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.

Articles

  • Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is an external parasite of honey bees and are considered the greatest threat to Australia's honey and honey bee pollination plant industries.

  • American foulbrood is a disease of honeybee larvae caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae.

  • European foulbrood disease, a serious disease of honey bees in eastern Australia, has not been detected in Western Australia.

  • Small hive beetle (Aethina tumidacan cause significant damage to bee hives.

  • This page summarises information on the status of plant and bee-related pest risk analyses prepared by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.

  • Sacbrood, a disease of honey bees in many parts of the world, has been identified in hives and apiaries in Western Australia since 1979.