Livestock health & diseases

Western Australia’s freedom from many pests and diseases allows our livestock producers access to a wide range of international and domestic markets. To maintain this enviable biosecurity status, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development ensures significant livestock disease is investigated. This information helps to assure trading partners that we are free of diseases.

Some diseases can have devastating effects on the livelihoods of everyone in the supply chain. To ensure the impacts on the economy and community are minimised, the department maintains trained, response-ready staff and systems to ensure an emergency animal disease incident is promptly and efficiently controlled. In addition, the risk of introduction of exotic disease is also managed by ensuring stockfeed contains appropriate ingredients.

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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.

  • Example screens from the iPad app 'Sheep Condition Score'.

    Tools, calculators and resources for sheep and grazing management

    15 November 2013

    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.

  • Liver removed from lamb carcass and ready to collect a sample

    Ewe abortion and newborn lamb deaths surveillance program

    20 June 2016

    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

  • sheep showing weight loss typical of OJD

    Johne's disease (JD) in sheep: biosecurity practices and management options

    9 December 2013

    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 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.

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    Preventing calf scours in beef herds

    28 November 2013

    ‘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.

  • Sheep and lambs in a field

    Pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia of ewes

    12 December 2013

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

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    Poultry biosecurity checklist for small landholders

    2 December 2013

    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

  • Cows grazing pasture in the Great Southern

    Infertility and abortion in cows

    3 December 2018

    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.

  • ewe and lamb in paddock

    Mastitis in sheep

    3 December 2013

    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.

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