ABSTRACT
The efficacy of flocoumafen, a novel anticoagulant rodenticide, was evaluated in feeding tests on confined and free-living populations of house mice (Mus musculus L.). In four pen trials, family groups of laboratory-reared wild mice were conditioned to feeding on plain foods and then offered flocoumafen at 0.005% in pinhead oatmeal bait. All 68 mice, comprising juvenile and adult animals, died within 10 days. Ten field trials were carried out, using the same formulated poison bait, against mice infesting farm buildings. Mean treatment success, estimated from live-capture and mortality data, ranged between 87.1 and 100%. The performance of flocoumafen is compared with that of difenacoum, bromadiolone and brodifacoum used at the same concentration in oatmeal bait. Flocoumafen gave an equally effective but quicker kill of mice. It is concluded that flocoumafen is a promising new rodenticide for the control of M. musculus.
Subject(s)
4-Hydroxycoumarins/toxicity , Anticoagulants/toxicity , Mice/physiology , Rodenticides , Animals , Animals, Laboratory/physiology , Animals, Wild/physiology , Drug Evaluation , Female , Male , Rodent ControlABSTRACT
Laboratory and field trials were conducted to determine the efficacy of the candidate rodenticide flupropadine against the house mouse (Mus musculus L.). In laboratory feeding tests, family groups of wild mice maintained in pens and conditioned to feeding on plain foods were offered flupropadine at either 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.18% or 0.20% in pinhead oatmeal bait. Overall mortalities in replicated 21-day treatments were 66/71 (93.0%), 71/79 (89.9%), 72/76 (94.7%) and 69/75 (92.0%) respectively. In 17 field trials carried out against mice infesting farm buildings, flupropadine was used at 0.10%, 0.15% and 0.18% in oatmeal bait. Mean treatment success, estimated from live-capture and mortality data, was 88.6%, 96.2% and 96.6% respectively. Flupropadine was found to be as near effective against mice as calciferol/warfarin and the second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides difenacoum, bromadiolone and brodifacoum. In further comparison with the anticoagulants, treatment with flupropadine bait achieved markedly quicker control.
Subject(s)
Mice , Rodent Control/methods , Rodenticides , Animals , Animals, Wild , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Laboratory and field trials were conducted to determine the efficacy of the anticoagulant rodenticide bromadiolone against the house mouse (Mus musculus). In laboratory feeding tests, family groups of warfarin-resistant mice maintained in pens and conditioned to feeding on plain foods were offered pinhead oatmeal bait containing bromadiolone at 0.005%. Overall mortality in replicated 21-day poison treatments was 55/58 or 94.8%. Six field trials were carried out, using the same poison bait, against mice infesting farm buildings. Treatment success, estimated from the results of census baitings conducted before and after treatment, ranged between 60.4% and 100%, mean 92.4%. In equivalent field trials using difenacoum, another newly developed anticoagulant rodenticide, the control achieved ranged between 70.2% and 100%, mean 96.0%. Five field trials, three involving bromadiolone and two difenacoum, were not completely successful and the surviving mice were removed for laboratory examination. In 21-day toxicity tests, each animal was fed the poison bait offered to it earlier in the field. Bromadiolone and difenacoum gave kills of 12/21 (57.1%) and 9/11 (81.8%) respectively. The possible emergence of mouse populations resistant to these anticoagulants is considered.
Subject(s)
4-Hydroxycoumarins/pharmacology , Anticoagulants/pharmacology , Mice , Rodent Control , Rodenticides/pharmacology , Animals , Drug Resistance , Female , MaleABSTRACT
The anticoagulant rodenticide brodifacoum was tested against house mice (Mus musculus L.) infesting farm buildings. In six trials, treatment success was assessed from the results of census baitings conducted before and after treatment. With 0.005% brodifacoum in canary seed/corn oil bait, the control achieved ranged between 92.7% and 100%, mean 98.8%. Two mouse populations were eradicated in 3 to 4 weeks but a few individuals survived each of the other four treatments which lasted 6 weeks. The effectiveness of brodifacoum against mice is compared with that of 0.1% calciferol and 0.025% warfarin in combination. It is concluded that brodifacoum and calciferol warfarin are equally effective in controlling M. musculus but that brodifacoum treatments need to be conducted for a relatively longer period.
Subject(s)
4-Hydroxycoumarins , Mice , Rodent Control , Rodenticides , Animals , Biphenyl Compounds , Evaluation Studies as TopicABSTRACT
Pen field trials were conducted to assess the performance of the acute rodenticide pyriminil against the house mouse (Mus musculus L.). Four types of poison treatment were carried out using penned family groups of warfarin-resistant mice supplied with alternative plain foods. In each treatment pyriminil was included at 2% in a wholemeal flour/pinhead oatmeal/corn oil bait. Mortality was highest (46/54; 85.2%) when poison bait was offered for 4 days following 3 days of pre-baiting. The same pre-baiting and poisoning technique was adopted in five field trials carried out against mice infesting farm buildings. The efficacy of each poison treatment was estimated from the results of pre- and post-treatment census baitings; treatment success ranged between 53.7% and 96.7%, mean 80.5%. It is concluded that pyriminil treatments are best carried out after a period of pre-baiting and that when pyriminil is used in this manner it is about as effective as zinc phosphide for the control of mice.
