Pest Programs | Midlands Biosecurity Group

Priority Pests and Programs

Feral pigs have a reproductive potential more similar to rabbits than any other pest. Sows can breed from six months of age and can have up to two litters per year with an average litter size of six piglets. Feral pigs rely on water when moving throughout the landscape to keep cool and provide quality food.

Best practice feral pig control is centred around coordinated free-feeding and introduction of poison grain. Shooting is considered effective for small numbers of pigs and used as a ‘mopping-up’ exercise after a baiting program. Shooting alone has shown to have little impact on long term numbers of feral pigs and can scatter surviving pigs further through the landscape.

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Feral Pig Distribution Map

Best Practice Feral Pig Control

Feral Pigs in Australia

The Midlands Biosecurity Group (MBG) provides support to landholders to access the latest information, assistance with applications for Restricted Pesticide Permit and on ground support with control methods. The aim of the Recognised Biosecurity Group is to achieve co-ordinated control across the landscape. The MBG and DBCA staff have been working together to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure the Nil Tenure approach to pest management is achieved.

The group has three Licensed Pest Management Technicians (LPMT) who work with growers and land managers to monitor pest activity and assist growers with their control programs.

Workshops and Baitrack Days are held annually across the shires.

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Contact our LPMTs here

This program focuses on monitoring for signs and symptoms of fox and wild dog movement, such as scats, tracks, live sightings and howling. Field cameras are deployed for intensive monitoring of hotspots, allowing for shorter follow-up times on suspicious activity. LPMTs investigate all suspicious stock attacks/deaths for signs of wild dog and fox predation.

Stock losses and sightings are reported to the MBG. LPMTs support landholders by ground baiting in hotspot areas as well as providing landholders with meat baits, canid pest ejectors and 1080 impregnated oats for distribution throughout the year. Meat baits are made in a cost-effective manner by using 1080 concentrate (which can only be handled by LPMTs), injected into cubes of fresh meat and then frozen on farms throughout the Midlands. Bait rack stations have been set up at Watheroo, Warradarge, Three Springs, Arrowsmith, Irwin and Cataby. Each station contains a locked freezer that holds around 1600 baits in bags of 25 with safety tags and warning signs made available for farmers. Farmers taking baits are required to have a restricted chemical permit and sign a register.

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Wild Dog Midlands Hotspot Map

Best Practice Wild Dog Control

Best Practice Fox Control

The MBG continues its rabbit control program focusing on landholder engagement and control methods using 1080 and RDHV1-K5 Calicivirus releases. Farmers are required by law to utilise appropriately trained personnel LPMTs to mix grain baits for rabbit control. This is a significant benefit of having an RBG in the region. Landholders are encouraged to utilise an integrated approach to rabbit management that involves more than one control technique to achieve a meaningful impact on rabbit numbers.

Rabbits are prolific breeders and can produce five or more litters per year with an average of five young per litter. Number are high across the Midlands region. Female rabbits can breed from four months of age. There are a range of control methods used for rabbit control. Poison grain is the main form of control that should be used in conjunction with warren ripping, shooting and biological controls (i.e. virus). The MBG provides co-ordination across land-tenure and provisions of baits and equipment.

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Bait with the MBG this Summer

Best Practice Rabbit Control

Rabbit Control Glovebox Guide

Pest Programs: Welcome

Funding, Declared Pest Rates and
Recognised Biosecurity Groups

The MBG Board of Management continues to explore all options for funding the group’s operational plan into the future. Currently, implements a Declared Pest Rate (DPR) and successfully applies for multiple agriculture grants annually. All funding sources can be found in the group's Annual Reports and Operation Plans. The DPR is locally raised funding, the state government then matches that on a 1:1 basis. All funds raised through this process must then be spent within the MBG area.

The DPR must be spent on activities detailed in the MBG annual operational plan, which identifies priority pests and management strategies. Landholders are given the chance to provide input into these plans and can have a say on how the DPR will be spent.

Activities include information, skills development and guidance to help landholders become involved in pest management, coordinated across fence lines, and continue to access contracted Licensed Pest Management Technicians.

Recognised by the Minister for Agriculture and supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), a Recognised Biosecurity Groups (RBG) provides the opportunity for shared responsibility and community led and co-ordinated control of declared pests. Under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (BAM Act), all landholders are responsible for managing declared pests on their own land.

RBGs require a long-term strategic approach to making coordinated pest management an accepted part of good property management. The DPR provides the certainty of funding needed for this to occur.

The Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 allows a declared pest rate to be raised to manage priority declared pests.

Recognised Biosecurity Group FAQ

Declared Pest Rate FAQ

DPR Information Sheet

DPR & RBG FAQ

Priority Pests and Programs

Funding, Declared Pest Rates and Recognised Biosecurity Groups

Funding, Declared Pest Rates and
Recognised Biosecurity Groups