Possibilities for IPM Strategies in European Laying Hen Farms for Improved Control of the Poultry Red Mite (): Details and State of Affairs.

The Poultry Red Mite (PRM), , is a major threat to the poultry industry worldwide, causing serious problems to animal health and welfare, and huge economic losses. Controlling PRM infestations is very challenging. Conventionally, is treated with synthetic acaricides, but the particular lifestyle of the mite (most of the time spent off the host) makes the efficacy of acaracide sprays often unsatisfactory, as sprays reach only a small part of the population. Moreover, many acaricides have been unlicensed due to human consumer and safety regulations and mites have become resistant to them. A promising course of action is Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which is sustainable for animals, humans and the environment. It combines eight different steps, in which prevention of introduction and monitoring of the pest are key. Further, it focusses on non-chemical treatments, with chemicals only being used as a last resort. Whereas IPM is already widely applied in horticulture, its application is still in its infancy to control in layer houses. This review presents the currently-available possibilities for control of in layer houses for each of the eight IPM steps, including monitoring techniques, established and emerging non-chemical treatments, and the strategic use of chemicals. As such, it provides a needed baseline for future development of specific IPM strategies, which will allow efficient and sustainable control of in poultry farms.