Livestock & animals

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development supply chain support, research and development and rigorous biosecurity systems underpin the economic success of Western Australia’s livestock industries. In 2011/12, the WA livestock industries contributed 26% of the state’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry production, worth approximately $2 billion at the farm gate.

WA is a world leader in live exports, super fine wool production and dryland sheep and grain systems. Both cattle and sheep systems are focused on export markets to Asia and the Middle East. WA also has innovative, world-class integrated dairy and pork industries meeting local and South East Asian demand for safe, fresh milk and pork. The WA poultry industry is growing strongly as a result of increasing domestic consumption.

Global demand for high-quality, safe animal protein and products produced according to high animal welfare standards will continue to rise in coming years. Increasingly DAFWA will partner with industry -- locally, nationally and internationally -- in transformational business projects to capitalise on this demand.

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Articles

Wind erosion control after fire in Western Australia

12 February 2015

Wind and water erosion risk is increased where fire removes groundcover and some seed reserves.
Climate Resilience

23 December 2021

Climate change is a pressing global issue that creates both challenges and opportunities for Western Australia.
Selective breeding of sheep for reduced methane emissions

18 October 2013

Selective breeding of sheep is an option for decreasing methane emissions. Through selection, methane production can be lowered per unit of feed intake.
Climate change and broadacre livestock production in Western Australia

31 March 2016

Climate change will affect livestock production in the agricultural areas of Western Australia (South West WA) in different ways, with some regions and enterprises benefiting and some not.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions for WA Agriculture

7 June 2021

Each year the Federal Government estimates the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and reports by sector via the National GHG Inventory.
Contaminated farm dams – Western Australia

25 March 2015

Organic material washed into dams can lead to water becoming unattractive to livestock and possibly toxic.
Carbon farming management options in Western Australia

13 November 2013

The aim of carbon farming is to sequester more carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as part of Australia's response to climate change.
Managing sheep in a dry spring

4 August 2017

This page provides the presentations from the ''Managing sheep in dry spring: for agribusiness professionals" event held in Kojonup, Geraldton and Perth in 2017.
Rangeland regeneration to sequester carbon in Western Australia

13 November 2013

Rangeland regeneration has the potential to sequester large amounts of carbon because of the large areas involved. Pastoral regeneration would also have extensive environmental benefits.
Future Sheep - Climate adaptation to ensure a sustainable WA sheep industry

12 April 2022

The project’s purpose is to help protect the profitability of WA sheep production in the face of climate change, increasing climate variability and increasing demand to mitigate greenhouse gas emis