Texas farm reports 80% drop in rodent activity reducing damage to its drip irrigation lines

A 400-acre farm in Dalhart, Texas, recorded an estimated 80% decline in rodent activity after introducing a fertility-control bait to protect its subsurface drip irrigation system, according to SenesTech. The fourth-generation farm grows winter wheat and summer corn and had faced recurring leaks after rodents chewed through buried irrigation tape in search of water.

SenesTech deployed its Evolve Rat Birth Control product in agricultural T-Bait Stations designed for row-crop farms, dairies and ranches. The company said visible rodent holes, bait consumption and irrigation-line damage declined during the first several months of the program, reducing leaks, repair work and disruptions to water delivery. Evolve is intended to suppress rodent populations by limiting reproduction rather than causing acute poisoning, and can be used alongside other integrated pest management measures.

The farm plans to continue using the product as part of its long-term rodent-control program. However, SenesTech said the findings were based on observations from one commercial operation and that results at other farms could vary depending on local conditions and implementation.