BASF has launched a new rodenticide bait Selontra, which it has said is capable of controlling rodent infestations in just seven days.
The bait contains cholecalciferol, a new active with a different mode of action, which rodents have no known resistance to.
“Selontra is a new chapter in rodent control,” BASF key account manager, Helen Ainsworth, explained. “Cholecalciferol is fast acting and stops rodents feeding within 24 hours. This minimises feed losses and the bio-security risk of rodents in farming.
She noted that the rodenticide bair It is highly palatable to compete with other food sources on farms and can control even large infestations is just seven days, using the new BASF speed baiting method.
The product was developed following concerns over resistance to anticoagulant rodenticide baits has created the need for a new active to be introduced to tackle so called ‘super rats’ which had developed resistance to difenacoum and bromadiolone actives which are used in a number of common baits.
Selontra which contains cholecalciferol in farm trials was 13.2 times* more palatable than maize silage, Ms Ainsworth said.
She also explained that Cholecalciferol is not persistent in the environment and so also offers an opportunity to reduce the effect of rodenticides on non-target species: “Selontra works by the rodent having too much calcium in the blood. This means fewer, less harmful residues which will help to minimise the risk to non-target species.”
Selontra is available from farm retailers and BASF has created an online course to help farmers learn about how it works and how to implement speed baiting.
