On Patrol with Reed: Ironmax Pro Backs Farmers and Their Four-Legged Mates

UPL NZ says having man’s best friend on slug patrol isn’t a gimmick. It’s a reality of farming and contracting and a reflection of their confidence in their Ironmax Pro product.

Four-year-old golden retriever, Reed, often accompanies his owner Ash Pace, UPL NZ Regional Manager Central South Island on field visits.

Ash says, next to looking after his clients, ensuring Reed’s safety on the job is a priority. With BioGro certified Ironmax Pro bait he says he has no concerns. “It’s much safer for beneficial insects, farm dogs and other domestic pets. But when it comes to slugs themselves, Ironmax Pro packs a real punch! It’s a bit of a rural myth that BioGro certified means ‘soft’.”

“Naturally, you want a product that is going to perform and Ironmax Pro does. But there are other considerations. Farmers need to know that while they’re protecting their crops, their animals are protected too. So if stock break out or a heading dog is racing around a paddock, they’re not going to come to any harm.”

Like Ash and Reed, Pieter Van Der Westhuizen, UPL NZ Regional Manager Upper North Island has seen plenty of slug damage too. He has a few tips.

“Ideally you should be monitoring the slug population early, using a damp sack and checking under it regularly. Even one slug can indicate that there’s a problem. Unfortunately, slugs are a pest you just need to assume are there.”

“Looking for slime or dead slugs is not the best way to access a bait’s efficacy either. Instead check for a stop in feeding.”

He says feedback from contractors on Ironmax Pro has been positive. “They’ve had no issues with the product and found it flows well, which is important for metering systems. Some have said they’d had almost instant results.”

“Ironmax Pro is being used on crops ranging from chicory and turnips, to grass and maize. Contractors who are on-to-it know that, especially with direct drilling and strip till, slugs are something you really need to think about.”

“Monitor, monitor and monitor - so you know what you’re dealing with and don’t miss a sudden population surge.”

Slugs, which are gastropods (Greek for ‘stomach foot’), literally march on their stomachs. They also have an acute sense of smell. Ironmax Pro plays on that and their voracious appetites.

Pieter says slugs are attracted by the appetising smell of Ironmax Pro, which contains Colzactive technology, which contains specially selected oil seed rape extracts - slugs’ favourites. Twenty different plant species were evaluated, with two molecules being selected that slugs found irresistible.

Research showed slugs actively prefer feeding on Ironmax Pro to feeding on seedlings. Pieter adds that it’s a myth that juveniles won’t ingest the bait. “All slugs and snails can and will feed on it!”

Pieter says it’ll be the slugs’ final meal. “They’ll eat it and won’t stop until they’ve consumed a lethal dose.”

Slugs will go back underground to die.

Ironmax Pro is rainfast and contains the optimized active ingredient 24.2 g/kg ferric phosphate anhydrous, referred to as IPMax. Iron (ferric) phosphate is a natural component of soil. In Ironmax Pro, it works as a stomach poison on slugs and is fatal once ingested.

Pieter says the fact that slugs can consume more than 50% of their own body weight in a night’s feeding and produce 300 eggs in their 13-month lifespan, is the stuff of farmers’ and contractors’ nightmares. “They’re an underestimated pest.”