How To Rodent Control Your Barn

Every year across the U.S., rodents cause millions of dollars in damage to crops, farm equipment, and stored grain. For small farms, the battle against rats and mice can feel unending. Your time, money, and livelihood are at stake—and one of the places rodents are most likely to appear is your barn.

Keeping rats and mice out of your barn is critical. Once inside, they can damage the roof and walls, eat livestock feed and crop seeds, gnaw electrical wiring, and pester horses, chickens, or cattle. Rodents also carry disease, creating risks for you, your family, and your animals.

Because of the financial and health risks, it’s vital to remove rodents quickly and prevent their return. Unfortunately, farmers often spend too much time on rats and mice—costing productivity and money.

Below are newer, more effective techniques for barn rodent control—strategies that save time and money.

Improving Rodent Control

Many farmers follow a familiar routine: spot droppings or gnaw marks, set out snap or glue traps where rodents are active, then spend weeks checking, resetting, and re-baiting—often with mixed results. Disposable traps don’t last long, so replacements add up while precious time slips away.

It’s no surprise mice and rats still cause significant agricultural damage despite decades of traditional traps. There’s room for improvement.

If you’re frustrated with barn rodents, try the tips below:

Opt for Self-Resetting Traps

Checking and replacing conventional traps is time-consuming—especially in large barns that may need dozens of units.

Many farmers switch to automatic, self-resetting traps, such as the A24, which uses a CO₂ canister to deliver an instant kill without constant attention. After each strike, the trap resets itself for the next rat or mouse. Indoors, you can clear remains periodically; outdoors, scavengers typically remove them.

Think Big

Snap and glue traps have to be replaced frequently, which inflates costs. A multi-kill trap like the A24 can take up to 24 rodents per CO₂ canister. The lure bottle lasts up to six months, so the trap works continuously without re-baiting—eradicating more rodents over time than traditional traps. Reusable hardware also saves money year after year.

Get Proactive

Traditional traps are reactive—you’re always chasing an outbreak. Self-resetting traps let you go on offense, catching rodents as soon as they appear. Install A24 units around the barn perimeter and inside high-traffic zones so any nesting attempt is short-lived.

Learn More

Traditional methods often fall short in agricultural settings. Before your next problem, consider the A24 trap to stay effective and proactive—without constant resetting and monitoring.