Pests, weeds & diseases

Pests, weeds and diseases pose a serious risk for primary producers as they can impact on market access and agricultural production.

To reduce the impact of pests, weeds and diseases, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development:

  • works with landholders, grower groups, community groups and biosecurity groups.
  • provides diagnostic services and information on prevention, management and treatment.
  • provides biosecurity and quarantine measures to prevent introduction, and to eradicate or manage current pests.

For advice on pests, weeds and 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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Cattle in paddock

    Copper deficiency in sheep and cattle

    22 July 2014

    Copper is an essential trace element for animals needed for body, bone and wool growth, pigmentation, healthy nerve fibres and white blood cell function.

  • The sheep on the left has cobalt deficiency. The one on the right has been treated.

    Cobalt deficiency in sheep and cattle

    22 July 2014

    All ruminants (including sheep, cattle and goats) require cobalt in their diet for the synthesis of vitamin B12.

  • Sheep grazing green pastures in warm times of the year may be at risk of haemonchosis.

    Barber's pole worm in sheep

    2 December 2013

    Barber's pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is a potentially harmful roundworm parasite of sheep which can cause a disease called haemonchosis.

  • Trail feeding of ewes in late summer on dry pasture.

    Grain overload, acidosis, or grain poisoning in stock

    2 December 2013

    Grain overload is also known as acidosis or grain poisoning.

  • A lousy sheep showing biting behaviour and rubbed fleece.

    Sheep lice spread and detection

    3 December 2013

    The most common lice affecting sheep are body lice (Bovicola ovis).

  • Five-day foot bathing treatment of ovine footrot

    5 March 2019

    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.

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