Farmers warned to check sheds for rat nests
© Tim Scrivener Farmers are being urged to check machinery sheds and stores this winter after pest experts warned rodents can cause costly damage to tractors and equipment.
With the average farm now spending more than £60,000 on a tractor, rats and mice chewing through cables, pipes and components could mean expensive repairs come spring.
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The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) says quiet, undisturbed machinery stores near feed or hay are ideal nesting spots – and rapid breeding can make the damage escalate fast.
But simple checks, securing feed bins and acting fast on any signs of activity could protect hard-earned machinery investments (see panel).
BPCA technical manager Niall Gallagher said rats and mice sought warm, enclosed spaces with easy access to food, making grain stores, haylofts and machinery sheds prime overwintering sites.
While feed contamination is well known, he warned that rodents also gnaw through cables, pipes, plastic, and even metal and brick.
How to protect machinery from rodent damage
Some simple steps farmers can take to protect machinery from rodent damage include:
- Check sheds and under tarpaulins for any signs of rodent activity
- Keep food bins and stores securely closed
- Trim back any long grass or weeds around sheds as this provides sheltered routes of travel for rats and mice
- Act quickly if an infestation is suspected