Management & reproduction

Reproductive rate varies widely among livestock species. Nonetheless, efficient reproduction is critical to profitability in all livestock industries. Nutrition and genetics are the key drivers of efficient reproduction. However, there are many other facets of management such as, behaviour, use of technology and housing that must also be taken into consideration if farm enterprises are to raise their reproductive rate.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development conducts research, development and extension activities in collaboration with industry partners to improve the productivity of the main livestock species. The objective is to support the economic development of the state by improving the profitability of Western Australian farm enterprises.

Articles

  • Sheep farmers can save money and time eradicating new lice infestations by taking simple biosecurity measures that become part of normal management programs.

  • These tools, calculators and resources are designed to help producers manage their ewe flock more effectively and make better management decisions about feed budgeting and grazing.

  • The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development conducts a surveillance program for ewe abortion and newborn lamb deaths to assist sheep producers to identify the cause of abortions a

  • This webpage outlines the market impacts of a Johne’s disease (JD) diagnosis, biosecurity practices to reduce the likelihood of JD in sheep occurring on your property, the SheepMAP program, and opt

  • Itch mites are small, barely visible parasites of sheep; they live on the skin surface and cause rubbing and fleece chewing in a small proportion of infested animals.

  • ‘Calf scours’ is when young calves develop diarrhoea and become dehydrated. The scour can be white, yellow, grey or blood-stained, and is often foul-smelling.

  • Pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia affect lambing ewe flocks and have similar signs but different causes.

  • The poultry biosecurity checklist summarises the actions needed to protect your poultry and the Western Australian poultry industry from the devastating effects of emergency diseases such as avian

  • There are multiple causes of infertility, abortion and stillbirths in cows. These include some diseases that are exotic to Western Australia and some zoonotic diseases.

  • Mastitis is the term for a bacterial infection of the udder. It is most common in ewes raising multiple lambs or with high milk production.