Victorian grain-grower concerns over mice as rain stays away

For southern Victoria’s Tom Dunstan, if it’s not one challenge, it’s another. This is how his cropping season is shaping up.

Tom Dunstan from Telangatuk East with his dog Lucy, in a paddock recently sown to faba beans, while retaining stubble for moisture residue. Picture: Chloe Smith

Crops are off to a dry start for Telangatuk East grain grower Tom Dunstan whose soil profile is the driest it has been in years.

Mr Dunstan who produces wheat, canola, faba beans and some clover for hay, said he had received well below average rain for the year, with falls recording just 41mm.

“We are very dry, we have dry sown our canola,” he said.

The grower will then move onto faba beans and then 500ha of wheat following that.

This year, crop rotations are similar to previous years, however Mr Dunstan said more wheat is going in to replace barley following China’s hefty tariffs.

Another 15mm or 20mm of rain will be needed to keep crops going for three weeks to a month, Mr Dunstan said.

Tom Dunstan from Telangatuk East is dry sowing his crops, while waiting for rain. Picture: Chloe Smith.

“We just don’t have any subsoil moisture, we have had very little summer rain so our soil profile is very dry, probably the driest it has been for a number of years really,” he said.

“We didn’t have rain for January and February or March really.

“So we have a big bucket to fill.”

And mice have also been a problem in crops this year.

“We have had to bait for mice, so they are being a pest, only where there is plenty of

residue,” Mr Dunstan said.

“Where we have heavy residue we have enough water to get the crop out of the ground — so it depends which one you are happier with I suppose.

“I will take the moisture in the ground any day.”

Mr Dunstan said he had been baiting about 10 to 12 days prior to seeding and if needed he did another bait application right behind the seeder.

“It hasn’t always been necessary for the second application,” he said.

“It is unusual for us, we don’t seem to have them, but they seem to be everywhere this year.”