Rodents pose a persistent problem for farms!
- Rodents can be built out! With a Rodent Control Program
from North Country you can run a rodent-free operation.
- Rodents transmit serious diseases to cattle, including
bovine salmonellosis, cryptosporidiosis, and leptospirosis.
- Rodents contaminate and ruin feed supplies while causing
extensive structural damage to housing facilities.
- A North Country Rodent Control Program emphasizes exclusion
and utilizes a combination of control methods based on the environmentally
responsible principles of Integrated Pest Management.
Essential Components of a Successful
Rodent Management Program - Rodent-Proofing Is The First Step:
- Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime and are
likely to enter the barn in the cooler temperatures of fall and
winter.
- Many of the new sealants can be applied
in a range of outdoor temperatures and the barn should be sealed as tightly
as possible.
- Remove vegetation and debris from around the perimeter of
all out buildings.
- Check your foundations for gaps that can be covered with
pea gravel - use metal and wood trim with the gravel for an extra barrier.
- Throw out all old tires, broken equipment and machinery,
and other debris.
- Clean the barn by moving items out of corners and away from
walls.
- Store items on skids above the floor - feed, bedding, and
other supplies.
- Store feed in sealed bins.
Rodent-proof construction provides an effective way to
prevent rodent damage:
- grates over floor drains
- install hardware cloth topped by a band of sheet metal
on feed sheds, corn cribs, and other existing wood structures
- cap pump-out ports for manure storage pits when not in
use
- install concrete bunks that set solidly on concrete
aprons to help eliminate rodent habitat
- build concrete foundations
- install guards on augers, pipes, or wires that lead to
buildings
- proper storage and disposal of household garbage
- safe disposal of dead animals
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