Grain growers warned to bait mice before numbers surge

Numbers of mice could cause headaches for growers come sowing this year. Here’s how to help control them.

Spreading fast: Mice are running rampant thanks to a bumper harvest.

MICE numbers are building across parts of Victoria following the state’s bumper harvest.

National Mouse Group chair Ian Hastings said mice could pose issues for Victorian farmers by damaging stored grain, silo bags and hay.

“They are certainly building up in certain areas and it is quite widespread, with mice numbers seen in the southern Mallee, northern Wimmera and across into the North East,” Mr Hastings said.

“Although we are finding that it is not area specific, but almost paddock specific.

“In an area where people are not worried about mice there can be a paddock or two that are very seriously impacted.”

Mr Hastings said this meant it was becoming increasingly important that farmers checked individual paddocks.

He advised growers who may have an issue now with numbers, to bait immediately, as a six week window in between bait applications was needed.

“For cropping farmers, the best time to put bait out is immediately at the back of the seeder bar,” Mr Hastings said.

Minyip farmer Ryan Milgate said he was also hearing anecdotes of mice numbers growing in paddocks in his area.

“I am hearing a few people are concerned they are seeing elevated numbers of mice running around,” Mr Milgate said.

“I am hearing some stories of mice starting to turn up in sheds, and that is where you first notice them.”

Mr Milgate said he was about to ramp up summer spraying this week. “Since summer rain, there has been green feed in the paddock and they certainly do enjoy that and that helps them breed as well,” he said.

If numbers aren’t controlled now, Mr Milgate said growers would run into issues come seeding and sowing time. “If we don’t know there is a problem and we sow, well we have seen it all before and they come back a week later and the mice have cleaned it all up,” he said. “Growers have to go back to do a re-sow job.”

He encouraged growers to monitor the situation now and understand what is happening in paddocks.

“We will expect to see a lot more before seeding,” Mr Milgate said.

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