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

Avian influenza

9 December 2013

Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by an influenza virus.
Cobalt deficiency in sheep and cattle

22 July 2014

All ruminants (including sheep, cattle and goats) require cobalt in their diet for the synthesis of vitamin B12.
Infertility and abortion in ewes

16 June 2015

There are multiple possible causes of both infertility and abortion in ewes, but making a definitive diagnosis is often difficult. Some diseases which are exotic to Australia can cause abortions.
Vaccinate to protect cattle health and profits

27 November 2013

Vaccines can prevent a wide range of diseases that cause reduced production, fertility or death in cattle and economic losses to Western Australian producers.
Farm biosecurity checklist for sheep producers

4 December 2013

Western Australia has a relatively disease-free status compared with the rest of the world.
National Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Surveillance Program (NTSESP)

28 November 2013

The National TSE Surveillance Program (NTSESP) conducts surveillance for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease) in cattle and scrapie in sheep.
The National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP)

4 December 2013

The National Arbovirus Monitoring Program (NAMP) monitors the distribution of economically important insect-borne viruses of livestock and their vectors.
Anthrax

14 September 2015

Anthrax is a bacterial disease of animals, most commonly seen in cattle, sheep and goats.
Five-day foot bathing treatment of ovine footrot

5 March 2019

Five-day foot bathing is a treatment option that can be used as a disease reduction measure in winter, spring, or at the start of summer to treat clinically mild forms of footrot in sheep.
Bovine pestivirus or bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) and mucosal disease in cattle

27 November 2013

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in cattle is a complex disease that is caused by bovine pestivirus.