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

  • There are a number of factors that may contribute to pigs having high backfat (P2) and therefore graded fatter than what is required by the market.

  • The genetic potential of pigs can have a major influence on the productivity and profitability of a pig enterprise.

  • The Genetic Resource Flock of Western Australia, previously called the Information Nucleus Flock, was established by the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre (Sheep CRC) in 2007 and is now funded by M

  • Weaning percentage and therefore conception rate, can significantly influence profitability in the breeder herd.

  • Genetic selection enables both wool and sheep producers to make positive and permanent genetic gains in their flock.

  • An on-farm ram comparison is designed to improve your ability, as a commercial sheep producer, to confirm the suitability of a ram source for your flock.

  • Wool growers can achieve their breeding objectives by retaining superior breeding stock and by choosing superior rams.

  • Most of us benchmark our flock by eye; comparing our sheep with our neighbours' animals across the fence, or when talking with other farmers.

  • The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) carries out genetic research in sheep and contributes to developing modern tools to assist breeders in their success to breed b

  • Cattle producers regularly make visual assessments of their cattle.