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

Selenium and/or vitamin E deficiencies in sheep

13 December 2013

Selenium and vitamin E are essential in sheep diets, and work together to prevent and repair cell damage in the body.
Supplementary feeding and feed budgeting for sheep

27 November 2013

Supplementary feeding of sheep, with grain, hay or silage is necessary when pastures or stubbles are deficient in energy and protein.
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.
Joining – setting the potential of your ewe flock

15 November 2013

Joining is the time when the potential lambing of your flock is set, so make the most of it.
2020 Lambing Survey

2 December 2020

To better understand the impacts of poor and variable seasons on lambing and turnoff rates, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) conducts special short surveys on l
Understanding Pastures from Space for South West Western Australia

23 May 2019

Pastures from Space estimates green feed on offer (FOO) and the pasture growth rate (PGR).
Western Australian sheep industry university scholarship program

4 July 2017

The Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) Scholarships program was an initiative designed to support and encourage individuals who wished to pursue further study by addressing key industry ques
Pasture condition guide for the Kimberley, Western Australia

27 March 2014

This pasture condition guide can be used from the web pages or by downloading the linked documents.
Feed tests are vital for feed budgeting

21 October 2019

A little knowledge of the nutritional value of your supplementary feeds can save you a lot of money and hassle. In dry seasons in particular, it is likely that farmers will need to start supplement
Setting up your sheep enterprise

25 November 2013

The way the sheep enterprise is managed, including infrastructure and the pasture system, will influence the profitability of the enterprise and be reflected in the cost of production and the labou