Investment
Investment
GRDC Code: BVW2302-001SAX
Mice are an ongoing issue in crops and there are grain grower communities across Australia indicating that they are under-resourced and have a lack of understanding on mouse management best-practice. The aim of this investment is to provide Australian grain growers resources and information to:
NGN: Guidance for spreading mouse bait to improve efficacy and maintain bait integrity
During periods of high mouse numbers, with the threat of crop losses, growers often access and use spreaders built for other purposes, such as mollusc bait and fertiliser spreaders, that are not set-up correctly for applying mouse bait. As a result, growers have reported encountering the following challenges:
- Scraping the ZnP active from the surface of the grain due to excessive churning and bait movement
- The bait and/or lumps of ZnP active blocking the aperture/s
- Spreading bait at the label rate
- Achieving the required bait coverage
These observed challenges increase the likelihood that mice will not encounter the bait if the rate or adequate ground coverage are not achieved, or the spreader became blocked during a run. Alternatively, a mouse may not receive the required lethal dose if there is a loss of bait integrity, resulting in bait aversion. Poor control through ineffective baiting operations increases the risk of crop losses caused by mice and the likelihood that additional bait applications may be required throughout the season, significantly impacting grower profitability.
Mice are an ongoing issue in crops and there are grain grower communities across Australia indicating that they are under-resourced and have a lack of understanding on mouse management best-practice. The aim of this investment is to provide Australian grain growers resources and information to:
- optimise mouse control through,
- improved bait spreading operations, and
- reduced crop losses.
- Project start date:
- 24/02/2023
- Project end date:
- 30/09/2024
- Crop type:
-
- All Crops
- Organisation
- The Trustee for BM & VL White Family Trust
- Region:
- North, South, West
- Project status
-
Active
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