Diseases

Diseases have a detrimental effect on plants and animals and impact on market access and agricultural production. Diseases include micro-organisms, disease agents (bacteria, fungi and viruses), infectious agents, parasites and genetic disorders.

Western Australia is free from some of the world's major agricultural and livestock diseases. Biosecurity measures on your property are vital in preventing the spread of diseases.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides:

biosecurity/quarantine measures at the WA border to prevent the entry of plant and animal diseases
post border biosecurity measures for harmful animal and plant diseases
advice on widespread diseases present in the state.

For advice on animal and plant diseases search our website, the Western Australian Organism List or contact our Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS).

For diagnostic services, please contact our Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

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Articles

Managing virulent footrot in sheep and goats in Western Australia

17 February 2015

There are two forms of footrot in sheep and goats: virulent and benign. They are caused by infection with different strains of the bacterium, Dichelobacter nodosus.
Benign footrot in sheep and goats in Western Australia

18 February 2015

There are two main forms of footrot in sheep and goats: virulent and benign. Both forms are caused by the bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus.
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.
Sampling and post-mortem resources for veterinarians

9 March 2015

The following resources have been produced by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to assist veterinarians in selecting and preparing samples and conducting livesto
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.
Scrapie

10 July 2014

Australia is free of scrapie, which is a fatal, progressive, degenerative disease of the central nervous system of sheep and goats.
Photosensitisation in livestock

11 December 2013

Photosensitisation is inflammation of the skin, and occasionally the conjunctiva and cornea of the eye.
Thiamine deficiency induced polioencephomalacia (PEM) of sheep and cattle

28 November 2013

Thiamine, also known as vitamin B1, is normally produced by bacteria in the rumen of cattle and sheep on well-balanced roughage diets.