in a single feed STORM Secure prevents bait shyness STORM Secure tastes good to rats and mice STORM Secure resists tough conditions STORM Secure saves time and money STORM Secure combats resistance STORM Secure is a registered trademark of BASF STORM Secure contains flocoumafen Always read the label. Use biocides safely. Further information from: BASF Plc PO Box 4, Earl Road Cheadle Hulme Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 6QG Tel: Fax: