New AWI Accredited Trainers To Fight Flystrike With One-On-One Plans
The Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has announced a further $550,000 in funding to combat flystrike through one-on-one training for growers.
AWI is calling for expressions of interest for 15 agriculture and vet sheep consultants across the nation to be trained and accredited to deliver the training to at least 600 woolgrowers across Australia.
The new “Moving to a Non-Mulesed Merino Enterprise” project is targeted at woolgrowers who are, or are planning to, manage flystrike without mulesing and aligns with the industry’s Wool 2030 strategy and follows calls by many growers for more information about this option.
This five-year program adds to existing flystrike management workshops.
AWI Chairman Jock Laurie says AWI remains committed to supporting the rights of all growers to choose how they manage their flock.
“AWI recognises the critical importance of all flystrike prevention measures and continues to support all woolgrowers in their choices through provision of a diversity of best practice information, designed to deliver the best outcomes for sheep, across a range of different climate and operating environments.
AWI is responding to increasing requests for information and support from woolgrowers seeking assistance to specifically reduce their reliance on mulesing. It was a key finding of the June 2021 AWI and MLA Wool and Sheep Meat Survey, 42% of respondents currently mulesing said they intended to cease mulesing in the next 5 years.
Moving to a Non-Mulesed Merino Enterprise is stage 4 of a flystrike extension program designed to provide woolgrowers and their advisors with a range of options to assist them with flystrike prevention and treatment, including one-on-one support and coaching for woolgrowers.
It involves a one-day workshop and promotion of AWI-accredited industry advisors capable of providing hands-on, one-on-one assistance targeted at woolgrowers looking for additional support and coaching to implement their property-specific, whole-of-farm plan.
The Moving to a Non-Mulesed Merino Enterprise project is the latest stage of a $1,000,500, 6-year extension program:
- that focuses on the provision of tactical flystrike prevention, monitoring and treatment information (It’s Fly Time!), through
- developing a property specific plan for strategic flystrike control using an integrated pest management approach (SimpliFly), to
- increasing awareness and skills in breeding for flystrike resistance to minimise flystrike risk, chemical resistance and reliance on crutching (ClassiFly), to
- a one-day workshop for woolgrowers looking to move to a non-mulesed Merino enterprise (Moving to a Non-Mulesed Merino Enterprise, StrateFly), and
- the opportunity to engage AWI-trained and -accredited advisors under a, fee-for-service consultancy arrangement between themselves and the advisor. The woolgrower will receive hands-on coaching and support in the implementation of their whole-of-farm plan (AmpliFly), developing their confidence and capacity to reduce reliance on mulesing, optimise chemical use and increase whole farm profitability.
Whilst AWI has invested significantly in projects to support woolgrowers looking to move to a non-mulesed enterprise (including research in breeding for flystrike resistance), this is the first significant AWI investment in an active extension program targeting woolgrowers looking for support to reduce reliance on mulesing.
SimpliFly will be available from mid-2022. ClassiFly should be available from January 2023 and Stage 4 Moving to a Non-Mulesed Merino Enterprise during 2023.
Today’s announcement takes AWI’s investment in breeding for flystrike resistance related RD&E projects since 2005 to $10.4 million.
Media enquiries:
Kevin Wilde
kevin.wilde@wool.com
0436 031 277
