P.PSH.1490 - National Wild Dog Action Plan Coordinator (NWDAPC) 2023 - 2027

Summary

A total of 583 red meat businesses managing 269,393 head of cattle, 70,494 sheep and 19,154 goats, covering an area of approximately 7.4 million hectares across Australia were engaged during the project. 
Surveys conducted with red meat businesses at national and state conferences identified that red meat businesses (n=43) consider wild dog impacts a major issue. Predation events killing and maiming young animals was the main concern, however harassment was also considered to have a major impact on herd health. 

The five workshops delivered with red meat producers significantly increased their knowledge and capacity of best practice wild dog management techniques and strategies. Participants (76 producers) rated attendance at these events, and the information provide highly at 4.78 and 4.92 out of 5 respectively. Comparisons between the pre and post workshop surveys showed a relative percentage increase in knowledge of best practice wild dog management techniques by participants of an average 118%. Participants on average increased their knowledge of wild dog behaviour and ecology by 85%. This knowledge is essential for the development and delivery of control programs to protect livestock. 
Ultimately the project was terminated because of insufficient human resources. The coordinator could not feasibly undertake both his current obligations under the National Wild Dog Action Plan and all the additional deliverables of this project. Major adverse weather events (e.g. widespread flooding) also impacted on the ability to deliver events in-person with red meat businesses and their staff.

Objectives

a.    Secure or share trade exhibits with key stakeholders at 6 national or state agricultural field days or industry events to raise awareness of best practice wild dog management techniques to 1500 red meat producers.
b.    The NWDAPC will deliver 18 presentations to raise awareness of wild dog impacts, best practice management and the implementation of new tools through directly engaging with industry groups and peak councils at branch and committee meetings. 
c.    Identify areas (both geographical, and technical) that need further assistance to manage wild dog impacts.
Objective 2: Wild Dog Awareness Workshops
a.    The delivery of 10 wild dog management workshops (2-3 per annum) with a minimum of 200 red meat businesses representing 50,000 goats, 75,000 sheep and 75,000 cattle to increase their KASA by 75% of best practice wild dog management on-farm, with 80% of participants intending to implement these practices in the next 12months. 
b.    Increasing the KASA of service providers and consultants that support and provide landholders with direction in best practice wild dog and pest animal management - so ensuring a legacy benefit from the project.
Objective 3: Northern Australia implementation 
a.    18 red meat businesses from Northern Australia representing a minimum of 300,000 head of cattle implementing a wild dog management program that utilises a combination of current best practice control tools and includes the use of feral scan for monitoring impacts and program delivery.  
b.    For managers, staff and property owners in 20 red meat businesses from Northern Australia, improving their KASA of best practice wild dog management by 75%.
Objective 4: Southern Australia implementation 
a.    12 mixed livestock red meat business from southern Australia representing 50,000 goats, 75,000 sheep and 75,000 cattle implementing a wild dog and fox management program that utilizes a combination of current best practice control tools and includes the use of FeralScan for monitoring impacts and control program delivery.  
b.    For managers, staff, and property owners in 10 mixed livestock red meat business from southern Australia improve their KASA of best practice wild dog management by 75%.
Objective 5: Organic producers’ implementation 
a.    10 organically certified mixed livestock red meat businesses representing a minimum of 50,000 goats, 75,000 sheep and 75,000 cattle implementing a wild dog and vertebrate pest management program that utilises a combination of current best practice tools and includes the use of feral scan for monitoring impacts and control program delivery. Management programs will be developed in accordance with the Guidelines for use of vertebrate pesticides on organic properties developed by the National Wild Dog Action plan. 
b.    Range of best practice wild dog and vertebrate pest management activities in accordance with the National Wild Dog Action Plan developed guidelines for the use of vertebrate pesticides on organic properties, and the use of FeralScan directly related to this project. 
c.    For managers, staff, and property owners in 10 organically certified mixed livestock red meat businesses improve their KASA of best practice wild dog and vertebrate pest management on organic properties by 75%.
Objective 6. Communications 
a.    Develop 2 detailed cases studies (as per the MLA case study template), 2 MLA media releases and 4 National Wild Dog Action Plan media releases to promote successful wild dog management programs being delivered by red meat producers and to highlight activities of this project. Wild dog and vertebrate pest management related information including activity underway, successes, lessons, products developed by this project and associated networks, shared across 6 States and available to at least 4,000 recipients.

Key findings

Surveys conducted with red meat businesses (n=46) at national and state conferences found wild dogs are an issue for the industry, with over half the respondent in northern cattle regions considering them a major problem. Impacts reported were predominantly related to predation event killing and maiming of young animals, however harassment was also considered a major impact on herd health. 

Red meat producers surveyed at national and state conferences reported annual calf loss due to wild dog impacts in northern Australia varied, but the majority (50%) recorded loses in the 1-5% range annually. However, nearly 30% of respondents recorded losses between 6-10% per annum. In term of bitten animals, the majority (43%) had between 1-5% of young animals impacted from wild dog attacks.
Red meat businesses surveyed were using a range of control tools including shooting, ground baiting and trapping. However, they were relatively unaware of new control tools such as the Canid Pest Ejector device.

Five wild dog management awareness workshops were delivered during the project, three in central Queensland, 1 in southern Queensland and one in far-western NSW. A total of 76 producers participated managing in total cattle, 18,000 sheep and 10,000 goats across 421,029 Ha. The workshops delivered were extremely successful with red meat producers significantly increasing their knowledge and capacity of best practice wild dog management techniques and strategies after attending the workshops. The overall satisfaction rating from participants attending the workshops was high at 4.78/5. The information provided on best practice wild dog management techniques and strategies was considered highly valuable by participants, with a rating of 4.8/5.0. Pre and post workshop surveys indicated a change in knowledge of best-practice wild dog management techniques ranging from 38% to 270% for some control tools. Red meat producers attending these workshops indicated they would implement a change

Benefits to industry

A total of 500 red meat producers were engaged in the project’s activities, managing a total of 240,579 cattle, 26,694 sheep, 10,000 goats over and combined area of 7.4 million ha. The project achieved many deliverables and identified an ongoing need for further investment in awareness raising and extension, despite having to terminate early due to overcommitment of the National Wild Dog Coordinator to other National Wild Dog Action Plan projects.

Future research

Investigating options to deliver extension material utilising modern approaches such as eLearning, virtual workshops and webinars could assist with improving the knowledge of best practice wild dog management to various demographics of red meat producers. 
Red meat producers identified that they also believed that provision of assistance to work collectively across multiple properties would deliver more effectively coordinated wild dog management programs, leading to reduction in impacts particularly in northern Australia. This could be achieved by establishing a team of regional coordinators that support the delivery of extension programs but also support red meat businesses directly in delivery of coordinated regional management programs.  
Industry backing to make reporting of wild dog activity and impacts through livestock reporting systems on-farm as well as through FeralScan would provide greater knowledge on the impacts of wild dogs on the red meat industry and promote an uptake in management practices. 
Gaining greater insights into the cost of production from wild dog impacts may also encourage adoption of best practice. This could be achieved through incorporating research into wild dog impacts and control into on-farm calf survival and herd health projects. Additionally, increased surveillance and reporting of wild dog borne disease and damage to carcasses at processors will also generate estimates of further impacts on and costs to the red meat industry.