Improving Australia’s Soils with Dung Beetles
John Feehan OAM
SOILCAM Pty Ltd
The purpose of this article is to outline the contribution that dung beetles, specifically those exotic species imported into Australia by the CSIRO from the 1960’s to the 1990’s to deal with cattle dung, are making toward the maintenance of sustainable soils in Australia’s cattle grazing areas. The problems confronting
Australia by the enormous volumes of cattle dung being deposited daily on farmlands will be briefly covered as will the history of efforts to deal with it both historical and current. The article will conclude with an attempt to outline a way ahead for government, industry, the scientific and academic communities. The remaining 95% are ‘degraded’, marginal to non-productive, and often compacted or dead. Prior to 1788, Australia had no naturally occurring large animals with the result that there are no natural dung feeding insect that could bury bovine dung. Australia’s native dung beetles are simply not adapted to, or interested in, introduced animal dung. Today, some 28 million cattle in the country produce up to half a million tons of dung every day. When driving round the continent, this dung can be seen lying, dry and useless, in paddocks. Not only is the dung being wasted with 80% of its nitrogen just evaporating into the atmosphere; the dried-out pads affect up to 15% of the paddocks, preventing further good pasture growth because grass that grows around them is coarse and rank and is shunned by cattle. Furthermore, this valuable resource contains 45 to 70 per cent inorganic phosphorous, which is naturally lacking in Australian soils. The consequences are well known. Left alone, the dung can foul waterways and dams leading to toxic algal blooms as well as creating rank pasture and fertile breeding sites for pests and parasites. In addition, greenhouse gases, such as methane, are released into the atmosphere while the valuable nitrogen contained in the dung is also lost as well as a potentially significant source of nutrients useful to the soil was going to waste. Run-off from heavy rains on farmlands can contain dissolved chemicals and nutrients from herbicides, insecticides, wetting agents, fertilisers and organic nutrients from grazing animals’ dung and urine. These can end up in the nation’s dams, waterways and oceans. Addressing the issue. In 1950, a twenty six year old Hungarian-born entomologist and ecologist, Dr George Francis Bornemissza PhD (University of Budapest) arrived in Australia. He was stuck by the volume of old, dry cow dung that covered cattle grazing paddocks of Western Australia where he had settled upon arrival. Following his move to the CSIRO in 1955, he began to advocate for a solution which he had already identified as the introduction into Australia of exotic bovine dung beetle species. The establishment of the CSIRO’s dung beetle program and the introduction of dung beetles into Australia can therefore be confidently described as the ‘brain-child’ of Dr Bornemissza who convinced CSIRO that they should address the problem. The results of his brilliant and visionary initiative was summed up in later years by Professor Frank Fenner when he told George: “Your work has changed the face of Australia forever.”
As a result of CSIRO’s research, it soon became evident that the incorporation of dung beetles into grazing practices was having a positive impact in pasture soil health. Despite this, CSIRO terminated the program in 1991 when funding dried up. They had introduced 60 species of beetle and released 44 of them. At that point, just one of the 23 species known to be established on the continent had spread to its climatic and geographic limits while the other 22 species were in localised areas on beef properties. Even now, 29 years later, there may only be two or three species fully spread. Much work clearly remained to be done if these beetles were to do the job they had been imported to do. Continuing the effort
John Feehan spent 28 years from 1963 to 1991 working on the CSIRO dung beetle program. After the program’s termination, John set up SOILCAM Pty Ltd in 1993 to undertake the harvesting and redistribution of different dung beetle species according to their climatic and geographic limits in Australia using CLIMEX, the climate matching program. John did not attempt to breed dung beetles as the processes involved can be quite difficult in addition to being time and resource intensive. Instead, he has leveraged off the excellent work carried out by the CSIRO and has focussed on harvesting dung beetles from colonies that have developed from those already established around the country by the CSIRO and distributing these to new areas where the introduced species did not already exist. In this he was inspired by Dr Bornemissza who was always confident that the dung beetles would establish and adapt to Australian conditions if given time. John Feehan Dr George Bornemissza
In this latter regard, John has observed certain dung beetle species spreading far beyond their expected ranges into areas that exceed the predictions of CLIMEX. Since 1993, SOILCAM has relocated almost 7,000 starter colonies (involving almost seven million dung beetles across 20 different species) within Australia and has exported a number of species to five overseas countries for research purposes by universities. The species re-located include:
• Bubas bison – 2,000,000 from Western Australia to the eastern states.
