Latest updates and advice
| Livestock management has information to assist decision-making in challenging seasonal and industry conditions. Cattle producers and small landholders in the South West affected by dry season conditions are urged to regularly monitor their herds and take action early to ensure the condition and welfare of animals. See Southern beef - dry season management. |
- Pastoralists can refer to Dealing with a dry year in the southern rangelands of WA for information and management resources.
- For support services to help people in rural WA areas, find the assistance at WA's rural support services webpage and directory. Refer to Funding and support information which provides resources on grants and funding available to assist growers, pastoralists and industry experiencing hardship in challenging times.
- The climate outlook for April to June has shifted to drier than normal for much of WA. See the Bureau’s seasonal outlook video for details and check monthly updates to the Seasonal Climate Outlook.
- Growers are encouraged to consider the timing of soil amelioration; it should be carried out when the soil is moist to reduce the risk of soil erosion. See Deep ripping for soil compaction and Tips for effective soil inversion.
- Dry season resources are available for those experiencing a dry season.
Seasonal management
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Livestock
- Southern beef dry season management information for cattle producers and small landholders in the South West.
- Sheep producers impacted by the challenging seasonal and industry conditions are encouraged to plan and consider options to manage flock condition and capture market opportunities. Refer to Strategies and tactics for sheep producers in a poor season and Guide for livestock management decisions over summer and autumn 2023-24.
- Pastoralists can refer to Dealing with a dry year in the southern rangelands of Western Australia for resources to support them in a very dry year, including decisions to hold or sell breeding cattle.
- Supplementary feeding is important to maintain adequate condition score of sheep and beef cattle held on farm and Food On Offer (FOO) is fast declining with confined feeding an option.
- Water quality and quantity for livestock needs to be considered, for water testing call your local DPIRD office
Resources
- Southern beef - dry season management
- Breeder and heifer management for rangeland cattle
- To hold or sell breeding cattle in the rangelands
- Feeding Livestock (Agriculture Victoria)
- Drought feeding and management of beef cattle - A guide for farmers and land managers (Agriculture Victoria)
- Checklist for good beef cattle health and management in drought (DPI NSW)
- Full hand feeding of beef cattle – management (DPI NSW)
- Saving Our Soils During Drought - YouTube (Local Land Services NSW)
- Feed cost calculator
- Managing sheep in a poor season
- Sheep feeding and nutrition
- Management tools and calculators for sheep and grazing management
- Supplementary feeding calculator for pregnant and lactating ewes
- Growing weaner sheep
- Grazing stubbles and dry pastures
- Annual Ryegrass Toxicity (ARGT)
Animal health and welfare
- Animal welfare - resources and publications
- Humane destruction of sheep and cattle
- Water quality for livestock
- Livestock water requirements and water budgeting for south-west Western Australia
- Lupinosis in sheep
- Emergency Animal Disease Hub
- A national guide to describing and managing beef cattle in low body condition (Meat & Livestock Australia)
- Managing flystrike in sheep
Crops
- Following a dry season in the northern and eastern wheatbelt, growers may experience impacts of herbicide residue carryover on crops planted in 2024
- The resources below may assist planning for the 2024 growing season.
- 2024 WA Crop sowing guide
- Sourcing seed for seeding
- Dry season resources
- Deep ripping fact sheet (GRDC)
- PestFacts WA e-newsletter has the latest pest and disease activity in WA and how to identify and manage them which complements the PestFacts WA map, reported through the PestFacts WA Reporter app.
Soil
Soil erosion risk is high in areas with low groundcover from poor crops impacted by a very dry growing season. Managing existing groundcover is important to prevent wind erosion over summer and autumn.
- Stubble remaining after harvest will be approx. 1.5 to 2 times that of grain yield.
- 1.5 tonne of stubble is the equivalent of 50% ground cover. This could include last years growing season stubble if retained.
- Paddocks with ground cover less than 50% should have no or little traffic from livestock or vehicles.
- Consider the timing of deep soil mixing and deep ripping; it should be carried out when the soil is moist to reduce the risk of soil erosion
- Diagnosing wind erosion risk
- Managing wind erosion in south-western Australia
- Managing stubble for wind erosion control
- Grains Convo Podcast: Protecting WA soils against wind erosion
Water
Farm water supplies are inadequate in a few areas of the south-west and wheatbelt, particularly around Grass Patch and Salmon Gums which have been declared water deficient. It is important to plan for and invest in reliable on-farm water supplies.
- Groundwater desalination on farms in Western Australia: Please remember that you must submit a notice of intent to drain or pump water – desalination (NOI), together with the neighbour comments, to the Commissioner of Soil and Land Conservation at least 90 days before intended discharge.
- Plan now for maintenance of dams and roaded catchments.
Fire season
The fire season began early due to dry, warm conditions. Visit Department of Fire and Emergency Services’- Prepare Warnings & Incidents, Recovery for resources on preparing for a fire. Refer to Farm recovery after fire if your property has been affected by fire.
- Livestock management and planning for fire
- Livestock carcase disposal after fire, flood or drought
- Preparing for animal welfare before emergencies
Climate situation and outlook
Rainfall outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology for May to July 2024 is mostly neutral. May is likely to be drier than normal, with rain chances improving from June. See seasonal outlook video for more details and check monthly updates to the Seasonal Climate Outlook.
- El Niño has ended and conditions in the Pacific Ocean have returned to neutral. Climate models indicate these will likely continue to be neutral until at least July 2024. The Indian Ocean Dipole event has finished, with neutral conditions in the tropical Indian Ocean. Some models indicate a possible IOD event developing in winter but predictive skill is traditionally lower at this time of year.
- International climate models are showing neutral to below-normal rainfall outlooks for southern WA for May to July 2024, from their April run.
- Autumn continues the pattern of above normal temperatures, with chances of unusually high daytime temperatures being elevated in most parts.
- DPIRD Seasonal climate outlook
- DPIRD online weather stations map
- Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) weekly rainfall for the south-west forecast districts and northern & eastern forecast districts
- Bureau of Meteorology: Water and land
- Climate data online (BoM daily rainfall and other local climate records)
- Australian CliMate app
- Animated global weather conditions affecting WA
Funding and support services
Information on support services is available to assist rural people of WA in stressful situations on the WA's rural support services webpage and directory, including Regional Men’s Health Initiative, Rural Aid, Lifeline, Beyond Blue and the Rural West financial counselling service.
For resources and information on grants and funding available to assist growers, pastoralists and industry experiencing hardship in challenging times, please refer to Funding and support information.
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Contacts
| Region | Contact |
| South West & Great Southern | |
| Esperance | |
| Wheatbelt | |
| Gascoyne & Mid West |