Field Evaluation of Dimethyl Anthranilate as a Bird Repellent Livestock Feed Additive

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Abstract
An alternative to current approaches for controlling birds at feedlots might be the use of feeds containing compounds that are unpalatable to birds but readily accepted by mammals. One such compound is dimethylanthranilate (DMA), an inexpensive human food flavoring. DMA was incorporated into feed exposed to birds at 4 swine and cattle feedlots. During treatment 1 (6-13 Feb. 1984). DMA was incorporated into high protein cattle pellets and exposed 8 h/day for 2 days at 2 sites. Control pellets were similarly exposed at the 2 other sites. Treatment conditions were then reversed for 2 days. During the final 2 days of the treatment period, DMA-coated poultry crumbles were exposed at two sites and control crumbles were exposed at the other sites. A second treatment period (27 Feb-4 March 1984) was similar to the first, except that poultry crumbles were used in all tests. DMA substantially reduced consumption (P < 0.05) during both treatment periods. It might be used as a feed additive to reduce bird depredation without primary or secondary hazards to non-target animals.