Nanotechnology for flystrike and lice control

New chemical formulations for flystrike control are required to support the phaseout of mulesing and because of the development of resistance to the most widely used flystrike control compounds. Control of sheep lice has suffered similar resistance problems and remains an issue in the sheep industries. Nanotechnology offers a means of providing extended protection of sheep against flystrike and lice. This project is designing and testing unique silica nanocapsule formulations with spikes on the particle surface and purpose-designed release characteristics to give prolonged periods of protection against flystrike and lice, with minimal residues and off-target effects. This will provide new, labour efficient, options for managing flystrike in unmulesed sheep and countering resistance in sheep blowflies and lice.