AgMemo - Livestock news, August 2018

Page last updated: Thursday, 16 August 2018 - 4:20pm

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

A snapshot of some of the latest news and seasonal advice from the department for Western Australian farm businesses in the livestock sector.

Select articles of interest to you or return to the main AgMemo newsletter by using the links on the right hand menu of this page. 

In this edition...

Reminder to ensure sufficient feed after late start to winter

Despite good recent rainfall in some areas, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is reminding producers to review supplementary feed programs to make sure animals are adequately fed and there are no animal welfare risks.

Livestock diseases to watch for in winter and spring

As we near the end of winter and move into spring, there are a number of livestock diseases producers are being asked to keep a lookout for.

New 1300 number to strengthen livestock traceability

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has introduced a single phone number for all enquiries related to livestock brands and National Livestock Identification System requirements.

Sheep Industry Scholarship projects underway

Three PhDs, two honours and four internships have so far been awarded as part of the Sheep Industry Business Innovation Scholarship program which commenced in July 2017.

New Pilbara beef officer’s BIG promotion

The Northern Beef Development project has welcomed the appointment of Stephanie Coombes as Development Officer for the Pilbara region.

Sheep Industry Business Innovation Project legacies

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development completed the Sheep Industry Business Innovation project in June 2018 and the knowledge gained through the project lives on through the below project legacies.

Producers reminded to inspect livestock thoroughly

Stock owners are reminded to regularly and closely inspect livestock and treat any issues after a landholder was recently fined a total of $20,000 in the Busselton Courthouse for offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2002 (the Act).

Reminder to ensure sufficient feed after late start to winter

Rains have arrived late in some areas, so make sure feed for livestock is adequately monitored and managed.

Despite good recent rainfall in some areas, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is reminding producers to review supplementary feed programs to make sure animals are adequately fed and there are no animal welfare risks.

It is important to continually assess and review feeding, fodder and pasture grazing plans and take early action if necessary.

Part of this assessment includes condition scoring sheep and cattle to ensure welfare risks are managed.

There are increased animal welfare risks when livestock are maintained in body condition score lower than two.

There is a risk of starvation, but also greater chance of succumbing to metabolic diseases and bad weather events, and an inability to withstand normal challenges such as birth and transport.

Stocking rates need to be considered carefully to ensure there is at least 600 kilograms of dry matter per hectare always left on pasture paddocks.

Options to achieve this include feeding stock in confined paddocks or in feedlots and agisting or selling stock before animals and paddocks deteriorate too far.

Performing a cost analysis of feed budgets versus destocking is a real part of planning to keep animals through the aftermath of a dry season.

A good stock management plan should include clear triggers that will determine when the above options should be actioned.

The responsibility for providing sufficient feed ultimately rests with the person in charge of the animal and it is not acceptable to keep stock in a condition which does not meet their basic needs for health and welfare.

Making decisions on what to do can be difficult and stressful, but a good management plan will help to remove some of the uncertainty that can come with making these kinds of decisions.

DPIRD’s website has useful information on supplementary feeding and feed budgeting of sheep and making welfare decisions for sheep.

A video on condition scoring sheep is also a useful reference, while the Future Beef website has information on condition scoring cattle.

For more information contact Rick Bryant, Client Engagement Leader, South Perth on +61 (0)8 9368 3346.

Livestock diseases to watch for in winter and spring

Sheep in paddock
Be on the lookout for selenium deficiency in lambs and calves, listeriosis and salmonellosis in sheep.

As we near the end of winter and move into spring, there are a number of livestock diseases producers are being asked to keep a lookout for.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) recommends calling a vet to investigate ill livestock as this helps protect our livestock and livestock product markets.

Livestock diseases to look for include:

Selenium deficiency in lambs and calves

Selenium deficiency occurs in young animals as they have an increased demand for the trace element during growth and have not accumulated the body stores of adult animals.

Animals are typically grazing lush, rapidly growing pasture or legume-dominant pasture in the higher rainfall areas of the southwest coastal regions.

Paddocks heavily fertilised with sulphur-containing or superphosphate applications may also predispose animals to deficiency.

Key signs include poor growth, stiff gait, arched back, apparent lameness, reluctance to move and sudden death.

Animals that show visible signs of deficiency can be supplemented in the short term with a selenium injection or drench but producers should read dosing instructions carefully as too much selenium can be fatal in stock.

Read more about selenium deficiency in sheep and cattle and how to prevent animals becoming deficient in the long term on the department’s website.

Listeriosis

Listeriosis is caused by the zoonotic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.

Sources of infection include contaminated soil, spoiled feed and where apparently healthy animals (including rodents) have shed the bacteria in their faeces.

Listeriosis is primarily reported in winter and spring when heavy rainfall is more likely to spoil silage.

Livestock then consume contaminated feed material and can be infected when rough feed causes abrasions in the mouth.

Key signs include neurological symptoms, unwillingness to rise and death. Listeriosis may also cause abortions five to six weeks before lambing, stillbirths or newborn lamb deaths.

