Woolgrowers will now be able to treat sheep for lice at any time of year due to the approval of a new oral treatment by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
Australia will be the first country in the world that will allow the product to be used on mammals, which contains the chemical fluralaner, which is used in chickens currently to treat mites.
It will mean farmers will no longer have to wait until shearing time to deal with lice issues.
In a LinkedIn post APVMA chief executive Nicola Hinder said the new treatment would be a game changer and improve labour efficiency on-farm.
"Typically, lice control products for sheep - especially those with long wool - require labour-intensive jetting or dipping processes," she said.
"This world-first registration controls isoxazoline-susceptible lice (Bovicola ovis), including strains resistant to synthetic pyrethroids and insect growth regulators on sheep and lambs with any length of wool."
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Advocacy body Wool Producers Australia made a submission to the process of registration supporting the implementation of the product
Wool Producers Australia chief executive Jo Hall said she was excited by the approval of the oral lousicide.
"This gives woolgrowers the opportunity to treat lice with any length of wool and through an oral application," she said.
"It can fit in with any management calendar, but it means that lice can be treated when they first become apparent.
It just provides flexibility [and] we very much see it as another tool in the toolbox for producers."
Ms Hall said $223 million per year was lost in production losses was due to the prevention, treatment and control of loss.
While the launch of a product is expected "a couple of months time" she also said there were some positive comments coming from the global wool industry as well.
"I've seen some comments on both social media and traditional media, from interested parties from overseas, so I think there is that global interest and why, again, we're so excited about this pure innovation," she said.
She also said it was positive that researchers were investing in the health of sheep and "was hopeful for further research and innovation".
"We welcome investment which is either public, private or industry focused to keep our industry relevant."
