Comparative effect of the three rodenticides warfarin, difenacoum and brodifacoum on eight rodent species in short feeding periods.

Short laboratory feeding tests were carried out with the anticoagulants warfarin, difenacoum, and brodifacoum on a number of European rodent species: Clethrionomys glareolus, Microtus agrestis, M. arvalis, Apodemus flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, Mus musculus, Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus. It was found that the toxicity to all species was highest with brodifacoum and lowest with warfarin, and that only 0.005% brodifacoum would give a complete mortality in most species after one day's feeding. The potential of this compound for the control of microtine field rodents is suggested.