Riverine Plains Blog

Key Messages:

• Mice and rats have become a more persistent problem over the past few years
• monitoring is key to understanding the scale of the problem and helps indicate when additional control is required
• timing mouse bait application is critical to protecting crops when populations are high.

Mice populations have traditionally followed a boom-and-bust type pattern, however over the last decade or so they have become a more persistent problem.

Key Messages  

Key messages

• Dual purpose winter crops can help fill the autumn–winter feed gap
• While there is currently a full moisture profile, a dry topsoil and potentially dry autumn may impact establishment
• Be mindful of soil temperature and available soil moisture when sowing early (February–March)

Key points

Key Messages

• Monitor sheep for foot problems & try to move affected sheep to a dry area to allow feet to recover,
• Look for signs of skin and insect borne diseases, dehydration and other illnesses,
• Isolate newly arrived sheep to prevent the introduction of diseases or parasites.