Monitoring trends in pesticide use and residues on Queensland wool

Abstract

Pesticides are applied to sheep during the wool-growing season to control louse infestation and blowfly strike. Pesticides used in Australia belong to organophosphorous (OP), synthetic pyrethroid (SP) or insect growth regulator
(IGR) classes. To maintain market access, the Australian wool industry has resolved to reduce the amount of pesticide residues on wool by a strategy of best management practices that minimise the need for pesticide application late in the
wool-growing season. This paper reports the results of a program to monitor trends in pesticide use by Queensland woolgrowers and amounts of OP, SP and IGR pesticides on Queensland wool during the period 1993 to 1999.