WOOLGROWERS have been advised to regularly monitor flocks for signs of flystrike, even if they have recently been treated to protect against flies.
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) general manager research Jane Littlejohn said some woolgrowers were "reporting reduced protection levels" by blowfly protection chemicals.
"It is important they determine whether they're seeing actual resistance to chemicals or if something other than chemical resistance may be reducing the protection period or the effectiveness of the chemical treatment on their property," Dr Littlejohn said.
"Understanding chemical resistance and the role that an integrated pest management approach plays in flystrike management is crucial to woolgrowers effectively preventing and treating flystrike during the fly season.
"Recent research conducted by AWI and New South Wales Department of Primary Industry found increased resistance to some flystrike chemicals in blowfly samples, which coincides with the reports from woolgrowers of reduced protection periods.
"Remember, if you think resistance is an issue on your property, this doesn't mean the chemicals have totally lost effectiveness.
"But you may be seeing shorter periods of protection than what you previously expected.
"So, I encourage you to regularly monitor your sheep for flystrike, even if you have only recently treated them."
AWI has a chemical resistance factsheet enabling woolgrowers to determine if chemical resistance is an issue on their property and how to minimise its impact, on its wool.com website.
The website also has flystrike prevention and treatment and flystrike chemical rotation guides and other related information.
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