High rainfall pastures

Pastures in the high rainfall area — more than 600mm annual rainfall — of south-west Western Australia can be highly productive, supporting mainly beef and dairy cattle, with some sheep and other grazing livestock.

These pastures are mostly either near the coast, near waterways or near to competing land uses, and movement of nutrients from pastures can degrade water quality in rivers and estuaries and cause problems for people using those resources.

Many high rainfall pasture soils have more phosphorus than is needed to maintain optimal pasture growth, are often deficient in potassium and sulfur, and can be too acid.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides technical and other services to industries in the high rainfall area to improve profitable and sustainable agriculture, and to minimise offsite negative impacts from agriculture.