Season 2023: information for WA farmers

Latest updates and advice

• It’s a difficult time for sheep producers who are making tough decisions this season. Sheep producers impacted by the challenging seasonal and industry conditions are encouraged to plan and consider options to manage flock condition and capture market opportunities over coming months. Refer to resources in Livestock management.
• For information on support services available to help people in rural WA areas find the assistance they need, please see WA's rural support services webpage and directory.
• The northern and eastern fringes of the grain belt have experienced a very dry growing season with poorly established crops presenting a high soil erosion risk. Low rainfall has limited yield potential of established crops. See available resources in Crop management and Rural support services sections.
• Early September rainfall maintained yield potential in the southern and central grainbelt but frosts will have reduced yield potential in impacted areas. See Crop management section to manage frost and other seasonal risks.

Seasonal issues

Livestock management

Current situation

• Sheep producers impacted by challenging seasonal and industry conditions are encouraged to plan and consider options to manage flock condition and capture market opportunities over coming months. To help producers make informed decisions to manage feed requirements and livestock nutritional wellbeing, refer to Management resources and Animal Health and Welfare resources below.

Management resources

• Managing sheep in a poor season
• Sheep feeding and nutrition
• Supplementary feeding and feed budgeting for sheep
• Grazing crops for extra winter feed
• Assessing pasture quantity and quality (Food On Offer)
• Management tools and calculators for sheep and grazing management
• Supplementary feeding calculator for pregnant and lactating ewes
• DPIRD video: Assessing pasture feed on offer
• Growing weaner sheep
• Confined paddock feeding and feedlotting of sheep
• Dry season resources 
• Electronic identification of sheep and goats
• Grazing stubbles and dry pastures

Animal health and welfare resources

• Condition scoring sheep
• Livestock carcase disposal after fire, flood or drought
• Water quality for livestock
• Livestock water requirements and water budgeting for south-west Western Australia
• Lupinosis in sheep
• Welfare decisions for sheep and cattle
• Is your livestock fit to load? (Meat & Livestock Australia)
• Emergency Animal Disease Hub
• A national guide to describing and managing beef cattle in low body condition (PDF from Meat & Livestock Australia)
• Animal welfare - resources and publications

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Crop management

Current situation

• The northern and eastern fringes of the grain belt have experienced a very dry growing season with areas presenting a high soil erosion risk and yield potential of established crops is limited by the seasonal conditions. See Management resources section below for  Breakeven yields of grain crops, Harvesting short, patchy crops, Dry season resources, Making tough decisions about failed crops and Rural support services.

• Early September rainfall maintained yield potential in the southern and central grainbelt but frosts will have reduced yield potential in impacted areas.Refer to GIWA Crop reports and Management resources below for information to manage seasonal risks, including Frost: Tools and support.

• Crops in south coastal areas which are emerging from waterlogging conditions, will be depending on a soft finish to mature.
• See Pestfacts WA resources and e-newsletter to keep up to date with the latest crop pest and disease activity and management options.

Management resources

• Breakeven yields of grain crops
• Harvesting short, patchy crops
• Diagnosing wind erosion risk
• Managing wind erosion in south-western Australia
• Managing stubble for wind erosion control 
• Grains Convo Podcast: Protecting WA soils against wind erosion
• Dry season resources 
• Frost: Tools and support
• Making tough decisions about failed crops
• GRDC Deep ripping fact sheet
• PestFacts WA 
• PestFacts WA e-newsletter
• Subscribe to Grains Convo newsletter for updates on DPIRD’s grains industry research
• 2023 WA Crop sowing guide

Keep updated and report

• Learn about the latest pests and diseases activity in WA and how to identify and manage them by reading the PestFacts WA e-newsletter.
• The PestFacts WA map provides a visual display of current and historical insect or plant disease activity reported in WA.
• The PestFacts WA team welcomes all insect and plant disease reports, and identification requests, so we can continue providing risk alerts to the WA grains industry.  Download and use the free PestFacts WA Reporter app for both Apple and android devices. This version replaces the previous PestFax Reporter app, so once the new app is downloaded, please delete the older PestFax Reporter app. 

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Land and water management

• Increasing areas of low ground cover are becoming apparent particularly in the northern grainbelt, reflecting the below average growing season.  There is an emerging risk of insufficient ground cover over summer to prevent wind erosion. Refer to Management resources below.  

• Farm water supplies are adequate in the majority of the grainbelt, except for an area of concern around Arthur River. However, a lack of large rainfall events in some locations has seen little runoff into farm dams requiring producers manage water supplies across their farm. 

• Plan for and invest in reliable on-farm water supplies.

  • Groundwater desalination on farms in Western Australia: Please remember that you must submit a notice of intent to drain or pump water – desalination (NOI), together with the neighbour comments, to the Commissioner of Soil and Land Conservation at least 90 days before intended discharge.
  • It is time to maintain roaded catchments and dams. Plan now for new dams and roaded catchments.

Management resources

• Diagnosing wind erosion risk
• Managing wind erosion in south-western Australia
• Managing stubble for wind erosion control 
• Grains Convo Podcast: Protecting WA soils against wind erosion

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WA’s rural support services

• Rural Aid provides assistance for primary producers and now has counsellors located in the WA wheatbelt.
• For more information on other support services available to help people in rural areas of WA find the assistance they need to deal with stressful situations, please view WA's rural support services webpage and directory. 
• Rural West financial counselling service : freecall 1800 612 044 for free financial counselling services to assist primary producers.
• Regional Men’s Health Initiative
• For assistance in recovering from fires, refer to Farm recovery after fire.

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Climate situation and outlook

• Seasonal rain April to August continues the drier than normal pattern for northern and eastern agricultural areas and parts of the south-west.
• August has been notably warmer than normal, especially for northern agricultural areas.  
• September rain to date has been greatest over southern agricultural areas and the south-west but only small parts of the south coast are wetter than normal.
• The Bureau of Meteorology's seasonal rainfall outlook for October indicates below normal rain is more likely for agricultural areas.
• Similarly, the outlook for October to December 2023 is indicating below normal rainfall is more likely over southern WA. The outlook continues the prediction of higher atmospheric pressure over Australia. See the Bureau’s seasonal outlook video for more details.
• International climate models are currently showing below-normal rainfall outlooks for WA for October to December 2023.
• Refer to climate resources below for further information.

Contacts