• Onthophagus binodus – 263,000 from Esperance, Western Australia, to the eastern states.
• Geotrupes spiniger – 180,000 from Pyengana, Tasmania to the mainland.
• Onitis aygulus – 165,000 from Meningie South Australia to New South Wales and Victoria.
• Onitis alexis, Onthophagus gazella, Euoniticellus intermedius – 2,000,000 from Coonabarabran, NSW.
• Euoniticellus intermedius, Liatongus militaris, Onitis alexis, Onitis viridulus, Onthophagus gazelle, Sisyphus rubrus, Sisyphus spinipes – 800,000 from southern Queensland to Northern Australia.
• Onthophagus binodis, Onthophagus taurus, Euoniticellus fulvus – 1,500,000 from ACT and regional areas to Southern Australia. The map below illustrates SOILCAM’s recent efforts over 2021-2022 where some 535 colonies were harvested and distributed around Australia involving some 13 different species and about 350,000 beetles. There are substantial logistical issues involved in the processing and transportation of live dung beetles to regional areas of Australia. John has, over time, developed his own specialised procedures and protocols to facilitate the large the scale distribution of beetles from paddock of origin to destination within 72 hours. This could not have happened without establishing effective working relationships with quarantine, logistics and transport providers to create trust and an understanding of the importance of dung beetles. By way of illustration, beef producers in Western Australia are able to collect beetles at Perth in less than 24 hours of despatch from Canberra and 36 hours at Geraldton. This includes clearance by the State’s bio-security agencies. Jon Lea releasing beetles in the vast areas of Northern Australia,
requiring unique methods to ensure timely release
John recognised that the future of sustainable farming and the future of Australia's soil health depended on inspiring and educating key players in government, the industry and the younger generation. This has been a major focus of his activities. It was also important that the community understood the benefits that dung beetles could bring to the Australian environment. These beetles not only benefit the grazing sector, but also the urban dwellers, through improved urban amenity through reduced bush fly numbers, and improved water quality in creeks, rivers, estuaries and oceans. Notwithstanding the environmental, social, and economic benefits dung beetles bring to Australia, the biggest beneficiary is soil health. The CSIRO was aware that dung beetles could be adversely affected by action of parasiticides. Against this background, John was invited to the United States where he made a presentation to senior executives of Fort Dodge Animal Health in Kansas City. This company held the patent on the molecule moxidectin which is the active ingredient for the drench now commonly known as the “Most friendly dung beetle parasiticide for cattle and sheep.”
John felt this product needed to be promoted in Australia to give all introduced species the best chance to survive. The subsidiary company in Australia took the dung beetle friendly concept on board and eventually ended up with a considerable share of the parasiticide market. Dung beetles at work
To put it simply, dung beetles remove cattle dung deposited on grazing paddocks and catchment areas by burying it. Within 48 hours of dung being dropped, dung beetles will burrow and bury fresh dung up to 300mm below the surface in the hard and most compacted soils and create a tunnel system some 600mm-700mm wide. They have even been known to bury dung directly into a well-used gravel road. In the process of burial, the beetles create a tunnel system below a cow pad which can spread through an area of almost half a square metre. Diagram showing dung beetles in a grazing environment and the holes created after only 12 hours under a dung pad
The benefits to soil health of this simple, but vital activity can be summed up as follows:
• The soil is aerated
• Nitrogen and phosphorous in the dung are relocated to the grass root zone
• Topsoil is deepened by slowly cultivating and turning it over to a depth of 300mm, encouraging microbial activity
• Habitat and food supply for earthworms is provided
• Rainwater penetration is increased and ground water retention improved
• More nutrients and chemicals from herbicides and pesticides are allowed to penetrate tunnels resulting in minimising unwanted run off and reducing harmful bulk events during heavy rain
• The locked up phosphate of many Australian soils is enabled to be made more available for plant utilisation via the tunnelling system and microbial activity
• USA research revealed 80% of the nitrogen in dung when left on the pastures is lost to the atmosphere while dung that is well buried retains 80% of the nitrogen at the grass root zone
• Internal parasite and fly burdens are reduced by eliminating their breeding sites through rapid dung burial. CSIRO research revealed up to 99% reduction due to just two species burying dung quickly. Dung beetles deliver these beneficial results permanently with relatively insignificant one-off investments by the farming community but without the need to involve:
• tractors
• machinery
• an extended draw on a farmer’s time and resources
• fossil fuels
• producing CO2 as the burial of dung and microbial activity sequesters CO2. The results
Agriculture
