SOUTHERN grain growers should go on mouse alert in the lead-up to sowing this year’s winter crops.
CSIRO researcher Steve Henry, who has just completed a three-state survey for a Grains Research and Development Corporation-funded project, said now was the time to be vigilant.
Despite numbers being low in many areas, Mr Henry urges caution as mouse populations can increase rapidly if conditions become favourable.
Mr Henry said South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula was where mouse populations were most significant.
He described the coastal strip between Port Victoria and Point Pearce as resembling “Swiss cheese” in some areas where mice had been burrowing.
In other parts of Yorke Peninsula mice were at low levels, especially where stubbles have been grazed.
“Grazing creates disturbance to mice because sheep are trampling the ground,” Mr Henry said.
“Sheep also reduce food for mice by cleaning up any grain left on the ground after harvest.”
Where summer weeds and volunteer cereals had been sprayed following January rains, numbers of mice were generally low.
However, Mr Henry said growers should check paddocks previously planted to vetch and pulse crops.
“Grains from these crops which have been left on the ground often don’t germinate after the first summer rain, so they can remain a potential food source for some time,” Mr Henry said.
On SA’s upper Eyre Peninsula, moderate levels of activity had been recorded in the Buckleboo region, while on the Adelaide Plains there are also places where moderate levels of activity have been recorded.
Mr Henry visited 35 farms to collect data on mice.
There were signs of recent mouse activity on 10 farms in the Mallee between Walpeup in Victoria and Pinnaroo in SA but little activity was recorded on 11 farms between Horsham and Hopetoun in Victoria.
In the area around Coleambally in NSW, Mr Henry’s survey detected low numbers of mice in cropping paddocks.
Farmers and agronomists can contribute directly to information about mice in their local area by using the MouseAlert website.
An app will soon be available.
For information about monitoring mouse activity, contact Steve Henry from CSIRO on 0428 633844, email steve.henry@csiro.au or tweet to @MouseAlert.
