A new workshop to help woolgrowers combat flystrike has been successfully piloted and will be available from next month 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."
Proven, easy-to-understand format
Katelyn Millard, Will Kinghorn and Gareth Spring during the Hamilton (Vic) SimpliFly™ pilot workshop held earlier this year, customising their flystrike management plan and annual calendar to their operations
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."
"The workshop will be valuable for all woolgrowers, I particularly found the calendar and plan to be really useful, really practical. I can easily work with them and they'll be extremely helpful in the operation."
Cam Munro, General Manager of Egelabra Merino Stud
Cam attended the Warren (NSW) pilot SimpliFly™ workshop in 2021
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."
Property-specific and practical resources
Colin and Suzie Jones using the chemical selection wheel during the Campbell Town (Tas) SimpliFly™ pilot workshop in March to consider the types of preventative chemical they can use as well as the timing of application.
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.
