AU651907B2

AU651907B2 - Rodent bait package

Info

Publication number: AU651907B2
Application number: AU21954/92A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alan Peter Buckle
Original assignee: Zeneca Ltd
Current assignee: Syngenta Ltd
Priority date: 1991-07-16
Filing date: 1992-06-26
Publication date: 1994-08-04
Anticipated expiration: 2012-06-26
Also published as: CZ9194A3; EP0594653A1; GB9115324D0; AU2195492A; NZ243402A; MY131274A; WO1993001712A1; SK5094A3; HU9400098D0; BR9206275A; CA2113431A1; HUT69647A; GB9213277D0

Description

I DATE 23/02/93 APPLN. ID 21954/92 JP DATE 29/04/93 PCT NUMBER PCT/GB92/01158 SI III lll Alll922lll95llll llllll AU9221954 (51) International Patent Classification 5 A01N 25/00, 25/34 Al (11) International Publication Number: (43) International Publication Date: JN TREATY (PCT) WO 93/31712 4 February 1993 (04.02.93) (21) International Application Number: (22) International Filing Date: Priority data: 9115324.7 16 July I PCT/GB92/01158 26 June 1992 (26.06.92) 991 (16.07.91) ZE£v£c C (71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): IMPElRIA *CHEM.ICAL INDUSTRIES PLe[GB/GB]; Imperial Chemical House, Millbank, London SWIP 3JF (GB).

(72) Inventor; and Inventor/Applicant (for US only) BUCKLE, Alan, Peter [GB/GB]; Wendlesworth, Elsted Road, South Harting, Petersfield, Hampshire GU31 5LR (GB).

(74) Agents: MANNION, Sally, Kim et al.; Imperial Chemical Industries plc, Group Patents Services Department, P.O.

Box 6, Bessemer Road, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 IHD (GB).

(81) Designated States: AT, AU, BB, BG, BR, CA, CH, CS, DE, DK, ES, Fl, GB, HU, JP, KP, KR, LK, LU, MG, MN, MW, NL, NO, PL, RO, RU, SD, SE, US, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FR, GB, GR, IT, LU, MC, NL, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, ML, MR, SN, TD, TG).

Published With international search report.

Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the claims and to be republished in the event of the receipt of amendments.

751907 ,5 .62

I

(54)Title: RODENT BAIT PACKAGE (57) Abstract A rodent bait package comprising a quantity of a rodenticide bait composition contained in a package characterised in that the package is made of a material which has a bittering agent or repellent incorporated and/or has a surface layer of a bittering agent or repellent, whereby the bittering agent or repellent deters non-target species from consuming the rodenticide bait composition without deterring the target rodent species.

WO 93/01712 PCT/GB92/01158 1 RODENT BAIT PACKAGE The present invention relates to a rodent bait package useful in preventing accidental ingestion by non-target species.

Rodenticide baits were originally formulated on food baits such as whole grains, fine meals, flours and coarse meals. Such baits are very attractive to granivorous birds and this problem is largely overcome by binding the finely milled grains into a solid matrix with wax. The grains in the wax block are not recognisable by birds. Another method of reducing the hazard is to present the bait, for example a wax block, inside a package or bait station which is accessible to the rodent but not to birds or other animals or humans. However, restricted access is disadvantageous as the rodents prefer open access to food materials. Accidental ingestion of rodenticides by humans, particularly children, and companion animals, particularly dogs, is still a hazard albeit considerably reduced by careful baiting techniques.

