SimpliFly™ brings this information together in an easy-to-understand, accessible format and provides resources that woolgrowers can immediately use on-farm to help in their battle to control flystrike.
A new workshop to help woolgrowers combat flystrike has been successfully piloted and will be available through AWI’s state grower extension networks.
The one-day workshop, titled SimpliFly™, steps woolgrowers through an informative and interactive process for developing a property-specific, strategic flystrike management plan and calendar.
While many woolgrowers know about flystrike and deal with it regularly, the new SimpliFly™ workshop from AWI provides woolgrowers with best practice, property-specific solutions, through business and husbandry planning and management.
Attendees will be taken through the short and long-term ‘tools’ in their flystrike management toolbox that, when used in combination, are effective at addressing the complex flystrike challenge.
In particular, the workshop demonstrates that no single tool provides a solution to preventing flystrike and that an integrated pest management approach is the best long-term approach.
“SimpliFly™ provides woolgrowers with information on all the different options or tools available to them to manage flystrike. The tools need to be considered in combination,” said AWI General Manager, Research, Dr Jane Littlejohn.
“The workshop helps woolgrowers work through the implications on their production system of not only using, but also removing or changing the timing of any of the flystrike management tools, ensuring they can continue to effectively manage flystrike and protect and advance the health and welfare of their sheep.”
Pilot workshops were held in Warren (NSW), Walcha (NSW), Campbell Town (Tas) and Hamilton (Vic). All attendees agreed that the workshop increased their understanding of flystrike management and 97% indicated the workshop had given them the confidence to make changes to the way they manage flystrike.
Angela Schuster, whose team developed SimpliFly™ with AWI, and is a woolgrower herself, explained: “There was already a significant body of information available to woolgrowers about flystrike management, but until now it was in a disparate form and often highly technical rather than being readily implementable.
“SimpliFly™ brings this information together in an easy-to-understand, accessible format and provides resources that woolgrowers can immediately use on-farm to help in their battle to control flystrike.”
Throughout April and May, more than 35 advisors completed the training and accreditation process to equip them with the information to deliver the workshop to woolgrowers. A further train-the-trainer workshop is planned for July in WA.
Nathan Scott, one of the accredited deliverers had this to say from his experience learning about delivering the workshop to woolgrowers: “Everyone knows about flystrike, but the workshop provides really practical tips that can help us reduce the risks and more effectively use the range of management options available. I now know more about flystrike management than I ever have before.”
Participants leave the workshop with resources customised to their specific property and management approach.
The whole-of-farm management calendar has been designed to integrate flystrike management activities with other farm management activities such as animal husbandry and pasture management, as well as much-needed holidays!
Attendees also learn about the useful interactive features available online from FlyBoss to help manage flystrike, including the FlyBoss tools. The FlyBoss tools allow woolgrowers to work out the high-risk periods for flystrike in their area and test the effectiveness and timing of various management activities in combating flystrike such as crutching and shearing, chemical treatments, breeding for flystrike resistance and mulesing.
SimpliFly™ attendees also receive a series of factsheets and case studies on flystrike management, managing blowfly resistance to chemicals and best practice procedures at mulesing, including the use of analgesia and anaesthesia.
More information
To find out when there is going to be a SimpliFly™ workshop available near you, or to register your interest in a workshop in your region, we encourage you to contact the AWI-supported grower extension network in your state and sign up to their free newsletter. You can find your network at www.wool.com/networks or call the AWI Helpline on 1800 070 099.
AWI’s Flystrike Extension Program
AWI’s Flystrike Extension Program supports woolgrowers to improve the lifetime welfare of their sheep, reduce their reliance on mulesing and crutching, optimise chemical use and increase whole farm profitability through the provision of practical information and tools and access to accredited advisor support on flystrike management.
Woolgrowers can pick and choose how to get involved with the different components of the program that best suits their requirements, sheep type, climate, operating environment and husbandry practices.
SimpliFly™ is the third of six extension initiatives to be released under AWI’s Flystrike Extension Program since January 2021.
1. It’s Fly Time!™
Practical, just-in-time information in the lead up to, and during, high-risk flystrike periods.
Available now. See www.wool.com/itsflytime
2. DemystiFly™
Practical information about managing chemical resistance in blowflies.
AWI has openings for industry advisors to get involved in the program. For information on the program and how you can get involved, view the Call for Expressions of Interest at www.wool.com/flystrike-eoi or contact the AWI National Extension Manager, Emily King, on emily.king@wool.com or 0437 523 036.
-AWI