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.

See Also

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Articles

  • Pig in shelter straw

    Emergency pig disease: classical swine fever (CSF)

    8 December 2014

    Classical swine fever (CSF), also known as hog cholera, is a highly contagious disease of pigs caused by a pestivirus. The disease only affects pigs and is exotic to Australia.

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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

  • Green iceplant in winter

    Slender iceplant poisoning in sheep

    4 December 2014

    Slender iceplant, Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, is a small, succulent, winter-growing annual weed, most common in the eastern Wheatbelt.

  • A blood smear from a sheep with eperythrozoonosis. The large gaps between red cells indicate anaemia. The blue-stained organisms within the cells are M. ovis. Photo credit: Mark Bennett, Murdoch U

    Eperythrozoonosis (E. ovis) in sheep

    20 October 2014

    Eperythrozoonosis is a disease in sheep and goats caused by the bacterium mycoplasma ovis (formerly known as eperythrozoon ovis).

  • Sheep drinking at a dam

    Preventing salt poisoning of livestock

    2 December 2014

    This page describes the causes and signs of salt poisoning of livestock as well as how to treat and prevent the condition.

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    Grass tetany in beef cattle: prevention and treatment

    28 November 2013

    Grass tetany is a highly fatal disease associated with low levels of magnesium in the blood.

  • Pink eye in cattle

    15 December 2013

    Pink eye or infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is a common and contagious eye condition that affects cattle of all ages. It is most commonly seen in calves and young stock. 

  • 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.

  • Cattle on pasture

    Kikuyu poisoning in livestock

    29 January 2018

    Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestimun) is a subtropical perennial grass with spring to autumn growth.

  • 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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