Abstract
We examined the acceptance and palatability of baits containing different contents of sodium selenite as a rodenticide, in Swiss mice under laboratory conditions. In a no-choice and choice feeding test, the animals were exposed to baits containing 0.1, 0.05, 0.025 and 0.0125% of sodium selenite. The total bait consumption by Swiss mice in the no-choice feeding test was highly negatively correlated, while total sodium selenite intake was medium-positively correlated to the sodium selenite content in the bait. In the same test, daily intakes significantly depended on the content of sodium selenite in the bait, while the exposure and associated interactions of contents of sodium selenite and exposure had no statistically significant impact. Baits with sodium selenite contents of 0.05 and 0.1% had the most lethal effects. The negative impact of the sodium selenite content on bait acceptance and palatability was confirmed in choice feeding tests. Baits containing 0.05 and 0.1% of sodium selenite displayed the biological potential to be used as a rodenticide. It is necessary to improve its insufficient acceptability and palatability by adding adequate additives to the bait. The results of this study should be verified in experiments with wild rodents.
Highlights
In the middle of the last century, the introduction of first-generation anticoagulants significantly improved rodent pest management programs (Hadler and Buckle, 1992)
After the introduction of the use of more potent second generation anticoagulant compounds at the end of the eighties in the last century, it was hoped that the problem of resistance of commensal rodent species will be overcome (Hadler and Shadbolt, 1975; Hadler and Buckle, 1992), resistance to most second generation anticoagulant compounds was reported soon after their introduction (Rowe et al, 1981; Greaves et al, 1982; Johnson, 1988)
Total sodium selenite intake was weakly correlated with the contents of sodium selenite in the bait at the exposure of 24 and 48 h (r = 0.26) and 72 h (r = 0.30)
Summary
In the middle of the last century, the introduction of first-generation anticoagulants significantly improved rodent pest management programs (Hadler and Buckle, 1992) Their wide use induced resistance development in commensal rodent species, in Western Europe (Rowe and Redfern, 1965) and the USA (Jackson and Kaukeinen, 1972). Rodent species continue to cause considerable damage in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and public health (Wood, 1994; Pelz and Klemann, 2004). We discuss another new approach: the use of sodium selenite bait to improve rodent pest management programs.
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