Causal Web of Ovine Breech Flystrike
A causal web depicting the relationship between the different risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of breech flystrike.
Causal webs are used to depict the relationship between multiple different factors that all contribute to the cause of a disease.
Here is a link to a PDF of the Causal Web of Ovine Breech Flystrike in Australia.
The circles contain the risk factors that we know about, whilst the lines are attempts to capture the interactions between the risk factors. It is likely that there are further risk factors and interactions that have been missed from this image and on-going research in this area may identify further risk factors that are, as yet, unknown.
This causal web highlights the complexities of the task Australian woolgrowers face with respect to managing this significant disease and the challenges involved in identifying solutions for its prevention that meet the diverse range of sheep type, environment and farm business priorities under which they operate. It demonstrates why growers require an integrated pest management approach to reducing the risk of flystrike, relying on a range of tools.
Below is an example for a causal web for bovine hypomagnesaemia (Grass Staggers in cattle).
Source: Thrusfield M.; Christley R. 2018. Veterinary Epidemiology Fourth Edition, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Oxford, UK, Page 52.
Information on the many current or recently completed projects, delivered under AWI’s Flystrike Research, Development, Education, Extension and Communication program, is available at www.wool.com/flystrikelatest.
