Among the many challenges facing the contemporary smallholder who keeps livestock and grows his own food, is how to deal with the various pests that are capable of decimating crops, degrading pasture, stealing produce, contaminating animal feed and killing valuable livestock. This book provides the smallholder with the knowledge and the information about the skills to meet this challenge in an effective and humane way.Considers all the major pests faced by smallholders including rats, house and field mice, grey squirrels, moles, rabbits, deer, foxes, mink, wood pigeons, crows and rooks. Discusses each pest in detail, arguing that it is essential for the smallholder to understand their characteristics and behaviour in order to control them successfully. Emphasizes that 'prevention is better than cure' and identifies a variety of measures designed to thwart, rather than kill, pests. Examines both traditional and modern pest control methods. Covers traps, poisons, air rifles, dogs, ferrets, electric fencing, bird scarers, wildlife deterrents and repellents, automatic bird feeders, and polytunnels and cloches. Stresses that smallholders need to adopt a comprehensive pest control programme that complies with current legislation and balances conservation with control. An invaluable and well-illustrated book that provides the smallholder with the knowledge required to deal efficiently and humanely with the various pests that present a constant challenge. Essential reading for small-scale farmers, smallholders and those with large gardens attached to properties in the countryside. Superbly illustrated with 146 colour photographs. David Bezzant has been a smallholder for all his adult life and is an expert on the use of old-fashioned forms of pest control.
