Pesticide Usage in Scotland: Rodenticides on Arable Farms
This report presents the results of a survey of rodenticide use on arable farms in Scotland in 2022.
Appendix 1 - Estimated rodenticide use and supplementary data tables
| Formulation | Number of occurrences | Percentage of total specified occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Alphachloralose(1) | 43 | <1 |
| Brodifacoum | 810 | 16 |
| Bromadiolone | 2150 | 41 |
| Bromadiolone/Difenacoum(1) | 17 | <1 |
| Coumatetralyl | 170 | 3 |
| Difenacoum | 1950 | 37 |
| Difethialone(1) | 32 | <1 |
| Flocoumafen(1) | 33 | <1 |
| Unspecified Rodenticide(2) | 302 | |
| Total (excluding unspecified use) | 5,205 | |
| FGARs(3) | 170 | 3 |
| SGARs(4) | 4,992 | 96 |
| Non-anticoagulant rodenticides(5) | 43 | <1 |
(1) Estimates are based on <10 occurrences in the sample and should therefore be treated with caution.
(2)Rodenticides are recorded as unspecified when use has been recorded but product information is not available.
(3) First generation anticoagulant compounds: coumatetralyl.
(4)Second generation anticoagulant compounds: brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone.
(5) Non-anticoagulant rodenticides: alphachloralose.
| Rodenticide | Formulation (kg) | Product (kg) | Product Percentage of total use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphachloralose(1) | 0.49 | 12 | 0.03 |
| Brodifacoum | 0.19 | 3891 | 9.74 |
| Bromadiolone | 1.08 | 21682 | 54.26 |
| Bromadiolone/Difenacoum(1) | 0.01 | 138 | 0.35 |
| Coumatetralyl(1) | 0.34 | 97 | 0.24 |
| Difenacoum | 0.69 | 13948 | 34.90 |
| Difethialone(1) | 0.00 | 171 | 0.43 |
| Flocoumafen(1) | 0.00 | 21 | 0.05 |
| Total(2) | 2.81 | 39962 | 100 |
| FGARs(3) | 0.34 | 97 | 0.24 |
| SGARs(4) | 1.98 | 39853 | 99.73 |
| Non-anticoagulant rodenticides(5) | 0.49 | 12 | 0.03 |
(1) Estimates are based on <10 occurrences in the sample and should therefore be treated with caution.
(2) Not including unspecified rodenticides.
(3) First generation anticoagulant compounds: coumatetralyl.
(4)Second generation anticoagulant compounds: brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone, flocoumafen.
(5) Non-anticoagulant rodenticides: alphachloralose.
| Question | Percentage yes response | |
|---|---|---|
| Farmer (n=69)(1) | PCPs (n=23)(2) | |
| 1) Have you attended a training course on rodenticide use?(3) | *43 | *100 |
| 2) Are quantity and location of baits recorded? | 97 | 100 |
| 3) Are bait points protected from non-target animals? | 99 | 100 |
| 4) Is bait regularly inspected? | 100 | 100 |
| 5) Is bait removed after targeted baiting periods? | *80 | *100 |
| 6) Are rodent carcasses searched for and removed?(4) | 99 | 91 |
| 7) Did you use non-toxic indicator baits in the last year to monitor rodent activity on your farm? | 6 | 36 |
(1) Not all farmers returned compliance data. These farmers represent 97 per cent of the 71 farmers who conducted their own rodenticide baiting during this survey.
(2) Not all PCPs returned compliance data. These 23 PCPs represented 92 per cent of the contractors encountered during this survey and collectively conducted baiting on 80 per cent of those farms using a PCP.
(3) Training uptake by farmer here refers to all rodenticide use training, this differs from that reported in Table 5 which only records training that is compliant with rodenticide stewardship and allows professional rodenticide products to be purchased.
(4) Sixty six farmers gave a response in relation to carcass disposal method. The most common methods were burying (65 per cent), landfill (30 per cent) and incineration (11 per cent), 18 PCPs gave a response in relation to carcass disposal method. The most common method was burying (44 per cent), collection by a waste contractor (28 per cent) incineration (22 per cent), and landfill (six per cent).
* Responses marked with an asterisk are significantly different between famers and PCPs (P<0.001).
| Question | Percentage yes response | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| All farms (n=298) | Farms using rodenticides (n=199) | Farms not using rodenticides (n=99)(1) | |
| 1) Is your farm a member of a quality assurance scheme | 95 | *98 | *87 |
| 2) Is livestock kept on your farm? | 49 | *56 | *33 |
| 3) Do you have a pig unit on your farm? | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 4) Do you have a poultry unit on your farm? | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 5) Do you have a grain store? | 40 | *48 | *23 |
* Responses marked with an asterisk are significantly different between farms that did and did not use rodenticides (P<0.001).
| Question | Percentage yes (n=69)(1) |
|---|---|
| 1) Are you aware of the rodenticide stewardship scheme? | 80 |
| 2a) Have you completed a stewardship compliant training course? | 28 |
| 2b) If no, do you intend to complete a stewardship compliant training course in the future? | 30 |
| 3) When you last purchased rodenticides did you (2) | |
| 3a) Show a certificate of competence/training in rodenticide use | 20 |
| 3b) Demonstrate membership of a compliant quality assurance scheme | 78 |
| 3c) Purchase non-professional/amateur rodenticides (<1.5 kg pack) (3) | 1.5 |
| 3d) Still using product using product purchased pre-stewardship | 1.5 |
(1) Not all farmers responded to stewardship questions. These farmers represent 97 per cent of the 69 farmers who conducted their own rodenticide baiting during this survey.
(2) Some farmers gave two methods in response; these responses have been evenly split between the relevant options.
Contact
Email: wildlifeunit@sasa.gov.scot
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