Maggots wanted for sheep blowfly research in a bid to control the problem

Researchers from the University of Melbourne are calling for farmers to send in more maggot samples from fly-struck sheep.

The wet summer and autumn that many landholders experienced, particularly during the east coast flooding, has led to more flystrike problems for farmers this year.

Each year blowflies infest the skin and tissue of sheep causing flystrike, resulting in annual losses worth $280 million to the wool industry, and a lot of suffering for infected animals.

In a bid to help combat the problem, University of Melbourne’s Trent Perry and Clare…