Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia
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Wind erosion control after fire in Western Australia
No full textFirst steps after a fire
Act to limit further erosion:
• Remove livestock and keep them off burnt paddocks: they can be put into a confinement feeding area, an unburnt paddock or agisted.
• Minimise vehicle traffic on burnt areas
• Protect highly susceptible and valuable areas, such as house, garden, sheds, yards, gateways and laneways with binding spray, clay, gravel, old hay, or straw to give a full cover. A dust-free living and working environment is particularly important after a fire.
Leave burnt residue on roadsides, revegetation and bush areas to decrease the risk of wind erosion
Three-horned bedstraw
No full textThree-horned bedstraw (Galium tricornutum), otherwise known as bedstraw, rough bedstraw, rough fruit corn bedstraw, and corn cleavers, is an annual weed that poses a significant threat to Western Australia’s grains industry. It is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). A weedy member of the Rubiaceae (madder family), it is closely related to cleavers (Galium aparine)
Bedstraw is a high priority eradication target for Western Australia
Growing oaten hay on frost prone paddocks
No full textGrowing oaten hay on frost-prone paddocks minimises the frost risk because it is cut soon after flowering, avoiding the frost sensitive period. If severe frost damage occurs to other crops, baling them for hay may reduce economic loss.
Oats are much more tolerant than other cereals to frost events that occur during vegetative growth and flowering
Time of lambing
No full textChoosing the best time of lambing, and matching paddock feed availability to ewe and weaner needs is important for both productivity and profitability. The ewes\u27 natural breeding season will also affect reproductive rates. The ewe flock is the key flock on the farm, so it is important to set up a system that matches their needs with the feedbase. A ewe’s condition will vary over the season depending on the feed available and her needs. A ewe’s energy needs will double in late pregnancy and triple in lactation. Having enough feed to meet her changing needs is important for production and profit. Ewe management decisions should be based on the impact of ewe nutrition on her production versus cost. Consider the benefits of providing that nutrition including changes to stocking rate, and wool and sheep trading profit
Noogoora burr and its control
No full textNoogoora burr, also known as cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium), is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements that land owners/occupiers must adhere to and control methods.
Native to western United States of America. Locally abundant in parts of the Kimberley, especially near water courses. Occasionally found in the South West region of WA
Yellow crazy ant
No full textYellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) are believed to be native to west Africa or Asia. They are not present in Western Australia (WA) and are prohibited.
Yellow crazy ants were first observed in Australia in the early 1900’s on the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island, where they have now caused a massive decline in the population of iconic red crabs. More recently, they have been recorded in Queensland, the Northern Territory (NT), and New South Wales (NSW)
Managing the beef breeder herd in southern Western Australia
No full textKilograms 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. A balanced approach to genetic selection and nutritional management are essential factors underpinning the efficiency of the breeding herd
Physical dormancy alleviation at room temperature storage is influenced by the initial moisture content of the seeds
No full textIn seeds with impermeable coats, i.e., physical dormancy (PY), dormancy break may occur at room temperature during ex-situ storage or when seeds experiencing similar conditions when buried in the soil. Here, we tested the influence of initial seed moisture content and storage on dormancy break in the seeds of Adenanthera pavonina, Bauhinia racemosa, Cassia fistula, Dodonaea viscosa, and Delonix regia. Drying results in most seeds of these species becoming water-impermeable. We arbitrarily chose two moisture ranges, shallow (impermeable, high moisture content) and absolute (impermeable, low moisture content) PY, and stored the seeds at room temperature for 8.5 years. The moisture content at which the permeable to impermeable transition occurred and the range constituting shallow and absolute PY varied between species. Across species, the shallow PY group had a significantly higher number of nondormant seeds at the end of storage, whereas the absolute PY group did not show any germination, except c. 20% germination in A. pavonina and C. fistula. Thus, PY break in seeds stored at room temperature may occur after several years, but this largely depends on the initial seed moisture content
Barber’s pole worm in sheep
No full textBarber\u27s pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is a potentially harmful roundworm parasite of sheep which can cause a disease called haemonchosis. It is mainly found in coastal and high rainfall areas of Western Australia.
In some cases large worm burdens can develop very rapidly and cause sheep deaths without warning. Whether specific pre-emptive action for barber\u27s pole worm is needed depends on the risk level
Early weaning of lambs in a poor season
No full textThe feed requirements of a ewe with a lamb at foot are higher than if the ewe and lambs are fed separately. In a difficult season with short feed supplies, it is better to early-wean lambs from their mothers to lower feed costs and ensure that the ewes regain condition before joining. This issue becomes even more important as the costs of feeds increase.
Ewe\u27s milk provides the main source of nutrition for lambs until about eight weeks of age. Lambs will sample pasture from about two weeks after birth but by eight weeks of age pasture overtakes milk as the major part of the diet of a lamb. Milk contributes only about 10% of nutrients for the lamb and little nutritional benefit is gained by leaving them with their mothers after this time