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Research Into Western Australian Honeys, Robert J G Manning

All other publications

On the 26 February 2002, the then Department of Agriculture released a media statement about the results of research conducted by Rob Manning and Nola Mercer about WA honeys’ antimicrobial activity using an assay developed in New Zealand. The research showed that Western Australian honey had some of the highest activity levels in the world due to a naturally occurring enzyme in the honey. Upon dilution of honey, the enzyme glucose oxidase produces low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide which is the source of its antimicrobial activity. It is different to Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey from New Zealand which is termed …

Horse Alert Wa, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

All other publications

Increasing awareness of emergency horse diseases, their management in Western Australia and practical strategies to minimise the risk of spreading disease. Horse Alert WA has been developed to help participants in the racing, sporting and recreational sectors of the horse industry in Western Australia to prepare for, recognise and respond effectively to an emergency disease that affects horses, such as the equine influenza outbreak in Australia in 2007. This manual provides biosecurity information to minimise the risks of a horse disease establishing and spreading in Western Australia, and guidance on the actions to take if an emergency disease occurs. Some …

Common Regional Pests Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Western Australia is free from many exotic animal and plant pests, diseases and weeds that are present elsewhere in Australia. However, the state does have some unwanted intruders. Of these, many are declared plants or declared animals which, for the sake of convenience, we collectively call declared pests.

Ewe And Wether Trials - Tools For Benchmarking Your Sheep Genetics, Lock Butler

Bulletins 4000 -

Research and sheep productivity trial results demonstrate a huge variability in genetic productivity between flocks. For example a range of up to 2 kg clean fleece weight, 5 microns, 55 percentage points in lambing percentage and 20 kg live weight, can lead to big differences in gross margin between flocks.

There is an opportunity for genetic improvement, depending on your current ram source or sires performance. For example, Western Australian (WA) Wether Trial results suggest half the WA flocks could improve clean fleece weight per head by half a kilogram or more. The trial results suggest that this could occur …

Animal Health Laboratories Service Manual 2005-2006, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Agriculture reports

This service manual is designed to help you, the user of services provided by the Animal Health Laboratories (AHL), to get the most from the laboratories.

The section on ‘General Instructions’ contains information required for packaging and submission of samples to AHL.

Other sections contain information on the type of sample required for each laboratory service and associated tests offered by AHL. The detail of Services offered by each laboratory is given in a table, followed by collection notes to assist with submission of specimens.

Each table describes the Services offered, the Tests available for each Service, a description of …

Eradicating Footrot From Western Australia - A Farmer's Guide, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Agriculture reports

Virulent footrot can occur on any farm in the medium to high rainfall zone. Persons who regularly buy and sell sheep take a greater risk, but even properties with a closed breeding flock are at risk from stray sheep. People often associate footrot with properties managed by inefficient farmers. This is a false belief. Many good farmers have found the disease in their sheep, including high profile studs. Footrot can strike anywhere and often without warning. It is important to remember that once it is found; getting to know and understand the disease will help you to beat it. A …

Animal Health Laboratories Service Manual 2004-2005, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Agriculture reports

This service manual is designed to help you, the user of services provided by the Animal Health Laboratories (AHL), to get the most from the laboratories. If you have questions on any matters relating to the AHL services or sample collection, please telephone us. If you need to contact someone regarding AHL services or are unsure of which samples to collect, contact staff at AHL by consulting the directory of key personnel. The section on ‘General Instructions’ contains information required for packaging and submission of samples to AHL. Other sections contain information on the type of sample required for each …

Proceedings Of The National Workshop On Footrot, Perth 19-21 August 2003, R K. Mitchell, A R B Higgs, A R. Mercy

Agriculture reports

The financial support of Australian Wool Innovation Ltd (AWI) made it possible for representatives of a range of organisations from across Australia to meet and review ovine footrot. This national workshop held in Perth in August 2003, was the first of its kind for several years and brought together senior researchers, policy makers and producers from all States. The workshop provided an opportunity for the varied approach to footrot control across Australia to be considered in terms of a national approach to footrot control and also for individual States to review their current strategies in the light of experiences in …

Maximising The Lamb Drop, Don Moir

Bulletins 4000 -

Although reproductive rates vary greatly between individual properties, the average marking percentage in Western Australia still hovers around 75%. In the absence of disease it is possible to improve on this figure by undertaking some straight forward management practices at different stages of the reproductive cycle.

