Large stock losses and a rise in dogs being shot prompts renewed calls for dog fence replacement

A northeast pastoralist has lost 1500 merino sheep to wild dog attacks this year, as industry leaders renew calls for the state's inadequate dog fence to be replaced.

Livestock SA wants the dog fence replaced in the next three to five years.

A northeast pastoralist has lost 1500 merino sheep to wild dog attacks this year, as industry leaders renew calls for the state's inadequate dog fence to be replaced.

Latest figures show the economic the impact of wild dogs on the nation’s agricultural industry is $89 million a year, with 5800 sheep attacked in SA, in 2016-17.

But the figures do not account for the emotional impact on farmers and their families.

Greg Treloar, whose station 100km northwest of Broken Hill includes 40km of the dog fence, said it had been “devastating” destroying stock attacked by wild dogs.

“They get maimed so badly they won’t survive,” the owner of Dilleroo West station says.

“Most of the damage comes when you have multiple dogs that prey and tear a sheep to pieces, you have to go around afterwards and destroy them.”

“The fence in our area is over 100 years old and the netting is old and brittle,” said Greg Treloar.

Mr Treloar said this year had been the “worst we’ve known” having lost more than 1500 adult merino sheep to wild dogs, which include dingoes, feral dogs and their hybrids.

“It’s a major financial impact as young one and two year olds are worth a chunk at the moment, combined with the loss of wool,” he said.

“The simple answer to all of this is to replace the fence and do it properly.

“The fence in our area is over 100 years old and the netting is old and brittle, while it doesn’t take much for the posts to break or sections to blow over.”

The station’s two employed trappers and a government-funded trapper have caught and shot 122 wild dogs on the property this year, compared to 76, in 2017.

The nation’s continued dry conditions are believed to be driving dogs and kangaroos further south, putting increased pressure on the fence.

Industry leaders last year raised the poor condition of the South Australia’s 5614km fence when wild dogs were shot on the outskirts of Burra, near the Clare Valley.

Dogs have also previously been caught as far south as Eurelia in the Upper North, around Crystal Brook, and Port Neill on the Eyre Peninsula.

Livestock SA president Joe Keynes. Picture: Miranda Kenny

Livestock SA president Joe Keynes said at its annual general meeting in September, the group unanimously agreed to advocate for the fence to be replaced in three to five years.

“The number of livestock people are losing from dogs and the effort they’re putting in (to try and control them) is having an emotional toll on quite a few people,” Mr Keynes said.

Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone acknowledged the 100-year-old dog fence was in urgent need of an upgrade and said they would continue to work with the dog fence board, industry and the Commonwealth Government to address the ageing infrastructure.

Mr Whetstone said recognising the urgency to address number of wild dogs along the fence, the Government implemented a $1.4 million strategy, involving trappers and extra baiting.

“The seven trappers have been on the ground since July, capturing almost 60 wild dogs,” he said.