Dung beetles are a crucial natural part of the Australian grazing economy and are now being recognised by governments, Landcare groups and others. The dung beetle website has just scored 25,000 hits - that's a lot of people interested in cow do!

Dung beetles were introduced from Africa and Europe in the 1960s and 70s as a form of integrated pest management (IPM) strategy to recycle dung and reduce disease problems. They are now the most important single natural strategy being managed by graziers in Australia.

Dung beetles help recycle nutrients expelled in cattle dung and reduce the breeding sites for parasites that breed in the dung. Without dung burial by these introduced beetles, the dung dropped in one year would cover more than 250 sqm per cow. This would take millions of hectares out of production, tie up millions of tonnes of nutrients and cause untold damage to dams and waterways.

What dung beetles do to poo

Reduce nutrient run off into dams, streams and waterways

Reduce algal blooms in waterways

Increase soil infiltration rate

Bury dung and (thus) nutrients into the plant root zone

Increase soil fertility

Reduce the need for chemical fertilizers

Reduce pasture fouling

Aerate the soil through their tunneling activity

Reduce fly breeding habitat and opportunities through rapid burial of dung pads

Reduce parasite loads on livestock.

Dung beetles do their best work in the first 12-24 hours of dung drop before it dries out and the nitrogen volatilises into the atmosphere.

Graziers should aim for high dung beetle populations and good diversity of species as the most important step in developing an integrated pest management plan (IPM) for grazing enterprises, by considering the impact of farm chemical use on their beetle populations.

To find out more about which livestock parasite chemicals (parasiticide) do the least damage to dung beetles, visit www.dungbeetle.com.au and use the Livestock tab. Or call Mick Alexander on 07 4938 3919.