Steve Von Haden, the Technical Services Manger of Motomco, and Kim Reis, a local turkey farmer, join us to discuss the importance of using rodent bait on your farm and the use of proper practices to ensure your rodent control program is successful.
Steve Von Haden, the Technical Services Manger of Motomco, and Kim Reis, a local turkey farmer, join us to discuss the importance of using rodent bait on your farm and the use of proper practices to ensure your rodent control program is successful.
To start off, Sheila and Gretta discuss their recent visit to a senior Animal Science class at Iowa State University and enjoyed engaging with the students and telling their personal turkey stories. They discussed the importance of young professionals in the agriculture industry having knowledge of the turkey industry, especially with the recent challenges with disease.
Kim is a local turkey farmer, owner of Ellsworth Turkey in Ellsworth, Iowa. He has been in the business since 1988, raising over 550,000 turkeys, which he markets to West Liberty Foods. His operation has 12 employees and they are always kept busy taking care of their turkeys. Steve is the Technical Services Manager for Motomco, one of the largest rodent control technology manufacturers in the US. Their parent company, Bell Laboratories is the largest rodent control manufacturer in the world, shipping to over 57 countries around the world.
Steve discusses the evolution of bait and bait stations. There are metal stations, plastic stations, and the most current and popular-weighted bait stations. Weighted bait stations have a brick inside of them to ensure they stay in place so other animals or outside elements can't move them. Bait forms have evolved from chunks and place pacs, introduced in the 1970s, to the most often used soft bait, which was introduced about 20 years ago.
Kim talks about how he trains his employees twice a year, overviewing proper practices and the importance of baiting. He changes out his baits every week. Motomco has lots of resources on proper techniques, uses, and bait program examples on their website.
The most important thing when baiting is to have a consistent bait program. Be consistent when rotating baits, changing out baits for fresh ones, and learn where rodents are most likely to be to ensure your baits are in the most efficient and effective place. Steve gives us an example year-round bait program using Motomco products. Most rodents reproduce year-round so it is important to bait year round, rather than only in the fall when rodent populations are the highest.
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