Summary
ParaBoss is the national group that leads the development and extension of best practice information, training and tools to improve parasite management of sheep and worm control of goats in Australia. ParaBoss manages WormBoss, FlyBoss, LiceBoss and ParaBoss websites, a bimonthly subscriber based e-newsletter, an online Technical Forum for animal health advisors and researchers and separate Facebook pages for sheep and goats. In addition, ParaBoss hosts a biennial workshop to bring together the community of advisors and researchers that support ParaBoss through the Technical Forum and newsletter.
ParaBoss is managed by the University of New England with the initial phase (November 2013– November 2016) under license from the Sheep CRC. Financial support has principally been provided by Australian Wool Innovation Ltd and Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd, supplemented by commercial activities. Steering and Technical Committees provide governance for ParaBoss with the latter contributing specialist expertise in the control of worms, flies and lice across all sheep and goat producing regions of Australia, and close connections with industry.
A key concept is that ParaBoss facilitates and supports an industry network with regional information, tools and activities designed to support a persuasive approach to extension. Central to this approach is that procedural information is simple, practical, effective, easy to implement and based on evidence so as to support the key aspirations of producers: control, confidence, public perception and time for work and life. ParaBoss content is designed for direct use by producers, but also to support animal health advisors who already engage with producers through retail, veterinary or consultancy services.
Initial Phase:
ParaBoss has been improved by changes completed during the initial phase, including the establishment of governance and technical support committees, more extensive and deeper links with industry through forums and workshops, frequent communication with industry through newsletters and social media, development of training products, improvements to the websites and incorporation of goat information into WormBoss (MLA project B.GOA.0120).
The total number of users of Boss websites has more than doubled during this initial phase and averaged 12,500 per month during 2016 with over one million page views since inception. The bi-monthly e-newsletters containing state outlooks and feature articles are sent to 3,300 subscribers. ParaBoss Facebook for sheep has 849 likes (followers) and the page for goats has recently been established. The ParaBoss Technical Forum is restricted to animal health professionals, with current membership at 139 members. The first Technical Workshop was held in 2016 with approximately 70 attendees (oversubscribed) who engaged and shared opinions about important and contentious parasite topics, with the purpose of identifying new information for inclusion in ParaBoss websites, and research and extension opportunities for Research and Development Corporations. Near the end of ParaBoss Phase I, awareness of WormBoss and FlyBoss reached 87 and 59% respectively with the adoption of WormBoss and FlyBoss recommendations undertaken by 16% and 5% of sheep producers; nearly tripling the rate of adoption since 2011.
ParaBoss will continue in this role through a second phase planned to occur over the period until June 2020.
