The most common rodents around livestock and farms are the
house mouse (Mus musculus), the
Norway rate (Rattus norvegicus), and
roof rat (Rattus rattus). They are difficult to eliminate from
your property, even for pest control professionals.
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| Image taken from: “Controlling rodents in Commercial Poultry Facilities” Judy Loven and Ralph Williams, Purdue University Extension Article. |
Why Control Rodents?
A) They carry diseases. Mice and rats can carry up to 45 diseases transmitted to
poultry and humans. Some of these
diseases include bordeltellosis, leptospirosis, erysipelas, salmonellosis, fowl
pox, fowl cholera (pasteurellosis), trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, and
rabies. Rodents can also spread
disease from a contaminated to non-contaminated area via their feet, fur,
droppings, urine, saliva and blood.
B) Rodents can attract predators to your farm: High numbers of rodents are a food
source that can attract foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, dogs, and cats that
can contribute to disease problems.
C) They can damage buildings and insulation. Rats and mice can chew through rubber,
aluminum, cinder blocks, plastic, wood, improperly cured concrete and wool. They can even start fires when chewing through electrical wires.
D) They consume and contaminate feed. 100 rats can consume over 1 ton of feed
in a year, and contaminate the feed with droppings, urine, and hair.
Mouse and Rat Facts:
- They are nocturnal and highly reproductive- In ideal conditions, rats and their offspring and produce 20 million young in 3 years, and mice reproduce even faster.
- Rats can jump as high as 3 feet, and as far as 4 feet.
- Rodents can drop from heights of over 50 feet without being injured.
- Rats can swim half a mile in open water, and can tread water for three days.
- Mice and rats don’t like to go far from their nest. Rats wander around a maximum of 148 ft from the nest, and mice 30 ft.
- Rats need water daily, while mice can live 2-4 days without water.
- Rodents prefer cereal grains, but will also eat garbage, insects, meat (they can antagonize your chickens and kill chicks), fruits and vegetables, and manure.
- Mice eat small portions and feed sporadically making as many as 20-30 short visits to food at night. Rats tend to get their daily food at one or two locations.
- Rodents don’t like exposed spaces. They often travel in contact with a wall or other objects, can climb rough walls, and travel along utility wires.
- Rats can squeeze through small spaces of a half inch, and mice through quarter inch spaces.
- Mice produce 40-100 droppings per night and rats about 20-50 droppings.
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| Image taken from: “Controlling rodents in Commercial Poultry Facilities” Judy Loven and Ralph Williams, Purdue University Extension Article. |
Signs of a rodent infestation:
Sounds:
Gnawing, climbing noises in walls, squeeks
Droppings: Found along walls, behind objects, and newar food supplies. Rat droppings are bean sizes, and mice
droppings are rice sized.
Burrows: Rat burrows – fresh digging around
foundations, through floorboards into wall spaces. In areas where the ground is soft, mice can also dig tunnels
and burrow in the ground.
Runs: Look for dust free areas along walls
and behind storage material.
Gnawing marks: Look for wood chips around
boards, bins and crates. Fesh
gnawing marks will be pale in color.
Rodent Odors: Persistent musky odors are a
positive sign of infestation.
Rodent sightings: Daylight
sigting of mice is common. Rats
are seen in the daylight only if populations are high. There are approximately 25 mice or rats
for every one that is seen.
Next Blog…
We will talk about how to control and prevent rodent populations!
Resources:
Dr. Mark Bland DVM, MS, DACPV, Cutler Associates
International
“Rodent Control: 7 ways to keep mice and rats out of the
coop” Mike Wilhite
Animal Damage Management, Dept. of Entomology, “Controlling
rodents in Commercial Poultry Facilities” Judy Loven and Ralph Williams, Purdue
University, Publication ADM-3-W
Rodent Control in Livestock and Poultry facilities, G.A.
Surgeoner
“What you need to know about rodent control” Weibe ban der
Sluis
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