Farmers and land managers across Victoria face significant impacts from invasive pest animals, whether its feral pigs, foxes and wild dogs.
Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Manager Established Invasive Animals, Jason Wishart says these pests degrade farmland, prey on livestock and native animals, compete for food, water and habitat, damage crops, pasture and infrastructure and cause environmental damage.
"To manage these pests and their impacts, land managers need an integrated pest animal management program, using best practice tools and techniques and implemented in coordination with other local managers," Mr Wishart said.
"Most importantly, it needs to be well timed. Often good pest management needs to occur before the pests become a problem, ideally timed before the breeding season."
To help farmers to manage these pests, Agriculture Victoria with support from DELWP, is holding a series of field days in June in East Gippsland and the North East showcasing the latest information and tools available to control feral pigs, foxes and wild dogs.
Pest Animal Management Expos will be held at Tubbut, Buchan, Cudgewa and Whitfield and will include presentations from Agriculture Victoria, DELWP, Parks Victoria, Victoria Police, Landcare, CMAs, NSW Local Land Services and Buchan Bush Nursing Association.
There will be pest management organisations and suppliers with information and demonstrations on trapping, baiting and fencing.
Victorian Feral Pig Co-ordinator Sam Armstrong will also be presenting on the importance of managing feral pigs, especially given their biosecurity risk.
"Feral pigs are one of Australia's most destructive invasive animals," Ms Armstrong said. "Conservative estimates put costs to agriculture at more than $100 million per year nationally.
"They are a considerable biosecurity risk to livestock with the potential to spread diseases such as African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease in the event of an outbreak."
The Pest Animal Management Expos will be held at:
- Buchan on Wednesday 8 June from 10am at the Buchan Recreation Reserve
- Tubbut on Thursday 9 June from 10am at Tubbut Resource Centre
- Cudgewa on Wednesday 22 June from 10am at the Cudgewa Football Ground
- Whitfield on Thursday 23 June from 10am at the Whitfield Football Ground
