Livestock & animals

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development supply chain support, research and development and rigorous biosecurity systems underpin the economic success of Western Australia’s livestock industries. In 2011/12, the WA livestock industries contributed 26% of the state’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry production, worth approximately $2 billion at the farm gate.

WA is a world leader in live exports, super fine wool production and dryland sheep and grain systems. Both cattle and sheep systems are focused on export markets to Asia and the Middle East. WA also has innovative, world-class integrated dairy and pork industries meeting local and South East Asian demand for safe, fresh milk and pork. The WA poultry industry is growing strongly as a result of increasing domestic consumption.

Global demand for high-quality, safe animal protein and products produced according to high animal welfare standards will continue to rise in coming years. Increasingly DAFWA will partner with industry -- locally, nationally and internationally -- in transformational business projects to capitalise on this demand.

Previous Pause Next

Articles

  • Sheep being trail fed

    Welfare decisions for sheep and cattle

    5 February 2015

    At times such as during drought, sheep and cattle are subject to dramatic loss in body condition due to reduced feed intake.

  • NULL

    Climate change and broadacre livestock production in Western Australia

    31 March 2016

    Climate change will affect livestock production in the agricultural areas of Western Australia (South West WA) in different ways, with some regions and enterprises benefiting and some not.

  • Business Improvement Grants Round Two - Pain relief management for livestock

    19 December 2019

    The department's Business Improvement Grant (BIG) program commenced in 2015 with the aim of helping to improve the performance and resilience of northern beef businesses.

  • Truck transporting sheep off a property

    Agisting livestock

    20 February 2018

    Agistment is an option for removing livestock from a property, for a number of reasons – after a fire, when paddock feed is inadequate, to spell pastures, or to finish livestock for sale on better

  • Risks of transporting cattle in late-stage pregnancy

    29 July 2019

    At times of the year when many cattle are being transported long distances, it is important that females have their pregnancy status checked by a competent stock person or vet before being transpor

  • Hypothermia in sheep

    20 March 2015

    Hypothermia, which literally means ‘temperature below normal’, occurs when too much body heat is lost or too little body heat is produced, and the result is a drop in body temperature.

Filter by search

Filter by topic