Livestock & animals

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development supply chain support, research and development and rigorous biosecurity systems underpin the economic success of Western Australia’s livestock industries. In 2011/12, the WA livestock industries contributed 26% of the state’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry production, worth approximately $2 billion at the farm gate.

WA is a world leader in live exports, super fine wool production and dryland sheep and grain systems. Both cattle and sheep systems are focused on export markets to Asia and the Middle East. WA also has innovative, world-class integrated dairy and pork industries meeting local and South East Asian demand for safe, fresh milk and pork. The WA poultry industry is growing strongly as a result of increasing domestic consumption.

Global demand for high-quality, safe animal protein and products produced according to high animal welfare standards will continue to rise in coming years. Increasingly DAFWA will partner with industry -- locally, nationally and internationally -- in transformational business projects to capitalise on this demand.

Previous Pause Next

Articles

  • Farm Business Resilience Program

    31 August 2023

    The WA Government is working with the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund to create opportunities for pastoralists and farmers across 6 agricultural industries to connect with each other an

  • Chickens

    Avian influenza

    9 December 2013

    There are many different strains of the avian influenza virus that causes avian influenza, many of which have the potential to cause significant losses if commercial poultry enterprises become infe

  • NULL

    Managing the beef breeder herd in southern Western Australia

    18 February 2014

    Kilograms of beef produced per hectare is a significant driver of profit for a beef business. Cow longevity (length of productive life) plays an important role in achieving a profitable business.

  • beef cattle

    Southern beef - dry season management

    16 April 2024

    South West cattle producers and small landholders are being affected by an extended dry season where available annual pasture and feed reserves are being depleted.

  • null

    Resources, tools and calculators for cattle and grazing management

    2 May 2024

    These tools, calculators and resources are designed to help producers manage their cattle more effectively and make better management decisions about feed budgeting and grazing.

  • Cattle in a dry field

    Feeding cattle in a dry autumn

    8 May 2024

    Senesced dry pasture will be below the energy and protein requirements for maintenance of all classes of cattle and supplementary feed must be provided to maintain their condition score.

  • Silos filled with grain on a farm.

    Alternative energy and protein feed sources for sheep and cattle

    11 December 2013

    During dry times and drought there are a wide range of alternative feedstuffs producers may consider using to maintain stock.

  • weaner sheep in a paddock at the breeak of season.

    Annual pasture quantity and quality in South West Western Australia

    26 November 2013

    The productivity of sheep is largely governed by the amount of pasture they eat and this is influenced by the quantity of the pasture on offer and its quality.

  • Hardship Support Grant

    6 May 2024

    Many agricultural areas in Western Australia are experiencing drought conditions due to unseasonably low rainfall and higher-than-average daytime temperatures since October 2023.

  • Position of the hand on the sheeps back for condition scoring sheep. The thumb should be placed on the backbone and the fingers feeling the short ribs.

    Condition scoring of sheep

    29 October 2013

    Condition scoring sheep is an easy and accurate method of estimating the condition or 'nutritional well being' of your sheep flock.

Pages

Filter by search

Filter by topic