Flystrike is a significant cause of lost production and welfare concerns in sheep.
It costs the Australian sheep industry about $173 million annually, due to lost production, treatment costs and deaths.
Reducing the risk of flystrike has immense benefits to the health and wellbeing of the sheep and productivity.
The major fly responsible for flystrike in sheep is the green blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, and is thought to be responsible for 90 per cent of flystrike cases.
This fly has a well-developed sense of smell and is attracted to odour, moisture, blood, rain-affected wool, fleece rot and daggy wool, and it becomes more active with increasing temperature and humidity.
The other primary cause of flystrike in Australia is the common brown blowfly.
This is a bigger and slower blowfly, which is not as active, but can cause just as much damage as Lucilia cuprina.
Other species of flies can also be present in a fly-struck sheep.
The timely use of appropriate preventive treatments is essential to limit the severity of flies and flystrike.
Sheep producers are encouraged to carefully watch weather conditions and for the presence of flies.
They must also consider the type of sheep they have and any conditions that may lead to the opportunity for flystrike to occur.
Sheep should be monitored more regularly and more closely during danger periods.
There are a number of treatment options available and the proper application and choice of treatment will depend on the length of wool, time off shears and the future of the sheep.
Careful consideration of product choice is essential, and producers should take into consideration the relevant withholding periods and export slaughter interval of any product used, and ensure they follow the product label directions and record the usage of all products.
For information on treatments and applications, contact your local veterinarian, Agriculture Victoria veterinarian or animal health officer, or visit: www.wool.com/flystrikelatest or www.flyboss.org.au
By Jeff Cave,
district veterinary officer,
Agriculture Victoria
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