It is known to use a bittering agent in rodenticide baits in order to repel a non-target animal but not the rodent. GB 2213724 discloses the use of denatonium benzoate in a composition which repels cats, dogs, birds and insects. RD 287020 discloses the use of denatonium benzoate in a rodenticide bait to reduce the palatability to humans and non-target animals. It also discloses that denatonium benzoate can increase the palatability to rats and mice of the rodenticide bromodialone. No evidence of this effect is presented. Denatonium benzoate is known by the trade name Bitrex A review is given in Chemistry and Industry, 21 November 1988, p 721 723 Rodents are known to be deterred by between 100 and 300 ppm of Bitrex, humans are deterred by 10 ppm of Bitrex and dogs are deterred by greater than 100 ppm of Bitrex. Commercially available solutions of Bitrex for preventing dogs from chewing articles (for example Chewguard contain from 125-650 ppm. The wide range of application rates indicates that different varieties of dogs are more easily repelled than others. Therefore, in a rodenticide bait containing sufficient Bitrex to ensure deterrence of a dog it is probable that the rodent will also be deterred to a certain extent.

It is also known to package bait compositions e.g. whole grains, wax blocks etc, in dosage bags or place-packs. Such packages are useful for indicates a registered trademark WO 93/01712 PCT/GB92/01158 2 preventing contamination of the operator, for placing a pre-measured dose of the rodenticide or for throwing into a place frequented by rodents which is difficult to access by the operator.

The problem is to present sufficient bittering agent or repellent in a bait package containing rodenticide to ensure repellence of non-target animals without affecting the palatability of the bait to the rodent.

Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a rodent bait package comprising a quantity of a rodenticide bait composition contained in a package, characterised in that, the package is made of a material which has a bittering agent or repellent incorporated and/or has a surface layer of a bittering agent or repellent, whereby the bittering agent or repellent deters non-target species from consuming the rodenticide bait composition without deterring the target rodent species.

Rodent species are sensitive to certain materials in baits and are sensitive to the bittering agents which are commonly added to rodenticide baits. It has now been found to be possible to separate the material to which the rodent is sensitive from the bait to which it is attracted with the consequence that there is less chance of the rodent being deterred from eating the bait.

It is a feature of rodent species that they are able to separate out the mechanisms of gnawing and tasting. This is because in the mouth of the rodent there is a large gap between the gnawing (incisor) and chewing (molar) teeth, called the diastema. When gnawing, rodents habitually separate with their cheeks, their incisor teeth from the taste receptors on their tongues, making use of the diastema between their incisor and molar teeth. Therefore, rodents are able 'o gnaw through articles which are extremely unpalatable to them in order to reach food materials which are palatable. Therefore, in the present invention, the bittering agent which the rodents find unpalatable has been placed in and/or on a packaging material surrounding the bait, so that in use, the rodent gnaws through the packaging material without tasting the bitter agent and obtains access to the palatable rodenticide bait which it consumes by chewing. This ability means that a greater level of bittering agent or repellant can be used in or on the packaging material than was previously used in the rodenticide bait composition.

Other vulnerable non-target species, for example, companion animals and non-rodent wildlife, do not have this ability and are deterred by taking the package into their mouths.

P T/6B 9 2 0 1 1 -7 May 1993 -3 This invention is suitable for use with any rodenticide. In particular the following anticoagulant rodenticides are mentioned, for example, brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, flocoumafen, chlorophacinone, diphacinone, difethialone, warfarin, coumachlor, coumafuryl, pindone, valone, coumatetralyl. This invention could also be used with acute poisons, for example, bromethalin, flupropadine, zinc phosphide, calciferol, cholecalciferol, antu (alpha-napthylthio-urea), alpha-chloralose, crimidine, fluoro-acetamide, sodium fluoroacetate, norbormide, scillirocide, strychnine and thallium sulphate.

The bait compositions can be any of the conventionally used compositions provided the packaging material is suitable for that composition for example, meals or flours, whole or broken cereal grains, granules, pellets, briquettes, tablets, wax blocks and wax pellets, pastes, gels, greases and liquid formulations. If the rodenticide is formulated as a meal or flour, the packaging is suitably of a material which does not fragment as this may leave particles of bitter agent in the bait. A liquid formulation must obviously be packaged in a liquid tight package.

