BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Playback58@gmail.com

FRANKLIN—Rats, mice and other vermin are only cute in comic books and cartoons. When they invade farms where swine are bred they are a menace.

To counteract any health threats these pests create was the topic leading off the 45th annual Virginia Pork Industry Conference held recently at Paul D. Camp Community College.

Robert Rowland of IVESCO spoke about “Integrated Pest Management for Hog Operations.”

Rowland’s been chasing rats for 30 years, as he put it, and has caught several million in dairy and feed lots as well as hog businesses.

“Dysentery is among the diseases that rats can cause,” he said. “Not to forget the physical destruction gnawing causes.”

He then outlined steps that hog farmers can take to combat Norway Rats.

Locate their den holes and fill with dirt. Where reopened holes are found the next day or so, put in one-quarter to one-half cup of Rampage Bulk Pellets; some pellets should be visible.

That should take care of 40 percent to 50 percent of the rats. A couple of days after that, treat all holes again with the bait; again leaving some visible. The method should be repeated every other day until all holes have visible bait from the previous offering.

All holes should be filled in and the soil graded along buildings so there’s no easy entry for new rodents.

The rodents die “a slow, painful death. We really like that,” Rowland said.

He went on to describe methods for taking care of Roof Rats with Aim Rampage chunks put into attic insulation and near eaves and mice, by using rodentcide chunks on large finishing nails every 20 feet.

Overall, “it’s not rocket science,” Rowland said.

Dr. R. Butch Baker of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine talked about the future of control and elimination of a virus known as Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, which has affected the U.S. swine industry since winter of 1985/1986.

Baker mentioned, for example, that PRRS has cost American hog producers $680 million annually.

During the awards luncheon, Raoul Baxter, president of World Food and Agriculture Business Development, spoke about “Agriculture’s Challenge: Feeding the World.”

Regulatory updates and promoting environmental stewardship on hog operations were featured subjects at the afternoon session.