August 3, 2017
Dung beetles are probably farmers’ greatest – and most hard-working – little friends, but also their most easily forgotten.
As their name implies, the little beetles break down cow pats, helping to aerate the soil and keeping animal poo to manageable levels.
World-leading dung beetle expert John Feehan OAM was in Kingaroy last week to talk to local producers about the beetles, and provide them with information on how they could introduce more beetles into their paddocks.
Mr Feehan was a senior member of the CSIRO team that introduced bovine dung beetles into Australia during the 1960s and 1970s.
In 1997, he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his work as an entomologist. He has five insects and one dung beetle named after him and in 2011, he was a finalist in the Australian of the Year awards.
Mr Feehan explained to southburnett.com.au that Australia has native dung beetles, but they are adapted to breaking down the dung from native animals such as kangaroos and bandicoots.
They can’t handle dung from introduced farm animals such as horses, cattle, sheep and goats.
Between 1965 and 1985, 44 species of dung beetle were introduced into Australia in a bid to break down and bury the half a million tonnes of droppings produced every day by domesticated farm animals.
Mr Feehan said 23 dung beetle species had become established, but to really get on top of Australia’s dung problem, about 35 species needed to become established.
Four more species are under evaluation for import at the moment.
The South Burnett Grazing Network brought Mr Feehan to Kingaroy to talk to producers.
Dung beetles not only process dung and aerate the soil, but they also help to reduce bush fly and buffalo fly, dig through compacted soil, increase nitrogen in the soil and deepen topsoil.
Mr Feehan said the Federal Government had also recognised the importance of dung beetles in Australia.
In May, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce announced in Casino, NSW, that the government would be investing $9.2 million into a $25 million dung beetle project, which is also being supported by Meat and Livestock Australia and the CSIRO.
Mr Feehan’s visit to Kingaroy was sponsored by Norco Rural and Virbac Animal Health.
- Related article: Dung Beetles On A Roll
