The Rural Voice, 1981-04, Page 15One ratmeans twenty
You need all your neighbours to join you in this "rat race"
BY ADRIAN VOS
Any time a farmer secs a rat or mouse
on his premises. he can confidently figure
that there are another 20 around he
doesn't see. according to Agriculture
Canada.
It is hard to imagine how much these
small animals steal. The Ontario Ministry
of the Environment estimates that each
rat consumes from one to two ounces of
feed a day. If we take the average of two
ounces (57 gr.) it is easy to sec every rat
will eat over 20,800 grams. or 20 kg a
year. With feed around 20c a kg. this
amounts to S4 per annum.
So. if the farmer sees one rat. he knows
he is losing a minimum of $80 that year to
20 rats.
However. Agriculture Canada reports
each pair of rats can result in 350 million
rats in just three year's time.
This means every farm will maintain
the maximum population of rats it can
sustain. This maximum is determined by
the feed available to the rodents. and
population control measures by the
farmer.
Feed is not the only loss. Rats are
notorious disease carriers. Of particular
interest to pork producers are trichinosis.
salmonellosis and leptospirosis. African
Swine Fever could be the next disease to
be carried.
How costly disease can be the Dutch
found out, when Italians closed the
border against Dutch pork because
significant amounts of that pork showed
salmonella contamination.
Wally Matte. a large pork producer
near Welland, Ontario. was for years
overrun by a veritable army of rats. He
fought them with traps. poisons and with
ultra -sound waves. Every time he made
some headway the rodents became
immune to the poisons. or refused to
continue to eat it.
He said it was almost useless to
continue the fight. unless neighbours
joined in his efforts. They declined.
It got so bad he and his workers wore
shorts only when working in the barns,
for fear that rats would seek refuge in
their pant legs. Professional extermina-
tors advised them they would get rid/ of
his rats if he emptied his buildings. The
intention was to use poison gas.
He found this impossible. as his 20
buildings hold over 6.000 hogs at all
times.
In January, Matte was finally con-
vinced that he is rid of his rats. A
professional exterminator firm used a
great variety of poisons and baits. This
firm charges him a fixed monthly
amount, and provides continuous service
on a contract.
In return they guarantee a rat -free
environment for his entire operation.
For many farmers such a continuing
program would not be necessary. but
Matte contends since his neighbours do
so little to contain their rodent population
he has no choice but to carry on.
The province of Alberta has had a rat
war going on for many years. and is now
considered free of them. The estimated
savings are S25 million per annum.
For provinces with heavier livestock
populations the losses are likely much
higher.
Ontario pork producers arc aware of
the expense rats cause them, and have
asked the prvincial Pork Producers'
Marketing Board to work with the
provincial government to begin an era-
dication program. A concerted effort.
they believe, could result in a second
rat -free province in Canada.
Thames Bend Lade 2128K
1979 Pork Congress Champion
Bred Yorkshire Gilt
Back Fat 10.5 m.m. 161 Days 136 index
Fourth Production
AUCTION SALE
Featuring Yorkshire, Hampshire, Duroc, Land
race and hybrid breeding. Government R.0 P.
tested and health approved since 1966. At the
farm of Warren Stein, on the llth line of East
Zorra township.
FOURTH SALE
Thursday, April 9th at 1:00 p.m.
THAMES BEND FARMS LTD.
R.R.6, Woodstock, Ontario N48 7W1
519-655-2942 or 462-2704
RICHARD AND WARREN STEIN
THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1981 PG. 13