Six-spotted mite can defoliate avocado trees and grapevines in the lower south-west of Western Australia.
Natural enemies may keep numbers in check, but monitoring is important to assess whether chemical intervention is required especially in avocado orchards.
Apple looper (Phrissogonus laticostata) is a native insect that damages fruit in apple orchards and vineyards in the South West of Western Australia.
As looper larvae commence feeding on fruit, close monitoring during early fruit formation is critical to avoid damage.
The common auger beetle, Xylopsocus gibbicollis, is a native insect that attacks grapevines in the South-West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia. Feeding by adult beetles reduces vine vigour and can lead to canes snapping where cane pruning is practised.
Apple dimpling bug (Campylomma liebknechti) adults feed on developing fruitlets of apples, pears, nashi pears and occasionally summerfruit (stone fruit) resulting in distortion that makes fruit unsaleable.
Regular monitoring is critical to avoid major crop loss.
Garden weevil (Phlyctinus callosus) was accidentally introduced into Western Australia from South Africa. This weevil is now a severe pest of grapevines, deciduous fruit and other horticultural crops. Adults feed on any soft plant tissue, and the soil-borne larvae feed on roots.
The feed requirements of a ewe with a lamb at foot are higher than if the ewe and lambs are fed separately. In a difficult season with short feed supplies, it is better to early-wean lambs from their mothers to lower feed costs and ensure that the ewes regain condition before joining.
A national livestock standstill is when it is nationally agreed that specific livestock species affected by an emergency disease must not be moved. The livestock species affected by the standstill are named when the standstill is announced.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of Australia’s greatest biosecurity risks.
Australia is free of FMD and an outbreak would severely impact Western Australia's access to livestock and livestock product export markets, worth about $2 billion annually.
In Western Australia, the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 requires that certain diseases must be reported to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) if they are known or suspected to be present.
Identification of livestock is required by law under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Identification and Movement of Stock and Apiaries) Regulations 2013 [BAM (IMSA) Regulations].