Re-Thinking The Summer Drenching Program, Brown Besier

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The summer drenching program has provided highly effective sheep worm control in Western Australia for many years - but recent research challenges its long term sustainability.

Trial results suggest that in large parts of the State, summer drenching is the main factor leading to the development of drench resistant worms. Alternative programs less likely to lead to drench resistance will require greater monitoring of worm burdens and panning pasture moves.

Dealing With A Dry Season, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Farmers' approaches to adverse seasonal conditions whether they be frost, flood or low rainfall should be to acquire as much information as possible on the immediate agronomic and financial situations and make a judgement on the longer term implications for the following seasons. Once the information has been acquired, in consultation with advisers, it is necessary to construct and implement agronomic and business strategies to deal with individual situations.

The agronomic and stocking options for the dry season supplied in this booklet deal with questions and issues arising from the Year 2000 season, which has been characterised by a mid …

Eradicating Virulent Footrot From Western Australia, R K. Mitchell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia has a unique opportunity to eradicate virulent footrot from the State's sheep flock, with only 62 properties or 0.6 per cent of sheep properties currently in quarantine. The majority of Western Australian flocks are now free of virulent footrot, with targeted on-farm and abattoir surveillance used to detect the remaining properties affected by the disease. Bob Mitchell reports on how farmers, industry, and government are working together, with research playing an important part in the eradication campaign.

Virulent Footrot : Mild Or Severe?, Laurie Depiazzi

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The footrot eradication scheme in Western Australia has resulted in a low prevalence of severe footrot.

To appreciate the achievement, we need to understand what exactly is being eradicated. 'S' strains of Dichelorbacter nodosus, the infectious bacterium of footrot, are the target of footrot eradication. Laurie Depiazzi examines the basis for eradicating 'S' strains.

Sharing Information Benefits The Meat Industry, Michael Paton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Cronic health problems of livestock, seldom detected on farms, reduce the efficiency of abattoirs and returns to producers. But a major project providing information to producers from abattoirs is indicating how everyone could benefit from feedback.

Ai : Artificial Insemination Of Sheep, David Windsor

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Artificial insemination (Al) is used widely in the dairy and beef industries and often performed by farmers themselves. By contrast, sheep breeders generally require assistance from vets when frozen semen is to be used. However, recent experiments with frozen semen are indicating that do-it-yourself Al may soon become a reality.

Lupin Stubbles : Getting The Best With Weaner Sheep, Keith Croker, Colin Mcdonald, Jeremy Allen

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Sweet lupins are now grown on about a million hectares in Western Australia each year. If half of the State's seven million weaners were grazed as recommended on half of the lupin stubbles, it could generate about $15 million from reduced supplementary feeding, greater wool production and other advantages. But correct management is important, particularly knowing when to take weaners out. Research by the Department over the last five years is now indicating how this should be done.

Quality Wool Production At Lower Cost, Peter Metcalfe

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Low wool prices are forcing farmers to reduce their sheep management costs but, fortunately, cost cutting is not resulting in lower wool production, poorer wool quality or lessened sheep care on the best wool growing properties.

Do Farmers Really Want To Eradicate Sheep Lice?, Chris Hawkins

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

With the termination of Western Australia's Sheep Lice Eradication Campaign in 1993 farmers' views about the eradication of sheep lice are of greater relevance now than in the past. Lice control now rests with individual farmers and continuing local lice cell groups .

A recent survey of producers in the Moora Shire provides some key insights into farmers' thoughts about sheep lice and their eradication.

Progress Toward Eradication Of Virulent Footrot, Bob Mitchell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia is well placed to eradicate virulent footrot from the State's sheep and goat populations.

Between 1950 and 1993 the proportion of sheep flocks with footrot fell from about 15 per cent to less than 2 percent, and the 1990-92 outbreak has been turned around. One hundred and eighty properties (]. 7 per cent) of flocks, mostly in the high rainfall South-West, are in quarantine for footrot today.

This high level of footrot control is the result of strong support from the sheep industry and years of good cooperation between farmers and the Department of Agriculture.