Subject(s)
Mice , Phenylurea Compounds , Rodent Control , Rodenticides , AnimalsABSTRACT
The efficacy of the newly developed anticoagulant rodenticide WBA 8119 was evaluated against the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) using individual and family groups of warfarin-resistant animals. WBA 8119 at 0-002%, 0-005% and 0-01% in pinhead oatmeal bait gave complete kills of mice in 'no-choice' feeding tests carried out in cages and small pens. In replicated 21-day treatments on families of mice confined in larger pens and conditioned to feeding on plain foods, the overall mortalities obtained using the three formulated poison baits were 71/72, 62/63 and 57/57 respectively. The results of the WBA 8119 toxicity tests are considered in relation to previous findings on other anticoagulant rodenticides, particularly difenacoum. In equivalent tests, WBA 8119 performed better than difenacoum. The data thus support the laboratory findings that WBA 8119 is the most active anticoagulant so far tested for the control of warfarin-resistant house mice.
Subject(s)
4-Hydroxycoumarins/pharmacology , Biphenyl Compounds/pharmacology , Rodenticides/pharmacology , Animals , Drug Resistance , Female , Food , Male , Mice , Warfarin/pharmacologyABSTRACT
The efficacy of difenacoum as a new anticoagulant rodenticide was evaluated by blood coagulation studies and laboratory feeding tests using warfarin-resistant and non-resistant common rats (Rattus norvegicus), ship rats (R. rattus) and house mice (Mus musculus). Prothrombin assays indicated that the compound had as marked an activity with warfarin-resistant common rats as coumatetralyl had with non-resistant animals. Feeding tests confirmed that 0-005% would be a near-optimal concentration for field use, although there was some evidence of unpalatability. Results with ship rats and house mice were less favourable. Trials with enclosed colonies of warfarin-resistant mice confirmed the laboratory finding that although difenacoum was more effective than all other currently used anticoagulants, it was unlikely to give complete control. It is concluded that difenacoum is a valuable new rodenticide, especiaaly for controlling warfarin-resistant common rats.
Subject(s)
Anticoagulants/toxicity , Rodenticides/toxicity , Warfarin , 4-Hydroxycoumarins , Animal Feed , Animals , Anticoagulants/administration & dosage , Blood Coagulation Tests , Drug Resistance , Female , Injections, Intraperitoneal , Male , Mice , Prothrombin Time , Rats , Rodenticides/administration & dosage , Warfarin/administration & dosageABSTRACT
The acute rodenticide gophacide was tested against urban infestations of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.) and treatment success was assessed from the results of census baitings conducted before and after each treatment. Seven of eight populations of mice living in premises where alternative food supplies were limited were successfully controlled when medium oatmeal bait containing gophacide at 0.1% was laid directly for 4 days. In further treatments against mice inhabiting more complex environments and having greater access to other foods, the performance of gophacide at 0.1% and at 0.25% in a wholemeal flour/pinhead oatmeal/corn oil bait was compared with that of zinc phosphide at 3.0% in the same bait-base. The poison treatments were conducted for 1 or 4 days and always after 3 days pre-baiting. Treatment success varied considerably irrespective of the type of treatment or of the poison used. In general, however, gophacide proved to be as effective as zinc phosphide for the control of mice.
Subject(s)
Mice , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/toxicity , Rodenticides/toxicity , Amidines/administration & dosage , Amidines/toxicity , Analysis of Variance , Animal Feed , Animals , Organothiophosphorus Compounds/administration & dosage , Phosphines/toxicity , Rodent Control , Time Factors , Zinc/toxicityABSTRACT
The relative acceptance of various plain foods by wild house-mice (Mus musculus L.) was compared in laboratory choice tests. The palatability of glycerine and six oils, each included at 5% in pinhead oatmeal, was compared in a similar manner.The most favoured food was found to be whole canary seed (Phalaris canariensis). Pinhead oatmeal and wheat were also comparatively well accepted. Glycerine, corn oil, arachis oil and mineral oil were more palatable than either olive, linseed or cod-liver oils.The results of the choice tests are considered in relation to the use of poison baits for the control of free-living mice.
Subject(s)
Food Preferences , Mice , Rodent Control , Animals , Edible Grain , Female , Glycerol , Male , Mineral Oil , Oils , Seeds , TriticumABSTRACT
A combination of calciferol (vitamin D(2)) and warfarin, each at 0.025% in medium oatmeal bait, failed to control six of seven house-mouse (Mus musculus L.) populations infesting urban and farm buildings. In three further treatments with both calciferol and warfarin at 0.05% in dehusked canary seed bait plus 5% corn oil, mortality, estimated from the consumption of pre- and post-treatment census bait, ranged between 94.2 and 97.4%. Finally, among sixteen treatments done with calciferol at 0.1% and warfarin at 0.025% in various cereal baits, the best results (97.0-100%) were obtained in six treatments where the bait-base was whole canary seed; this was so whether the poison bait was applied directly or after a 3-day pre-baiting period. It is concluded that calciferol at 0.1% plus warfarin at 0.025% is an effective combination against house-mice, especially when used with whole canary seed. The role played by warfarin in the poison mixture needs to be investigated further.
Subject(s)
Ergocalciferols , Rodenticides , Warfarin , Animals , Drug Combinations , Drug Resistance , Feeding Behavior , Mice , Rodent ControlABSTRACT
The performance of the rodenticide 5-p-chlorophenyl silatrane at 0.5% in a wholemeal flour/pinhead oatmeal/corn oil bait was compared with that of zinc phosphide at 3% in the same base in poison treatments carried out against urban infestations of the house mouse (Mus musculus L.). Each poison treatment was conducted for 1 day and after 3 days' pre-baiting. The success of the treatments was assessed from census baitings conducted before and after treatment. Treatment success varied considerably with both poisons used but in general 5-p-chlorophenyl silatrane proved to be at least as effective as zinc phosphide, a commonly used acute rodenticide for the control of mice.