Whilst commercial poultry farming includes the production of chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys for both their meat and eggs, chickens account for approximately 90% of the UK poultry market. Chicken accounts for approximately one third of the meat consumed in the UK. Out of all of our agricultural sectors, poultry production of both chicken meat and eggs has one of the highest self-sufficiency rates for demand which is grown domestically.

Poultry production in the UK is one of the most highly regulated sectors of agricultural production. A range of legislation, industry codes of conduct and accreditation schemes define the way birds are housed, fed and transported. Managing bird hygiene and welfare, two often interlinked features of commercial poultry production, are central to commercial production. Of the pests and diseases which can occur in commercial poultry sheds, red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) is one of the most common challenges.

Poultry red mite (D. gallinae) is a blood sucking pest, common in commercial poultry houses. They cause both distress to the birds, and can also transmit disease. Red mite feeding on birds in the flock results in reduced weight gain and egg production either as a direct result of the feeding, or from the irritation the pest causes. The challenging life cycle of the pest, with potential long dormancy periods waiting for a host combined with rapid population growth when food is readily available, mean all commercial poultry farms should have a robust red mite control program.

Red mite are able to survive for several months in an unoccupied chicken coop, this enables them to survive periods between production cycles before restocking. Adult female mites can then lay eggs within 24 hours of feeding once restocking has occurred and the entire lifecycle of the red mite completing within 10 days. This fast development after initial feeding demonstrates the importance of starting with a clean shed, and use of a pre-stocking treatment to manage any red mite which may be remaining from the previous cycle.

InsectoSec is a UK approved miticide for the control of red mite in commercial poultry houses. It is also certified by organic bodies and industry bodies. With the versatility of being applied to both empty and stocked chicken houses, its optimal use is applied to empty chicken houses after disinfection and before restocking. InsectoSec is suitable to be used in any broiler or laying system to control red mite in commercial chicken production systems from laying cages, enriched housing, barns, free range systems or organic.

Advantages of InsectoSec:

- UK approved biocide for the control of red mite in commercial poultry production
- Certified input by British poultry industry bodies
- Helping poultry farms achieve their sustainability targets
- Suitable for organic production, but designed for use by all sustainable practices
- Integratable with chemical mite treatment and disease disinfection processes.