Rodents might be small, but they’re causing big problems for Australian growers — especially right now.
From macadamia orchards to grain silos, rats and mice are chewing through crops, infrastructure, and profits. And the situation is only getting worse.
Why rodent pressure is rising
According to Marquis Macadamias, growers across Australia are reporting record levels of rodent activity. In fact, 72% of surveyed macadamia growers said rodent damage was worse than previous years.
Rats are especially fond of macadamias — they chew through the shell to eat the nut inside. One female rat can produce up to 60 offspring a year, and with food and shelter readily available in orchards, they can quickly form damaging colonies.
What’s the cost?
Rodents don’t just eat the crop — they compromise infrastructure, bore holes into irrigation systems, chew electrical cabling, and contaminate feed stores.
Left unchecked, rat and mouse infestations can:
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Ruin high-value harvests
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Reduce yield quality
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Increase disease risk
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Trigger secondary pest outbreaks (like snakes and foxes)
In macadamia orchards, losses from rodent damage can exceed $5,000 per hectare.
Control starts with prevention
Baiting alone won’t solve the problem. To really get on top of rodents, you need a combination of strategies:
✔️ Bait Stations
Now mandatory in and around fruit orchards, these help you monitor and control populations safely and effectively — especially important where native species are present.
✔️ Rodenticides
Use high-quality baits in tamper-proof stations. Austral Ag stocks a full range to suit your situation.
✔️ Cage Traps & Snap Traps
In sensitive or high-traffic areas, mechanical traps still play an important role — especially near storage sheds or under machinery.
✔️ Infrastructure Checks
Keep grass short, clean up fallen nuts or grain, and block access points into sheds, silos and gear.
Know your natives
Australia is home to over 60 species of native rodents — many of which are beneficial, seed-spreading and insect-controlling parts of the ecosystem.
Common native rats include the Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes) and Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster). These are generally shy, don’t form large colonies, and rarely pose a risk to crops.
Identifying the difference between native rodents and invasive species (like the black rat or brown rat) is essential for ethical and effective pest management.
Need help finding the right gear?
Austral Ag stocks a full range of rodent control equipment to suit Aussie farms, large and small. If you’re not sure what you need, give us a call or drop into the Toowoomba store — we’re farmers too, and we know what works.
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📞 Toowoomba – (07) 4588 6789 | ✉️ [email protected]