Time to target rabbits

Summer and early autumn is the best time to reduce local rabbit populations and Agriculture Victoria and the Victorian Rabbit Action Network, is encouraging landowners to get together with their neighbours to plan a rabbit control program.

Jason Wishart (Agriculture Victoria Biosecurity Manager) said the best rabbit control results are achieved when landowners work together and implement management programs when rabbit populations are at their lowest.

“With food scarcer over the summer period, there is a natural pause in the breeding cycle, so the time to act is now,” he said.

Mr Wishart said control techniques such as baiting and ripping also become more effective at this time year because the rabbits are more likely to eat bait and the soils are more friable and better for ripping.

“While there are a number of biological control agents in the environment such as myxomatosis and RHDV (calicivirus), they are not effective for managing rabbit populations on their own,” he said.

“The most effective programs are those that adopt the ‘rabbit recipe’ which is an integrated approach using a combination of baiting, ripping and fumigation.

“It is also critical to monitor rabbit numbers before and after your program to confirm that you are having the desired impact on the rabbit population.”

Rabbits cause considerable damage to agriculture as they consume pasture and various crops and compete with livestock for feed. This, coupled with their burrowing behaviour, also leads to soil erosion and other land degradation issues.

To read the full story – Simply click on the following link

https://issuu.com/themooraboolnews/docs/mn_2022-02-01/14

in the 1 February 2022 edition
OR
pick up a paper around your town.