Sheep

The key products of the Western Australian sheep industry are wool, sheepmeat (lamb and mutton) and live sheep. At around 12.4 million sheep, the WA flock turns off between 4.5 and 6 million sheep and lambs for meat and live export as well as 65 million kilograms of greasy wool (primarily for export markets) annually.

The Merino is the most common breed of sheep in WA, making up 80% of the state's flock. The remainder are ‘British breeds’ or so-called maternal breeds, meat specific breeds such as Dorpers and some breeds for specialty meat and fibre markets.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's current focus is on increasing lamb supply, improving the productivity, welfare and sustainability of sheep production and developing and extending targeted information products and services to generate practice change. In an effort to increase the marking rate of lambs, the department, in collaboration with industry, has developed the More Sheep initiative.

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Articles

  • A mob of sheep has been yarded with the closest sheep having visible areas of pulled wool over the entire fleece but very apparent in the flank area.

    Prevent sheep lice with biosecurity and planning

    6 December 2013

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

  • Merino ewes being moved onto dry stubble.

    Sheep worms – sustainable summer-autumn worm control

    5 December 2013

    A summer drenching program for sheep worm control is now recognised as a key cause of drench resistance in Western Australia.

  • Flystrike Assist home screen

    Flystrike management tools

    18 November 2013

    To make sure that any chemical application doesn’t leave you short on protection or break your withholding periods,  the Flystrike Assist application (mobile app for iOS and Android) has been devel

  • An unmarked lamb in the yard

    Managing flystrike in sheep

    29 November 2013

    Flystrike is a significant health and welfare risk to Australian sheep and costs $280 million annually.

  • Itch mite as seen under a microscope, from skin scraping.

    Itch mite in sheep

    5 December 2013

    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.

  • Sheep grazing green pastures in warm times of the year may be at risk of haemonchosis.

    Barber's pole worm in sheep

    2 December 2013

    Barber's pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is a potentially harmful roundworm parasite of sheep which can cause a disease called haemonchosis.

  • A lousy sheep showing biting behaviour and rubbed fleece.

    Sheep lice spread and detection

    3 December 2013

    The most common lice affecting sheep are body lice (Bovicola ovis).

  • A nasal bot with a size of 4cm.

    Nasal bots in sheep

    26 November 2013

    Nasal bots are the maggots or larvae of the sheep nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis.

  • Drenching weaner Merino sheep with a drenching gun.

    Sheep parasites

    9 December 2013

    The impact of parasites on sheep can range from being virtually undetectable, through to obvious clinical signs or even death.

  • Drenching weaner Merino sheep with a drenching gun.

    Sheep worm control in Western Australia

    5 December 2013

    Gastro-intestinal worm infections in sheep are a major cause of lost productivity to the Western Australian (WA) sheep industry and control has become more complex due to widespread drench resistan

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