Biosecurity

Biosecurity is fundamental for safeguarding our valuable agricultural resources against the threat and impacts of pests, weeds and diseases (pests).

Biosecurity is the management of the risk of animal and plant pests and diseases entering, emerging, establishing or spreading in Western Australia, to protect our economy, environment and the community.

To protect Western Australian agricultural industries from pests the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia:

Works with stakeholders to identify and manage biosecurity risks.
Develops legislation.
Establishes import controls.
Conducts inspections.
Provides quarantine services as required.

To find out more about what we do to protect agricultural production and export opportunities within the State please search our website.

Articles

Ovine brucellosis

10 July 2014

Ovine brucellosis is a reproductive disease that can affect all breeds of sheep.
Livestock identification and movement: sheep

26 February 2014

Identification of livestock is required by law under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Identification and Movement of Stock and Apiaries) Regulations 2013 [BAM (IMSA) Regulations].
Registering as an owner of stock or as a beekeeper

16 December 2013

All livestock owners and beekeepers within Western Australia must be registered and their stock identified in accordance with the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Identification and Movement
Property of origin statements for Western Australia

26 June 2016

A key component of live animal exports is the health certification that demonstrates to the importing country that the livestock meet market requirements.
Approved identifiers for livestock

15 January 2014

All livestock in Western Australia must be correctly identified according to species.
Managing virulent footrot in sheep and goats in Western Australia

17 February 2015

There are two forms of footrot in sheep and goats: virulent and benign. They are caused by infection with different strains of the bacterium, Dichelobacter nodosus.
Benign footrot in sheep and goats in Western Australia

18 February 2015

There are two main forms of footrot in sheep and goats: virulent and benign. Both forms are caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus.
Bluetongue virus

8 July 2014

Bluetongue virus can infect all ruminants but it usually only causes serious disease in sheep. Cattle may be infected with the virus but rarely show disease.
Johne's disease (JD) in sheep

5 December 2013

This webpage describes the signs of Johne’s disease (JD) in sheep, how it spreads, and testing options.
Managing blue-green algae on farms in Western Australia

2 December 2014

Blue-green algae are a group of algae including Nodularia spumigena, Microcystis aeruginosa and Anabaena circinalis.