The amount of rodenticide in the bait composition is the conventional amount which varies according to the type of rodenticide. Typically, this is 5ppm to lOOppm of an anticoagulant bait. The bait composition itself may contain a bittering agent at a level palatable to rodents. Therefore, in a further aspect of the invention there is provided, a rodent bait package as defined herein in which bittering agent or repellent is also incorporated in the rodenticide bait.

Suitable materials for packaging include conventional packaging materials for foodstuffs, such as plastics, fabrics, laminates and paper such as those used for packaging bread or tea tea-bags). For example, wool, linen, cotton, cardboard, polythene, cellulose film, metal foils and laminates of two or more of these materials. The material may be vapour permeable. The choice of material is important since once packed the bait may have a shelf life of up to 2-3 years and the bait held within should not become contaminated during this time with the bittering/ repellent agent.

Examples of suitable substances as bittering agents are, for example, denatonium benzoate (Bitrex), denatonium saccharide (Vilex), bitter apple extracts, quinine, quinones and phenols, quassin, brucine, bitter aloes and sucrose octaacetate. Bittering agents may be naturally occurring or synthetic.

!United Kinvdom Paetnt Office PCT.. ni SUBSTITUTE

SHEET

Z) SUBOi PCT/GB 2 0 1 1 5 %7 May 1994 4 Examples of suitable substances as repellents are 2,4,6trichlorophenol, amyl acetate, cinnamide or an alkoxylated derivative thereof such as those disclosed in EP-A-373909 and alkyl isothiocyanate.

The amount of bittering agent or repellent in the package required to achieve the effect is from 100 to 1000ppm, more particularly from 200 to 800ppm, especially 300 to 700ppm. Wherever bittering agent is referred to in this specification it is to be understood to include repellent.

In addition to the bittering agent other additives may also be used in the packaging. For example, emetics such as triazolopyrimidines, ipecacuanha, and sodium tripolyphosphate; stenching agents such as ethyl mercaptan, aversive agents, for example, bird aversive agents such as the dyes, natural gentian extract, cochineal, madder and cinnamide derivatives as disclosed in EP-A-321208.

The packaging may be prepared by any of the conventional packaging techniques in rodenticide bait technol gy or in foodstuff technology. The bait compositions are prepared in the conventional manner. The packaging material may have the bittering agent added during manufacture or the material may be impregnated using a solvent carrier. In these cases the bittering agent is integral with the packaging material. Alternatively, the packaging material may be dipped in or sprayed with the bittering agent so that the packaging material has the bittering agent on one or both sides. In a further alternative the packaging material may be printed with an ink containing bittering agent, for example Bitrex.

The packaging material enclosing the bait composition may be in the form of, for example, an envelope, sachet, box, capsule, tube, bag, blister pack, carton or pouch. The package usually contains between Ig and 1000g of rodenticide bait composition, typically from 5g to 500g.

The rodent bait package may be used against a wide range of rodents pests, including the following commensal species, Rattus species, particularly Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat), Rattus Rattus (Brown rat) Rattus argentiventer (Cotton rat); Mus species, particularly Mus musculus (House mouse); as well as non-commensal species which occur particularly as pests of agricultural crops or stored produce in various parts of the world, such as for example voles of the family Cricetidae including Microtus spp. such as M. agrestis, and Arivicola spp. such as A.

terrestris, rats and mice of the family Muridae, including Apodemus spp.

such as A. sylvaticus, Acomys caharinus, Akodon spp., Arvicanthis nilotica, Holochilus braziliensis, Mastomys natalensis, Mus booduga, Mus platythrix, SUnic :domt P3tnt Office SE SHEET FPT ir-r. '^ri Ar' tntn SUBSTITUTE SHEET WO 93/01712 PCf/GB92/01158 5 Neotoma spp., Peromys:us spp., Rattus exulans, Rattus meltada. Rattus tiomanicus, Sigmodon hispidus and other rodents such as Nesokia indica, Tatera indica, Spermophilus spp., Meriones spp., Eutamias spp., Citellus spp., Bandicota spp., Cricetus cricetus, Ondatra zibetheca, and Myocastor coypus, although this is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

