Harvest hygiene urged to prevent mouse outbreaks in 2021

Pest experts, supported by GRDC, are encouraging growers in areas where mouse numbers are at moderate levels, to harvest as cleanly as possible and practice good farm hygiene, especially near grain storage facilities.

CSIRO lead mouse researcher Steve Henry says food resources left in paddocks after harvest could sustain mouse breeding and lead to higher mouse numbers when next year's winter crops are sown.

"Yields are likely to be high for many growers across the southern cropping region this year which means the likelihood of grain being left on the ground is also high," he said.

"Getting as much grain as possible into the silos will help to reduce the potential for any build-up in mouse populations.

"Reducing residual food in paddocks will enhance the effectiveness of mouse baiting activities prior to sowing in 2021."

The latest monitoring undertaken by CSIRO through a GRDC research investment indicates that mouse numbers are moderate in isolated patches across SA - the northern Adelaide Plains and western Eyre Peninsula especially, as well as southern Yorke Peninsula - as well as the southern Mallee and Wimmera regions in Vic.

Mr Henry says breeding began in early spring, and recent and forecast wet conditions, combined with a buoyant harvest, could promote the existing moderate populations to swell to relatively high densities by autumn 2021, coinciding with sowing of winter crops.

"Growers should remain vigilant and act accordingly if mouse abundance is of concern," he said.

"Because of patchy activity between paddocks, growers are advised to monitor across multiple paddocks to gauge mouse numbers to inform management decisions.

"Mouse chew cards are useful at this time of year."

RELATED: Mouse numbers build to worrying levels in the north

Mice activity bucking trends

Growers are also warned to be cautious about baiting at this time because of withholding periods before harvest.

Mr Henry also urges growers to report and map mouse activity - presence and absence - using MouseAlert (mousealert.org.au) and via Twitter using @MouseAlert so other growers can see what activity is being observed in their neighbourhood.

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