THE region's farmers are being urged to keep an out in their paddocks for damage to their crops.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
North West Local Land Service (NWLLS) are warning farmers to beware of mice damage as populations have reached potentially damaging levels in a number of crops across the region.
NWLLS senior land services officer Bill Manning said local canola crops showed a highly variable number in the mouse population.
Read Also:
"We are urging growers to check for damage to young pods on canola and signs of chewing on vegetative plant parts, and growing points in cereals, active mice holes and trails should also be noted," Mr Manning said.
"Growers should also take account of differences in population between the edge of crops and the centre of paddocks and baiting should only occur when monitoring indicates mouse populations justify treatment as there is potential for off-target damage."
Farmers are being urged to monitor mice activity with chew cards, which are available to print off the Grains Research and Development website.
Two such farmers monitoring mice activity with chew cards have been Allan and Luke Hanlen at the "Wilgas" at Mary's Mount near Gunnedah.
As a result of the monitoring, the Hanlens have opted to bait several paddocks to combat the rising mice population and to protect their crops ahead of what is predicted to be a bumper harvest.
Mr Manning said it was important farmers looking to bait their paddocks should read the bait label and check registrations before purchasing.
"If a decision to bait is made, further monitoring should occur afterwards to check the effectiveness of treatment," he said.
"In any case, growers should continue to monitor mouse populations over the next few months as there is potential for damage to maturing winter crops and emerging summer crops."
For more information, farmers are urged to visit the NWLLS website or contact their agronomist.