Australia doubles rat poison

In response to the rat problem that has raged for many years, governments in several Australian states have approved doubling the toxicity of rat poison.

Australia has been repeatedly damaged by rats in recent years. Photo: Guardian. Australia’s National Science Service and the Department of Animal Health have agreed to issue an emergency license to the country’s pesticide agency to produce double doses of rat poison in an upcoming series of products. The dose and percentage of the drug in the wheat fields remained the same, but the amount of zinc phosphide (Zn3P2) in each dose was doubled. Zinc phosphide is an inorganic chemical compound, consisting mainly of two elements, zinc (Zn) and phosphorus (P). This compound exists mainly as a gray solid, with some commercial samples being dark or even black. It is mainly used as a rat poison. In addition, there are applications in the production of semiconductors. Zinc phosphide is very toxic. In many labels, the substance is marked “Highly Hazardous,” meaning that in amounts between 1 and 50 mg can be lethal. For many years, zinc phosphide has been widely used, but strictly controlled. However, for farmers in the eastern and southern states of Australia, the current dose of zinc phosphide is not enough to prevent rat infestations. Researcher Steve Henry of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) said that rats have a mechanism to quickly develop an aversion to lures, if the dose of zinc phosphorus in the drug is increased. “We call it the curry effect. If you go out, eat some food, and feel nauseous when you get home, you won’t go back to that restaurant,” he explains. This basis helps CSIRO boldly increase the dose of toxicity, although it increases the risk of death in humans, if accidentally exposed to the decoy. The high-dose drug will be on the market soon, and it will cost farmers about $1 more per kilogram. In eastern Australia, including parts of New South Wales and southern Queensland, where rats ravage crops and cause significant damage to hay and grain stocks, companies and farmers have been allowed to experiment. new drugs. Before that was agreed, scientists had hoped that heavy rain and colder temperatures would reduce the harmful effects of rats. However, that didn’t happen. In most of the affected towns, the rats, which can breed from 6 weeks old and give birth every 21 days, continue to destroy crops and even attack livestock. The New South Wales Farmers’ Association, said conventional rat poison products were in short supply, and prices skyrocketed. They needed a new direction, effective and immediate. The organization has partnered with the National Women’s Union, calling for a financial aid package for the rat epidemic. This group proposes, each farm is provided with $ 25,000 for the cost of rat poison. A survey of 1,100 farmers across New South Wales found that 94 per cent of their farms had been attacked by rats. On average per capita, each individual spent up to 150,000 USD on rat poison. A third of those surveyed revealed that the loss of grain and fodder stockpiles ranged from $50,000 to $150,000. 5& this number claims, they have lost more than 250,000 USD. Some farmers had to abandon the entire spring-summer crop. About 40% of farmers planted less seeds this past winter. More than 80% of respondents reported damage to machinery and infrastructure. And only a third suffered less than $150,000 in damage. Lisa Minogue, a farmer in the Barmedman area, said she washed her clothes 38 times in just three days. “The smell of rats is horrible. It’s impossible to know exactly how many are in the house,” she said. Rats have even attacked rural hospitals, biting patients. Many local health authorities have reported an increase in rat-related diseases. In New South Wales, about a third of farmers surveyed admitted their health was directly affected by the outbreak and 85% had trouble sleeping. Australian Women’s Union president, Danica Leys, said: “Everyone has been affected, from farms, to hotels in the area, to retail food businesses, to bakeries, supermarkets, malls, etc. child care centers and nursing homes. These financial and health ramifications all followed an unprecedented drought that triggered catastrophic wildfires. It’s time for the state government to act.” The Premier of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, acknowledges the problems posed by the nasty rodents.” On 2GB radio, she said: “Depends on living, but the problem seems to be getting worse. more, due to the shortened reproductive time of mice. They are now too crowded, to the point of being difficult to control. The authorities are doing everything they can to avoid a natural disaster.” New South Wales Deputy Premier and National Leader, John Barilaro, said the state government and the Australian Government were speeding up lobbying to change the codes of conduct. “We need to support farmers so that they have enough bait to kill rats in the near future,” he told the National Assembly. New South Wales Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall left open the possibility of controlling diseases that can be spread by rat populations. Among them, the most dangerous and scary is the plague. “There is currently no clear suggestion to solve. Maybe, the government has to use strong measures, including ways that are considered illegal. All to help farmers fight the disease,” he said. emphasize. In the immediate future, Australian farmers still use traditional methods such as setting traps or using drones to drop bait with rat poison from above. However, the problem has only just begun, considering the rapid reproduction rate of mice. A pair of mice can give birth to new cubs after 20 days, giving birth to more than 500 young in a season. Adult female mice can lay litters 3 weeks apart.