Mouse updates will be held at Underbool Recreation Reserve, on 15 March at 7.30pm; Hopetoun Recreation Reserve on 16 March at 3.45pm; and Kalkee Recreation Reserve on 17 March at 7pm.
Wimmera and Mallee grain growers are urged to get along to one of three mouse updates being delivered by Agriculture Victoria at Hopetoun, Kalkee and Underbool this week, in readiness for the season ahead.
With experts forecasting another outbreak of mice this autumn, farmers are encouraged to attend one the workshops to get a picture of current mouse numbers and to hear about tactics to minimise mouse damage to this season’s crops.
CSIRO mouse specialist Steve Henry, who will speak at each of the workshops, said mouse numbers were currently higher than usual and problems were anticipated at cropping time.
“Mouse numbers have been building since the strong harvest in 2016,” he said.
“That carried through to winter in 2017 and numbers were already high when breeding started again in spring.
“It’s very concerning.”
With stubble burning now understood to be ineffective in significantly reducing mouse numbers, Agriculture Victoria Land Management Extension Officer Heather Drendel said it was important for farmers to hear about the control best options available to them.
“Tactics to manage mice pre-sowing, during sowing and in-crop will be part of the update with information on a range of integrated tactics,” she said.
Mouse updates will be held at Underbool Recreation Reserve, on 15 March at 7.30pm; Hopetoun Recreation Reserve on 16 March at 3.45pm; and Kalkee Recreation Reserve on 17 March at 7pm.