In use, one or more of the rodent bait packages are placed at a locus frequented by rodents. The rodent gnaws through the package to the rodenticide bait composition un-deterred by the bittering agent or repellent, whereas non-rodent species are deterred ftom touching or consuming the package by the bittering agent or repellant, and thereby deterred from consuming the rodenticide bait composition. Therefore, in a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preventing consumption of a rodenticide bait composition by non-target species comprising supplying a rodent bait package containing a quantity of rodenticide bait composition to a locus frequented by rodents characterised in that the package is made of a material which has a bittering agent or repellent incorporated and/or has a surface layer of a bittering agent or repellent, whereby the bittering agent or repellent deters non-target species from consuming the rodenticide bait composition without deterring the target rodent species.

The invention is illustrated by reference to, but is not limited by, the following examples which demonstrate rodent bait packages containing rodenticide bait compositions and that rodents are not deterred by high levels of bittering agents or repellent when presented according to the present invention. The skilled cperator will appreciate that any of the rodenticides specified herein could be used in the following examples.

EXAMPLE 1 This Example illustrates rodenticidal compositions according to the invention.

A. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.005% w/w formulated as Klerat pellets.

of rodenticide bait pellets contained in a sachet made of paper dipped in Bitrex at 600ppm.

B. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.0025% w/w formulated as Klerat pellets.

of rodenticide bait pellets contained in a sachet made of paper impregnated in Bitrex at 600ppm.

C. Rodenticide bait containing difenacoum at 0.005% w/w WO 93/01712 ["CT/G B92/01 158 6 formulated as Ratak pellets.

of rodenticide bait pellets contained in a sachet made of paper dipped in Bitrex at 500ppm.

D. Rodenticide bait containing difenacoum at 0.0025% w/w formulated as Klerat pellets.

of rodenticide bait pellets contained in a sachet made of paper dipped in Bitrex at 700ppm.

E. Rodenticide bait containing flocumafen at 0.005% w/w formulated as Storm wax briquette.

of rodenticide wax briquette contained in a carton made of cardboard printed with Bitrex ink at 600ppm.

F. Rodenticide bait containing flocumafen at 0.005% w/w formulated as Storm pellets.

of rodenticide pellets contained in a sachet made of paper/plastic laminate printed with Bitrex ink at 600ppm.

G. Rodenticide bait containing difethialone at 0.005% w/w formulated as conventional cereal based pellets.

of rodenticide bait pellets contained in a sachet made of paper impregnated with Bitrex at 600ppm.

H. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.001% w/w l0ppm) formulated as wax pellets.

I. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.005% w/w formulated in a conventional broken grain formulation.

of rodenticide broken grain formulation contained in a sachet made of paper/plastic laminate, printed with Bitrex ink at 600ppm.

J. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.005% w/w formulated in a corventional whole grain formulation.

of rodenticide whole grain formulation contained in a sachet made of paper/plastic laminate, printed with Bitrex ink at 600ppm.

K. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.005% w/w formulated as Klerat wax pellets.

of rodenticide bait pellets contained in a sachet made of metal foil paper sprayed with Bitrex at 800ppm.

L. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.005% w/w formulated as Klerat wax block.

250g of rodenticide wax block contained in a carton made of plastic WO 93/01712 PCT/GB92/01158 7impregnated with Bitrex at 650ppm.

M. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.005%w/w formulated as a tracking powder.

of rodenticide bait pellets contained in a sachet made of polythene impregnated with Bitrex at 600ppm.

N. Rodenticide bait containing warfarin at 0.025% w/w 250ppm) formulated in a conventional broken grain formulation.

of rodenticide broken grain.form"lation contained in a sachet made of paper/plastic laminate, printed with Bitrex ink at 600ppm.

