Diseases

Diseases have a detrimental effect on plants and animals and impact on market access and agricultural production. Diseases include micro-organisms, disease agents (bacteria, fungi and viruses), infectious agents, parasites and genetic disorders.

Western Australia is free from some of the world's major agricultural and livestock diseases. Biosecurity measures on your property are vital in preventing the spread of diseases.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides:

  • biosecurity/quarantine measures at the WA border to prevent the entry of plant and animal diseases
  • post border biosecurity measures for harmful animal and plant diseases
  • advice on widespread diseases present in the state.

For advice on animal and plant diseases search our website, the Western Australian Organism List or contact our Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS).

For diagnostic services, please contact our Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

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Articles

  • Dr Kristine Rayner with cattle

    SMS livestock surveillance networks

    17 September 2018

    Cattle producers in the shires of Albany, Denmark and Plantagenet in Western Australia and sheep producers in the shires of Esperance and Ravensthorpe are invited to participate in local surveillan

  • Pastoral cattle

    Northern Australian Biosecurity Surveillance (NABS) activities in Western Australia

    21 May 2018

    The Northern Australia Biosecurity Surveillance (NABS) project is a coordinated surveillance program to enhance the early detection of exotic disease incursions and to provide sufficient surveillan

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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.

  • Flying fox

    Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV)

    24 September 2014

    Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) is a virus that infects Australian flying foxes (fruit bats) and microbats.

  • Livestock post-mortem techniques workshop

    Sampling and post-mortem resources for veterinarians

    9 March 2015

    The following resources have been produced by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to assist veterinarians in selecting and preparing samples and conducting livesto

  • Ruminant animal post-mortem guide

    6 March 2015

    The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia, has produced a visual guide to assist in carrying out a thorough ruminant animal post-mortem.

  • Veterinary sampling guide for anthrax

    14 September 2015

    Caution: Anthrax is a serious zoonotic disease.

  • 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.

  • Veterinary sample packaging guide

    12 April 2018

    The Veterinary sample packaging guide was developed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Western Australia, to assist veterinarians to package biologic

  • removing a tick from a dog

    Anaplasmosis in dogs

    31 May 2020

    Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that occurs in dogs, caused by either the bacteria Anaplasma platys or A. phagocytophila.

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