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.

Articles

  • Anthrax is a bacterial disease of animals, most commonly seen in cattle, sheep and goats.

  • Five-day foot bathing is a treatment option that can be used as a disease reduction measure in winter, spring, or at the start of summer to treat clinically mild forms of footrot in sheep.

  • Australia is free of scrapie, which is a fatal, progressive, degenerative disease of the central nervous system of sheep and goats.

  • Ovine campylobacteriosis is an infectious disease of breeding ewes causing abortion in late pregnancy. It is caused by the bacteria Campylobacter fetus ssp. fetus.

  • Salmonellosis of sheep is an infectious bacterial disease causing illness and death. It results from proliferation of salmonella bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and other organs.

  • Scabby mouth is a viral disease of sheep and goats that causes scabs and pustules, usually around the mouth and face of affected animals.

  • Pulpy kidney (enterotoxaemia) is a disease of sheep, goats and cattle.

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

  • Photosensitisation is inflammation of the skin, and occasionally the conjunctiva and cornea of the eye.

  • Arthritis means inflammation in one or more joints. In sheep, it is usually the result of bacterial infection.