The dog may be man’s best friend but the dung beetle could well be the cattle farmer’s!
This active insect is a willing worker who can deliver significant benefits in low chemical farming systems by recycling dung produced by cows and sheep into the soil.
That is why Wheatbelt NRM is excited to announce we have been included in the latest round of the Australian Government’s Smart Farms Small Grants program for our project Building Beetle Highways.
We are aiming to build a connected network of livestock operations to provide corridors where beetles can follow dung across the region.
The project will include field days, farm visits, the preparation of fact sheets, a map and gap analysis of suitable beetles for introduction to the Wheatbelt NRM region and the potential establishment of at least one farm nursery to improve beetle availability.
We are aiming to engage the Wheatbelt NRM region’s mixed farmers to assist us with this important project.
Don’t know much about the dung beetle?
Their hard work burying cow pads and sheep manure has been shown to bring extraordinary environmental benefits for soils, agriculture and tourism.
They are a biocontrol against pest flies that breed in cow dung, boost soil carbon, limit greenhouse gases resulting from livestock production and improve pasture production among many other amazing things.
If you are interested in more information on how you can be involved, contact program manager Felicity Gilbert at fgilbert@wheatbeltnrm.org.au.
Wheatbelt NRM would also like to congratulate other projects across the region and State which were successful in the latest Smart Farms round.
This project is supported through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.