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Gopher Control in the Post-Strychnine Era: Effective Solutions for Canadian Farmers

As Canadian farmers adapt to new pest control regulations, the end of liquid strychnine use has prompted the need for innovative, effective, and efficient gopher control strategies. Viceroy Distributors is at the forefront of this shift, offering cutting-edge solutions designed to address the unique challenges of Richardson’s ground squirrel management while reducing costs and labor for farmers.

Why Gopher Control Matters

Gophers, or Richardson’s ground squirrels, are a persistent challenge for Canadian farmers, damaging crops, pastures, and infrastructure. Effective control is critical not only to protect yields but also to maintain operational efficiency. With the discontinuation of liquid strychnine, farmers require alternative methods that are both cost-effective and practical for large-scale use.

Advantages of Zinc Phosphide-Based Products

Zinc phosphide baits, such as Burrow Oat Bait and ZP Rodent Oat Bait AG, have emerged as leading alternatives. These products offer several advantages over traditional methods:

  1. Cost-Effectiveness
    Zinc phosphide products are more economical, as they require only a single application directly into the burrow. This reduces material use and overall expenses compared to anticoagulant baits that need repeated applications.
  2. Labor Efficiency
    With a single application, farmers save significant time and labor. This is particularly beneficial for large farms, where manual labor costs for pest control can be substantial.
  3. Reduced Risk of Non-Target Poisoning
    Zinc phosphide works by converting to phosphine gas in the stomach of the targeted rodent, causing rapid organ failure. The gas dissipates quickly, leaving minimal residue and reducing the risk of secondary poisoning for non-target species.
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Border View Farms is a mid-sized family farm that sits on the Ohio-Michigan border. My name is Nathan. I make and edit all of the videos posted here. I farm with my dad, Mark and uncle, Phil. We also have a part-time employee, Brock. My dad started the farm in 1980. Since then we have grown the operation from just a couple hundred acres to over 3,000. Watch my 500th video for a history of our farm I filmed with my dad.

I started making these videos in the fall of 2019 as a way to help show what I do on a daily basis as a farmer. Agriculture is different from any other industry and I believe the more people that are showing their small piece of agriculture, helps to build our story. We face unique challenges and stressful situations but have some of the most rewarding payoffs in the end. I get to spend everyday doing what I love, raising my kids on the farm, and trying to push our farm to be better every year. I hope that I can address questions or concerns that you might have about farms and agriculture.

I hope you enjoy my content and ask questions as you have them. I do my best to answer anything I can. Thanks for watching!

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