0. Rodenticide bait containing brodifacoum at 0.005% w/w formulated in a gel formulation.

of rodenticide gel formulation contained in a sachet made of paper/plastic laminate, impregnated with Bitrex at 600ppm.

EXAMPLE 2 The objective of this experiment was to determine the acceptance by rodents of Bitrex treated rodenticide bait packages. The packages were made of a paper/plastic laminate with the paper forming the external component of the laminate. The packages were diped in a solution of 650ppm Bitrex until the paper was visibly saturated.

Two groups of rats (CD Norway Rat) and two groups of house mice (Mus musculus-Swiss) were used in this experiment. Each group contained five male and five female rodents. One group of each of the rats and mice were given rodenticide bait packages containing "Klerat" pellets with Bitrex impregnated into the external layer of the package. The remaining two groups were given untreated rodenticide bait packages. The packages were given to each group over a period of 3 days. Results are given in Table 1.

Table 1 Acceptance Confidence limit Swiss House mouse p=0.1 p=0.05 With Bitrex 29.3 6.915 9.165 No Bitrex 26.1 4.564 6.049 SCD Norway Rat I With Bitrex 43.3 5.394 7.149 No Bitrex 34.0 8.575 11.365 I WO 93/01712 PCT/GB92/01158 -8- There was no significant difference between the acceptance of the Klerat rodenticide bait in the bait bags with or without Bitrex incorporated in the bag for either the mouse or rat. These results demonstrate that rodents are not significantly deterred from eating the bait contained in the packages of the present invention by high levels of bittering agent greater than 300 ppm) on or in the packaging material.

Claims

1. A rodent bait package comprising a quantity of a rodenticide bait composition contained in a package characterised in that the package is made of a material which has a bittering agent or repellent incorporated and/or has a surface layer of a bittering agent or repellent, whereby the bittering agent or repellent deters non-target species from consuming the rodenticide bait composition without deterring the target rodent species.

2. A rodent bait package according to claim 1 wherein the rodenticide bait contains an active ingredient selected from the group of brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, flocoumafen, chlorophacinone, diphacinone, difethialone, warfarin, coumachlor, coumafuryl, pindone, valone, coumatetralyl, bromethalin, flupropadine, zinc phosphide, calciferol, cholecalciferol, antu (alpha-napthylthio-urea), alpha-chloralose, crimidine, fluoro-acetamide, sodium fluoroacetate, norbormide, scillirocide, strychnine and thallium sulphate.

3. A rodent bait package according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the bittering agent is selected from the group of denatonium benzoate, denatonium saccharide, bitter apple extracts, quinine, quinones, phenols, quassin, brucine, bitter aloes and sucrose octaacetate.

4. A rodent bait package according to any of the preceding claims wherein the repellant is 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, amyl acetate, cinnamide or an alkoxylated derivative thereof, or alkyl isothiocyanate.

A rodent bait package according to any of the preceding claims wherein the amount of bittering agent or repellent in and/or on the package material is from 100 to 1000ppm.

6. A rodent bait package according to any of the preceding claims wherein the package material is also provided with an emetic and/or a stenching agent and/or an aversive agent. Untaed Kinqdom Paltnt Office SUBSTITUTE SHEET PCT Ir-- I Ao;icition DU IU SHEET PC/GB 92 01 15 8. *7 May 199) 10

7. A rodent bait package according to any of the preceding claims wherein bittering agent or repellent is also incorporated in the rodenticide bait.

8. A rodent bait package according to any of the preceding claims wherein the packaging material is formed of one or a combination of more than one of the materials selected from plastics, fabrics, laminates, paper, wool, linen, cotton, cardboard, polythene, cellulose film, metal foils and paper/plastic laminates.

9. A method of preventing consumption of a rodenticide bait composition by non-target species comprising supplying a rodent bait package containing a quantity of rodenticide bait composition to a locus frequented by rodents characterised in that the package is made of a material which has a bittering agent or repellent incorporated and/or has a surface layer of a bittering agent or repellent, whereby the bittering agent or repellent deters non-target species from consuming the rodenticide bait composition without deterring the target rodent species.

