NATIONAL Wild Dog Management Coordinator Greg Mifsud has joined calls for a coordinated approach to wild dog control in Mansfield Shire, amid increased activity on private land and livestock losses.

Echoing recent comments from Victorian Farmers Federation Vice President Peter Starr, Mr Mifsud said collaboration among the farming and rural community would be essential to manage the ongoing situation.

“While populations of wild dogs are incredibly difficult to measure, successive good weather season could have helped pups reach maturity,” he said.

“We have definitely seen an increase of activity on private land.”

“As we come into the autumn breeding season for wild dogs, young males are expelled from their packs and they leave pack territory looking to colonise their own.

"More and more that brings them out of the bush and onto cleared farming land.

"And by then, it’s already too late.

"Once they are out in the open and feeding on livestock, they become much harder to control.

"The key is managing them before they have learned to kill the sheep, once they have they become increasingly focused on that and they are harder to bait.”

Mr Mifsud said it was vital that landholders worked together to strengthen control measures.

“Community members and landholders need to come together to ensure multiple layers of control are put in place as a formidable barrier," he said.

"That means traps and bait.

"While traps are effective, they are costly and they take a lot of time and effort to put into place.

"In the time one trap is set, a long section of fence line can be baited.

"It’s important to adopt an integrated approach to the management of wild dogs.”

He said a breakdown in communication between DEECA and farmers had undermined confidence.

“There is a lot of frustration in Victoria," added Mr Mifsud.

"DEECA recently held their review and decided to uphold the unprotection order against dingoes in eastern Victoria.

"But a lot of confidence and trust in the government was eroded and that came down to how things were communicated."

While farmers have called for increased funding, Mr Mifsud said communities could still take meaningful action.

“Whether they are wild dogs or dingoes, if they are causing losses and damage on farms then we need to take the same approach we take to all fauna in Australia, we need to manage them," he said.

"The controllers that are in place to manage wild dog numbers in the 3km buffer onto public land are great but they have a lot of land to cover.

"With government budgets not looking so flush, wild dog control is suffering.

"While we can’t predict how that may change in the future, we can take a more proactive approach to trapping and baiting in an effort to get on the front foot.”

He praised previous grassroots efforts and encouraged renewed cooperation.

“The more lambs, less predators community initiative was a great success and it’s something we need to see more of," he said.

"People coming together, sharing information and taking a coordinated approach to the management of wild dogs.

"We know it works, we just need people to come together to do it.”

Mr Mifsud said local government, landcare groups and residents all had a role to play.

“Landholders need to come together with the council which is headed by a Mayor who is very passionate about the issue, local landcare groups can help with coordination and perhaps funding," he said.

"Everyone needs to come together to work towards a better understanding of the situation and to explore the options for a coordinated approach to the management of wild dogs.

"Managing numbers through trapping and baiting, electric fencing and guardian animals such as donkeys should all be considered.

"But management needs to happen before the dogs spread and get closer towards towns because by that point they are much harder to control.”

Mr Mifsud expressed interest in visiting Mansfield Shire to meet with affected landholders and help develop a community-led response to the rising wild dog activity and livestock losses.