A26-LincMHf Firming, Saturday, May 13, 2000 Experimental Fungus Controls Pesky Beetles In Poultry House (Continued from Pago Al) The technology to kill beetles using the naturally occurring fungus was developed and tested in houses in North Caro lina, though some are being used in Ohio. Houses are treated with the fungal agent before bringing new flocks in. The fungus is formulated in an oil emulsifier and applied with normal spray equipment. The material has advantages be cause it can be administered even under tight water restric tions. In tests conducted by JABB (the company founded by J.J. Arends and partner. Bill Black, vice president), the material is particularly effective on the darkling beetles. The insects are killed about 3-S days after con tact with the spores. “We started in high-rise layers,” noted Arends. The goal was not to eliminate the beetles, but to “get the numbers of them INCREASE MILK PRODUCTION, LOWER FEED COSTS! 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The birds enjoy eating the larvae first, then the adult beetles, and then the feed. Arends mentioned one pro ducer who has used the material as part of a small scale exemp tion use permit, replacing com mercial insecticides. Using the fungal agent worked for this grower. “One growers has had no insect problems in the house in five years, and has used no pesti cide,” Arends said. With broilers, it’s important to treat prior to each flock. Compared to commercial in Made for 3970 & 3950 John Deere Pull Type Harvesters. See your nearest John Deere Dealer Added Value With Our 2 Coat Process! _ . Five step metal preparation, including iron J/L phosphate conversion coating, to enhance adhesion & prevent undercoat corrosion. Zinc rich epoxy powder undercoat. TGIC polyester powder top coat, baked at 400° to fuse coats, forming a cross link molecular bond. 3 Sizes Available To Meet Your Cattle Handling Needs • CA Series: 7 locks per 10’ * HE Series: 6 locks per 10’ • CO Series: 4 or 5 locks per 10’ secticides, through data on seven flocks, both gave the same kind of control. The fungus is not harmful to humans, livestock, or pets. If in gested, it is digested like a pro tein, Arends noted. In layers, the fungus was used monthly. It was applied with ro tating loggers. A visual evalua tion was made monthly. Samples were taken, includ ing at cleanup. Hide beetles have proven a challenge. The beetles are inter ested more in a high protein food source, including dead chickens and eggs. “‘They have no interest in flies, and are not important for fly control,” said Arends. The manure pack proves the ideal home for the beetles. A pack that measures a foot to 18 inches or higher acts as a sponge for the beetles. They enjoy the dry manure, an ‘“ideal environ ment,” noted Arends. “Tt has Goodvllle Mutual New Holland. Pa affordable insurance lor home vehicle, small business, farm Out in vo The Agri-specialists from Farmers First aren’t a bunch of deskbound bankers waiting around for the phone to ring. We get involved with you. Right where you live and work. We lend the money formers need to keep growing. And, we can help your business in a lot of other ways, too. We talk the talk. And we walk the walk, (wherever that might lead us). i, .11 npi, i in I ( I 1 the perfect temperature, no pre dators, lots to eat it’s the Hilton they never thought they’d see.” Beetles can populate quickly and prove to be a pest not only to the growout or other poultry manager, but to neighbors. The fungus lasts only about 21 days. A fogger is used to apply the material in a heavy fog, enough to ensure contact with the beetles. The hide beetles are ‘“really sensitive to the fungal material,” Arends said. Ohio has requested that the material be given an EPA regis tered Sect. 18. For commercial use, the product is continuing to gain approval by EPA as a biopcsticide. The material is safe because it Call 800-448-4622 (or an agent near you. The Agrl-speclallsts FARMERS FIRST ©MI A SUSQUEHANNA BANC WATERLESS TOILETS “Sun-Mar” ompos is insect-specific. “We’re not worried about dogs or kids eating it,’’ said Arends. The material is digested like a protein. And after about three weeks, the fungus is gone. One development: the ftingus has shown ample effectiveness against house flies, another pest that challenges poultry house management experts. In one experiment, according to Arends, after three days of fungus exposure, fly populations began to drop. On day five, 80 percent of the flies were elimi nated. By day 10, all the flies were dead. Growers may have high ex pectations, but using the prod uct for flies, so far, looks good, Arends noted. Mmblf FMC
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