ApLIA United I(h :lcm Pnt-r..t OffiLc 0 POT In- Ap,..ico1n SUBSTITUTE SHEET EN~ INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT international ApplIcation No PCT/GB 92/01158 r CLASSIFICAT'UNOF SUBJ.ECTMAT-rEP (if several classification symbols apply, indicate all)6 According .a International Patent Classification (IPC) or to-both National Classification and [PC Int.Cl. 5 A01N25/00; AOIN25/34

11. FIELDS SEARCHED Minimum Documenitation Serhd Classification System Classification Symbols Int.Cl. 5 A01N D ocumentatlon Searched other than Minimum Documentation to the Extent that such Documents are Included In the Fields Searctedl MI. DOCUMEWS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT9 Category 0 CitAtion of Document, 11 with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages L2 Relevant to Claim No. 13 Y US,A,2 957 804 (H.R.SHUYLER) 25 October 1960 1-9 see column 2, line 10 -line 18 see column 4, line 48 -line 66 see claims 12-20 Y WORLD PATENTS INDEX LATEST 1-9 Week 8815, 10 March 1988 Derwent Publications Ltd., LOndon, GB; AN 88103297 10 March 1988 Research Disclosure, March 1988, vol. 287, no.28720, New York, USA see abstract A FR,A,992 824 (L.PISCHLER) 11 July 1951 1-9 see column 1, Vine 29 line 32 A US,A,4 555 015 (HAASE) 26 November 1985 0Special categories of cited documents :to later document published after the international filing date A dcuren deinng hegenra stte f he rtwitchis otor p~ii' t-t- and not In conflict with the appllcatfrn but ''dcunde te generti sta e of thdr hc sntcted to understad the principle or theory underlying the consdote to e paicubr reevane ivention earlier document but published on or after the International 'X document of partfriar relevance; the claimed Invention filing date cannot be considered novel or cannot be considered to 'V document which may throw doubts on prioity claim(s) or Ilve an inventive step which Is cited to establish the publication date of another 'Y 'ocument of paztWeur relevance; the claimed Invention citation or other special reason (as specified) cannot be considered to Involve an inventive step Nten the document referring to an oralI disclost- 2, use, exhibition or document io combinedl with one or more other such ic--u other means mseats, such combination being obvious to a person skilled 'I document published prior to the international filing date but In the art, later than the priority date claimed document member of the same patent family IV. CERTMFCA1iON Date of the Actual Completion of the International Search Date of Mai!nog of this International Searc Report 21 SEPTEMBER 1992 .1 3.10. 92 International Serchtl Authority S!lgaurtie of Authorized Officer EUROPEAN PATENT OFFICE 0ALKAFOUKI A. Yarm PCTIISA/210 (wood £k~dl timmay 19") PCT/GB 92/01158 Internlational Application N,. Ml. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO HE RELEVANT (CONTINUED FROM THE SECOND SHEET) Category 0Citation of Document, with Indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages elvn to aai2m No. A GB,A,2 213 724 (P. 1 J.LONG) 23 August 1989 cited in the application F.r PCTISAZ2I lextri LI (Jmalry I900i ANNEX TO THE INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL PATENT APPLICATION No. GB 9201158 SA 61423 T7his annex ists the patent family members relating to the patent documents cited in the above-mentioned international search report. The members are as contained in the European Patent Office EDP file on The European Patent Office is in no way liable for these particulars which are merely given for the purpose of information. 2 1/09/92 Patent document Publication Patent fa;il Publication citedin search report date Imemberts' date US-A-2957804 None FR-A-992824 None US-A-4555015 26-11-85 CA-A- 1231681 19-01-88 GB-A-2213724 23-08-89 None RJ w For mo~re details ubtut this annex -see Official Journiia of the European Patent Office, No.

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