As we move through autumn pasture establishment, slug pressure is starting to show up - particularly where paddocks have been direct drilled into heavy covers or where conditions have stayed wet.
Slugs can take out a surprising amount of plant establishment before it is obvious. By the time damage is visible, plant numbers are often already compromised.
Why Slugs Are an Issue Right Now
- Warm soils and moisture are ideal for slug activity
- Residue from direct drilling provides habitat and protection
- Slugs feed at night, so early damage is easy to miss
What this leads to:
- Reduced plant populations
- Slower establishment
- Less feed heading into winter and spring
What to Look For
- Shredded or ragged leaves
- Missing seedlings
- Patchy, uneven strike
Often mistaken for poor germination or insect pressure, but slugs are commonly behind it.
Application Matters
Getting bait on is one thing, but where and how it’s applied makes a big difference.
Direct drilled paddocks:
- Higher risk due to residue and cover
- Slugs are protected, so early application is important
- Even coverage is key
- Waiting until damage shows usually means you’re already behind
Cultivated ground:
- Still at risk, particularly from reinfestation
- Slugs can move in from fence lines, shelter belts, and treelines
- Damage often starts on the outside and works in
Practical tip: Applying bait to outside rounds or headlands can help stop slugs moving into the paddock
The Cost of Missing It
- Fewer plants established
- Reduced tiller numbers going into winter
- Lower pasture density
- Lost production that’s hard to recover
Why Sluggoff
- Disc shape spreads well through fert spreaders, helping achieve even coverage
- Holds up in wet conditions and remains palatable after rainfall
- Metaldehyde-based, giving effective control of slug populations
- Suits both direct drilled situations and cultivated paddocks at risk of reinfestation
Slug control is about protecting establishment and setting paddocks up properly heading into winter, early action and good application make a noticeable difference.
If you have new pasture in the ground or are working into higher-risk conditions, now is the time to act.
Get in touch with your local Catalyst rep to line something up.