outandabout 27 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 At least you're getting some decent farm work, none of them will pay in my neck of the woods. I am confined to gardens, estates, housing associations etc. Quote Link to post
Mole man Kent 26 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 I've not had as farm work as I'd like. I'm the same gardens, football and cricket grounds. Farmers all over the country are so tight. We as mole catchers need to keep drumming into them the problems of moles. My friend who is a lecturer at an equine college near me just done a clostridium awareness lecture and how eventually it can kill horses. He also mentioned about moles and moles and hills. What areas do you control mate? Quote Link to post
Moley2 0 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Hi Mole man Kent, Have a look at https://www.(!64.56:886/pages/Association-of-Professional-Mole-Catchers/553269534750866 They also have a private forum for members and you can discuss in detail your mole catching ways and ideas. Has anyone on here got contacts with anyone that has done factual research on the bacteria in soil caused by mole hills? Quote Link to post
outandabout 27 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 I do the Dover district but sometimes travel a bit further but not enough money in it to cover a wide area. Having spoken to a few farmers near me they find them bloody annoying but not damaging enough to warrant paying someone to remove them time and time again - and never heard of their stock being infected or killed by soil bourne bacteria. No doubt a different story entirely in other parts of the country. Quote Link to post
Mole man Kent 26 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Hey Moley 2 yeah I'll get my friend to e-mail some bits to me have you got an e-mail adress? Clostridium which thrives in aerobic conditions (I.e soil), causes butyric acid which can ruin silage crops and also kill livestock especially sheep. I've just been working on Suffolk and the mole population there are beyond a joke. There's not much livestock down your way is there? Up Yorkshire way, like I said earlier a farmer harrowed a field in mole hills and lost 8 sheep, the farmer believed it to be clostridium. Quote Link to post
Mole man Kent 26 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Also Moley 2 look up blackleg it effects young cattle and can be fatal. This is caused by clostridium Quote Link to post
moxy 617 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 I personally wouldn't go raking moles hills on large fields where there's livestock. One for the effort or raking down every mole hill on such a large area and two I know a lot of farmers wouldn't be happy spreading potentially bacterial infested soil around a field with their money on it. That is all I am saying. On over % of my agric work I always run the chains over with the bike. With livestock in the fields and have never once had a problem with potential bacteria. Quote Link to post
Mole man Kent 26 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 One of the main reasons apart from reduced grazing is potential spread of bacteria pushed up through the soil. It's not a guarantee if you've got molehills you're going to have dead stock but it's a big risk to take. So what reason do you're farmers have to rid of the mole except less room for grazing and damage to machinery then? Quote Link to post
albert64 1,882 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 well I've not been doing the moles very long, never really interested me but a few of my permissions were having trouble, cricket pitches, garden centre and horse fields but I've not done bad, caught quite a few, trial and error until you find what works and good advice off lads of here, especially moxy , I'm not out to make a living at it, I'd starve to death, just keep some of my permissions happy but I do enjoy it, not had a trap filled in yet so must be doing something right Quote Link to post
Moley2 0 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Hey Moley 2 yeah I'll get my friend to e-mail some bits to me have you got an e-mail adress? Clostridium which thrives in aerobic conditions (I.e soil), causes butyric acid which can ruin silage crops and also kill livestock especially sheep. I've just been working on Suffolk and the mole population there are beyond a joke. There's not much livestock down your way is there? Up Yorkshire way, like I said earlier a farmer harrowed a field in mole hills and lost 8 sheep, the farmer believed it to be clostridium. Thank you for your reply. Can you post the info you get from your friend on here ? or can you PM on this forum? Quote Link to post
Mole man Kent 26 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 That's good mate well done its exciting when ya see be traps are sprung Quote Link to post
Mole man Kent 26 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Don't think you can pm I'm still getting to grips with it mate Quote Link to post
moxy 617 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 One of the main reasons apart from reduced grazing is potential spread of bacteria pushed up through the soil. It's not a guarantee if you've got molehills you're going to have dead stock but it's a big risk to take. So what reason do you're farmers have to rid of the mole except less room for grazing and damage to machinery then? Main reason would be to get a good clean crop of silage/ hay. Bacteria fermentation within stored silage can be an issue but it's not something I have really come across. Loss of livestock due to dead and festering animals within the cut and stored crop is more common. I'm not saying it's not prevalent. I have also found it more common that unexpected losses in sheep are down to parasites. But I'm no scientist nor have I studied bacterias. Nor do I have a degree in molecatching. Farmer rings. I go. Harrow out. Catch his moles. Get paid and go back between cuts. And thus the process is repeated each year. Not once do I enjoy a brew and a chin wag with my farmers and discuss bacterias. I'm pretty certain the farmer would know more than me as to what if anything is making their livestock sick. Atb Quote Link to post
Mole man Kent 26 Posted November 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 Well the clostridium (the bacteria) is what produces the butyric acid that ruins the crop is the same bacteria that can kill the stock. A lot of farmers down my way just don't seem to care about moles whereas others really panic. Yeah mate I understand what your saying. Nor do I have a degree in mole catching and I certainly don't know everything about mole catching as with any form of pest control no one does. Can't help but feel people on this forum are here to criticise and moan sometimes Quote Link to post
moxy 617 Posted November 24, 2013 Report Share Posted November 24, 2013 I'm not criticising or moaning. Only sharing my opinion. Atb Quote Link to post
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