Notwithstanding the environmental, social, and economic benefits dung beetles bring to Australia, the biggest beneficiary is soil, pasture, and animal health. Early research suggests the introduction of dung beetles into grazing situations can increase pasture growth by up to 40%, reduce fertiliser use by up to 50% and increase the topsoil profile by up to 100% in some regions. This will be achieved by the burial of the estimated 180 million tonnes of cow dung dropped annually in Australia. This represents an immeasurable benefit to Australia’s agriculture and environmental wellbeing. The environment
When contaminated runoff water enters the dung beetle tunnel system, gravity continues to take water downhill resulting in chemicals and nutrients being filtered by topsoil and remaining in the paddocks. More absorption of heavy rain run off results in reduced erosion due to damaging bulk flow events. Reduced emissions of greenhouse gas emissions is also a major side benefit. Buffalo and bush fly
Bush fly and Buffalo fly reduction is also a result of dung beetle activity. A CSIRO publication reveals rapid burial of cow dung can result in up to 99% reduction in bush fly numbers, these results were produced by just two species burying cow dung in less than six days which is the period bush fly larvae require to mature. Social benefits
The rapid burial of dung reduces the breeding medium for the bush fly resulting in significantly reduced numbers and improved urban amenity. The situation in Canberra alone, where there are eight species locally established is a good example. Residents can now eat outdoors and enjoy the same al fresco dining as the people of such great cities as London, Paris and New York. More than thirty years ago, it was illegal for a restaurant to supply food on a footpath. Government authorities considered it a health hazard when 50 or more bush flies descended onto a meal outdoors. While many younger Australians could not appreciate how bad the flies once were, the reduction in bush flies through the introduction of dung beetles has transformed our way of life. Looking ahead
John’s work has led to a situation in the southern part of the continent where systems are now in place which will ensure that the ten species or more that are not yet fully spread to their full geographic and climatic limits can be achieved. Areas that need ongoing attention include educating the farming community about the need to exercise care in the choice of horse and cattle drenches and parasiticides to ensure that dung beetle populations remain safe and sustainable. A future task for government and industry is to address the issue of Buffalo fly by the identification and introduction of new exotic dung beetle species suitable for Northern Australia. This task is urgent given the rapid spread of Buffalo fly southwards and the cost it imposes on graziers and cattle producers. It is one that needs the involvement of the Commonwealth Government and industry as a new breeding program may be required. In addition to controlling the spread of Buffalo fly, the use of dung beetles to bury the breeding medium of this pest will improve the pastures and soil health of our northern grazing areas. John and others have already started examining possibilities in this area by undertaking a field trip, privately funded by John and Carol Richard of Coolah NSW, to Indonesia, where the Buffalo fly is endemic but appears to have natural systems in place to keep it contained. The contribution that dung beetles can make to the national effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions is another area that deserves expanded attention by government, the industry and the academic community. Recently, John has become involved in work being done by a Queensland University on soil carbon sequestration through the incorporation of dung beetles into existing projects. Mine rehabilitation is another exciting area as mining companies attempt to restore land to productive agricultural uses following the closure of mines. John is involved with the "Glencore Mine rehabilitation project" which aims to rehabilitate their mine sites to their original grazing land and rebuild the depleted soil structure and fertility. John is also in the process of investing into a Queensland based operation to service the high demand for dung beetles in northern Australia. John still provides a free dung beetle identification service for farmers but with the advances in technology particularly in mobile devices, he sees an opportunity through collaborating with technical support providers to develop an App where dung beetles could be "self-identified" in the paddock to build a data base of species’ locations complete with date/ time stamp and GPS data. This would be an invaluable tool to measure the location, spread and adaptation of dung beetle species and encourage schools, and farming groups to actively participate. Every day more than half a million tonnes of dung is dropped onto Australian pastures, locking up nutrients and creating a breeding ground for bush flies, buffalo flies and other pests, but beetle colonies are capable of burying cow pads in 24-72 hours. When the CSIRO project concluded, John’s private organisation (SOILCAM) is based in Canberra, where he coordinates the largest and most efficient collection and redistribution of dung beetles in the world. He has been promoting the management of dung beetles for more than 18 years and has redistributed more than 4,500 colonies consisting of 18 different species to date. As a result of his diligent research and field work over many years, John is now able to supply the species suitable for particular locations to ensure maximum beetle activity through different seasons. John is committed to educating the community about the importance of the dung beetle and his work has made an outstanding contribution to Australian agriculture.
