Mouse Control Workshops Regional Roadshow
Workshops provide valuable information to help farmers, landowners and businesses better understand and manage mice and prevent mice damage at plague proportions.
Capacity to Deliver - LP004-004
The issue
The mouse plague has had a devastating impact on properties in the Central West. High numbers of mice cause crop damage, loss of livestock feed and fodder, contamination of stored grain and they spread disease. In cereal crops mouse damage can occur at sowing, when mice dig out the newly sown seed; at booting, when mice attack the nodes during the vegetative growth stage; and flowering, when mice attack the heads. Conditions that lead to increased mouse numbers include high crop yields, availability of high-quality feed & grain left in paddocks at harvest or poor harvesting efficiency. Once mouse numbers are very high, it is very difficult to reduce the damage and control strategies can be costly.
The solution
Leading Mouse expert Steve Henry from the CSIRO in conjunction with Leigh Nelson from the Grains Research & Development Corporation(GRDC) visited our district to conduct a number of workshops with farmers and businesses on how to manage the mice plague and limit its impacts on their properties. Seven workshops were carried out over four days, to provide information and education to as many property owners as possible. The workshops covered how to detect mice early through monitoring and how to effectively control their numbers and reduce crop damage.
Simple in-paddock monitoring techniques include mouse chew cards and active burrow counts - the most important times to monitor are prior to sowing (March -April) and in early spring (September–October). Indicators that mouse numbers have increased can include: numerous burrows or fresh activity
in paddocks, large numbers of mice seen at night, signs of seeds and plant damage & frequent daytime sightings. Baiting is not a total solution for crop protection, but assists in minimising potential damage. Zinc phosphide-treated wheat grains spread at 1 kg/ha killed 90–95% of the mouse population in the baited area.
The impact
Mouse numbers can build rapidly under the right conditions, leading to crop damage throughout the growing season. Early detection and management across the farm are crucial for reducing the risk of mouse damage. Once mouse numbers are high, it can very difficult to reduce damage and control strategies can be costly. High mouse numbers cause crop damage, loss of livestock feed and fodder, contamination of stored grain and spread disease.
Apart from the impacts on crop/fodder production, the mouse plague has also been a major social issue affecting these communities, with huge impacts on morale and well being and several adverse health impacts reported, including mouse bites, the spread of disease associated with mice in some children and a number of suspected poisonings associated with mouse baits.
Key facts
- Seven workshops conducted over four days
- A Single mouse can eat 3.5 g/day so 30 kg/ha loss at harvest (for a yield of 1 t/ha) is equivalent to 8570 mouse grazing days/ha.
- Year-round paddock and farm hygiene practices are key to minimising the availability of quality food to mice.