If feeding silage, ensure it has been properly prepared and inspected and ensure any leftover feed is cleared away.

Salmonellosis in sheep

The most common form of Salmonella in WA is S. Typhimurium.

Producers should always observe proper hygiene practices when handling animals as Salmonella is zoonotic and can be transmitted to people.

Salmonellosis is more commonly observed in winter and spring, but can occur at any time of year.

Outbreaks are often preceded by periods of stress, high stocking density and wet and cold weather.

Sources of Salmonella include carrier sheep (may comprise 2% of the flock), wild birds, rodents and the environment.

Key signs include severe, foul-smelling diarrhoea, fever, dehydration and straining to defaecate.

Australia’s access to markets for livestock and livestock products depends on evidence from our surveillance systems that we are free of reportable and trade-sensitive livestock diseases.

To gather this proof of freedom, the DPIRD investigates cases where livestock show signs similar to reportable or trade-sensitive diseases.

The WA livestock disease outlook monthly e-newsletter for producers (WALDO) is collated from information collected by DPIRD and private veterinarians as part of proving Australia’s freedom from those diseases.

For more information on recent livestock disease cases in Western Australia and diseases likely to occur in the next month, subscribe to DPIRD’s WALDO by visiting the DPIRD website or email .

New 1300 number to strengthen livestock traceability

DPIRD staff
A single phone number has been established for all enquiries related to livestock brands, property identification codes and National Livestock Identification System requirements.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has introduced a single phone number for all enquiries related to livestock brands and National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) requirements.

1300 WA NLIS (1300 926 547) will now be the one stop shop for producers, agents, saleyards, abattoirs or anyone within the Western Australian livestock industry requiring assistance with registering or identifying stock, property identification codes (PICs), or for support with any aspect of the NLIS process.

The new one point of call aims to make it easier for industry to meet livestock traceability requirements, which would benefit the entire industry.

Domestic and international markets expect WA livestock and livestock products to be easily traced in the event of a food safety incident or disease outbreak.

Accurate and complete traceability information is vital to underpin the export of meat and livestock and the new 1300 number will make it easier for support to be provided.

Responsibility for the NLIS traceability system begins with producers when they register with the department to own livestock and are issued with a stock brand, PIC and registered identifiers.

Each individual animal must then be identified using the registered identifiers appropriate for each species.

The movements of livestock through the supply chain or from property to property must be accompanied by a paper or electronic waybill which provides details of the consignment.  

These details are then recorded in the web-accessible NLIS database, which is used to store and correlate the movement data and associated details across all jurisdictions.

The 1300 number will operate during business hours and connect callers through a menu system directly to a department technical or administrative officer who can answer their enquiry. 

This will enable the department to better monitor enquiries and target communication and advice toward areas that receive higher numbers of calls.

For more information on stock brands and property identification codes visit the DPIRD website.

Sheep Industry Scholarship projects underway

Three scholarship recipients - Travis Allington, Thomas Clune and Elise Bowen.

Three PhDs, two honours and four internships have so far been awarded as part of the Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) Scholarship program which commenced in July 2017.

Projects awarded include investigating engineering and technological solutions to detect fly strike sooner, more accurate estimation of dry pasture, and improving crop grazing management through the use of sensor technologies.

Supply chain economic modelling is also being undertaken to produce heavy out of season merino lamb.

Reproduction issues including increased lamb survival of multiple born lambs, increased reproductive efficiency of young ewes, and the role of infectious and zoonotic diseases both in the sheep meat industry and in productive wastage are being investigated through PhD and honours projects.

The Western Australia sheep industry scholarship program is designed to support and encourage individuals who wish to pursue further study by addressing key industry questions relevant to the sheep industry supply chain in WA.

This initiative is part of the department's Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) project, which aimed to support the sheep industry to capitalise on growing markets for sheep products.

The program will run from 2017 until 2021 and offers financial support for eligible research such as:

  • up to $5000 for honours (stipend) plus negotiable levels of operating
  • fortnightly payments at the rate of $38 000 per annum for:
    • two years for Masters and negotiable levels of operating
    • three years for PhD with the possibility of extension, plus negotiable levels of operating
  • students can also be invited for vocational or internship opportunities.

Applications are open in two rounds per year and the next round will close on 31 October 2018.

Areas identified as relevant to the WA sheep industry supply chain may include:

  • improving reproduction, lamb survival, growth and performance
  • using sensors to detect date of conception and birth, growth and performance of lambs
  • use of economic modelling (MIDAS) to explore opportunities to add value along the supply chain, and improve decision making using new business models
  • desktop studies on adaptive enterprises and grazing management strategies to the changing rainfall patterns of south western Australia
  • steps towards the development of algorithms and analytics to interpret proximity and activity data from livestock sensors
  • use of sensors for on-farm sheep health decisions and to detect stock movement
  • assessment of the impact on the WA sheep industry of outcomes from the project 'Market and consumer insights to drive food value chain innovation and growth’
  • barriers to the adoption of new business models in the sheep industry.

For further information and to apply for a SIBI Scholarship, visit the department’s website.

