Cost is important when determining preventative treatment for flystrike. This paper presents modelled output comparing two common treatment alternatives; either a fixed annual application date or waiting until a set proportion of the flock is struck. The Inverell, Gunning and Flinders Island regions of Australia, which provide differing strike conditions, were used for analysis. Where the period of annual strike risk was longer than the period of protection provided by chemical treatment, it was economically favourable (by 1–3%) to wait until a pre-determined proportion of the flock were struck before applying preventive treatment, rather than always treating on a fixed date. However, with spring or autumn shearing, where the season of strike risk was a similar length to the protective period, it was preferable to treat on a fixed date. For Flinders Island, with a shorter flystrike season than Inverell or Gunning, there were small benefits in treating at a pre-determined threshold, but selection of the correct intervention point was critical. In areas with lower levels of risk, where treatment may not be required every year, it appeared beneficial to set a threshold at a sufficiently high level to eliminate most treatment intervention except for years with high rainfall and humidity.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	body strike, breech strike, disease modelling, sheep blowfly
Research Division:	Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences
Research Group:	Animal production
Research Field:	Animal protection (incl. pests and pathogens)
Objective Division:	Animal Production and Animal Primary Products
Objective Group:	Livestock raising
Objective Field:	Sheep for wool
UTAS Author:	Percival, V (Miss Victoria Percival)
UTAS Author:	Horton, B (Dr Brian Horton)
ID Code:	84933
Year Published:	2013
Web of Science® Times Cited:	4
Deposited By:	Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
Deposited On:	2013-06-06
Last Modified:	2017-11-07
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