New Pilbara beef officer’s BIG promotion

Stephanie’s travels took her throughout remote parts of the Pilbara

The Northern Beef Development project has welcomed the appointment of Stephanie Coombes as Development Officer for the Pilbara region.

Stephanie joins the department after spending 10 years working in various roles throughout the beef value chain in Australia and overseas.

With the release of a second round of funding for the Business Improvement Grants (BIG) program, Stephanie travelled throughout the Pilbara in late July and early August to meet with pastoralists and discuss the grants program.

BIG is an incentive program for commercial cattle producers in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions to increase their market competitiveness and growth, providing business advice and mentoring support.

The program supports pastoral enterprises to embrace practice change and grow their businesses with 48 pastoral enterprises participating in round one of the program which was launched in late 2015.

The BIG program contains two parts.

Part 1 is  the business improvement review which allows reimbursement of up to $10,000 to engage a consultant to review the physical and financial performance of the business, develop a new business plan, or update a current business plan, prioritise implementation strategies to improve business performance and provide mentoring support to the business.

Part 2 is the business improvement implementation stage which provides reimbursement of up to $15,000 to implement prioritised strategies identified in the business plan, such as specialist consultancy advice or equipment to improve station management.

Stephanie’s travels took her to 18 stations across the Pilbara where she discussed the BIG Round 2 grant program and engaged with pastoralists and their staff to identify key areas of interest for future activities.

For more information contact Stephanie Coombes, Development Officer, Broome, on +61 (0)8 9194 1330.

Sheep Industry Business Innovation Project legacies

Sheep grazing in open field
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) recently completed the Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) project.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) completed the Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) project in June 2018.

The project supported the sheep industry by:

  • establishing dedicated sheep meat supply chains
  • increasing business and technical skills of producers and processors
  • maximising producers and processors’ business efficiency, productivity and profitability.

As the SIBI project has now concluded, knowledge gained through the project lives on through the below project legacies.

Confidence that sheep are a profitable component of a farming business

The SIBI project has increased investment in sheep as a component of the farming business, through research into business models, productivity and profitability.

Understanding the sheep industry value chain

SIBI improved stakeholder awareness of the complexity, value and sophistication of the sheep industry value chain. The project invested into supply chain development by working across all areas of the supply chain.

Building stronger relationships within industry

Stronger industry relationships have been built across all levels through training courses, industry events and field days. A key component of this legacy was the development of relationships with Aboriginal farmers, creating positive social impacts and increased business opportunities.

Increase professional capacity of the sheep industry

A project priority was to grow and develop the professional capacity of the sheep industry. This was achieved by encouraging new entrants into the industry through the sheep supply chain course, SIBI post graduate scholarships and stakeholder professional development courses.

Developing the Katanning Research Facility (KRF) as a national sheep research centre

SIBI invested into both people and resources to establish a facility available to be utilised by the broader industry. DPIRD remains committed to the continuous development of the KRF as a leading research facility. This work will continue to attract future research and increase collaboration between State Government and industry partners.

For more detail about SIBI’s work go to the department’s website

Producers reminded to inspect livestock thoroughly

Appropriately trim horns where there is a risk of them becoming ingrown.

Stock owners are reminded to regularly and closely inspect livestock and treat any issues after a landholder was recently fined a total of $20,000 in the Busselton Courthouse for offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2002 (the Act).

The offender entered a plea of guilty to two charges of cruelty under the Act, relating to two steers with ingrown horns.

For each animal, the landholder in the City of Busselton was convicted of failing to take reasonable steps to alleviate harm. He was also ordered to pay legal costs of $744.

The convictions relate to events in October and November 2016. On two separate occasions, the landholder failed to identify and treat cattle with horns which had grown into the animals’ head.

The cattle were instead sent to an abattoir in the South-West of Western Australia. The animal’s condition was reported on each occasion to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) Livestock Compliance Unit.

The first animal, sent in October, had an ingrown horn which had penetrated to a depth of almost three centimetres and led to an infected, chronic wound on its cheek.

The second animal, sent in November, had an ingrown horn which had penetrated to a depth of two centimetres at its deepest point. Tissue surrounding the wound was significantly swollen.

Both injuries associated with the ingrown horns were assessed as being of some duration in time, likely weeks.

The conviction is a reminder to anyone keeping animals that they are required to continually and closely monitor them to identify any potential animal welfare issues.

The Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Cattle states that any inward growing horns likely to penetrate or contact facial features should be trimmed appropriately.

This is a straightforward procedure but if there is any doubt, a veterinarian should be consulted for advice.

In addition, all animals to be transported should be inspected to ensure they are fit to travel. Transporting unwell or injured animals is likely to cause additional, unnecessary harm.

For more information about the department’s animal welfare responsibilities, visit the department’s website.

To report suspected cruelty to animals, contact the RSPCA on +61 (0)8 9209 9300 or 1300 278 3589 (emergencies only).

For more information contact Rick Bryant, Client Engagement Leader, South Perth on +61 (0)8 9368 3346.