Western Australia leads …

Are Foxes Serious Predators Of Stock?, Peter Mawson, John Long

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Commercial farming of goats for mohair, cashmere and meat production is a rapidly developing industry in the south-west of Western Australia.

In this article, the authors discuss the results of two studies conducted by the Agriculture Protection Board in which the levels of predation of kids and lambs by foxes in commercial goat flocks, and an experimental multiple-birth genotype sheep flock in the southwest of Western Australia, were measured.

Understanding The Importance Of Eperythrozoon Ovis Infection In Sheep, Marc Kabay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Assigning priorities for research on sheep diseases relies in part on understanding the prevalence and economic impact of each disease.

Eperythrozoon ovis infection in sheep, for example is a common, but not costly, disease.

Getting The Best Out Of Weaner Sheep In The Eastern Wheatbelt, Sally Revell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A study of the growth of Merino weaner flocks over summer and autumn in Western Australia 's eastern wheatbelt during 1989 and 1990 has identified efficient weaner management strategies, and provided a basis for future research and extension needs of this area. The average liveweight of several weaner flocks was unexpectedly low at the start of summer. Weaner flocks may need to be supplemented before the start of summer to prevent undue weight loss at this time.

Phomopsis-Resistant Lupin Stubbles As Feed For Weaner Sheep, Colin Mcdonald, Keith Croker, Jeremy Allen

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The breeding of sweet, narrow-leafed lupins with increased resistance to Phomopsis leptostromiformis, the fungus that causes lupinosis in sheep, is a breakthrough for the summer nutrition of weaner sheep. The new resistant varieties, Gungurru for the medium (325 to 450 mm) rainfall areas and Yorrel for low rainfall areas (less than 325 mm), were released by the Department of Agriculture in 1988.

This article discusses progress in a four-year project which is examining liveweight and wool production of weaners grazing Gungurru stubbles.

Veterinary Consultancy Boosts Piggery Profits, Ashley Mercy

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A pilot Pig Herd Health Management Scheme co-ordinated by the Department of Agriculture has stimulated much increased involvement of veterinarians in the Western Australian pig industry. Co-ordinated by Ashley Mercy, principal veterinary officer (epidemiology) horn 1985 to 1989, the scheme demonstrated the value of having regular visits from veterinary consultants and in implementing programs to prevent disease and production problems occurring in herds.

Biological Control Of Doublegee, Dane Panetta

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Doublegee (Emex australis) is one of the worst agricultural weeds in Western Australia. To date, however, biological control of this weed has proved elusive. Multiple releases of two weevils which attack doublegee have not led to insect establishment. For one of these species, further research has shown that doublegee control would probably not be achieved in the wheatbelt even if insect establishment were enhanced by growing its host during the summer months. A joint Western Australian Department of Agriculture/ CSIRO project is investigating the virulence and host specificity of an undescribed South African species o/Phomopsis fungus. Should this pathogen prove …

The Accumulation And Run-Down Of Dieldrin In Wethers Grazed On Paddocks Previously Treated With Dieldrin, Tony Albertsen, Roy Casey, Keith Croker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In mid 1987, the organochlorines (O/Cs) DDT, dieldrin, heptachlor and chlordane were deregistered for agricultural and horticultural use in Australia. These chemicals had been used widely, and land on several hundred Western Australian farms, particularly where potatoes had been grown, was contaminated with chemical residues. Livestock grazing pastures on such land was also contaminated, and our beef exports were threatened. In 1988, the Western Australian Department of Agriculture started a two-year project to collect information from sheep which were grazed on land that had previously been treated with O/Cs, particularly dieldrin. The levels of O/Cs in body and wool fats …

Replicated Single Row Evaluation., C. M. Saunders

Experimental Summaries - Plant Research

Trial 89AB12

Great Southern Agricultural Institute - Paddock B15

This trial was of similar design to the single row evaluation, except four replications and pesticide treatments were also included.
However the trial had to be abandoned due to severe phytotoxic responses seen in the medics due to repeated spraying of 'Lorsban' (used at recommended rates).
Intended to repeat this work in 1990, bulk seed where possible and to eventually assess these lines, under such conditions, in large plots.

Breeding Phomopsis-Resistant Lupins, John Sylvester Gladstones

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The release of Gungurru and Yorrel lupins marks the coming of age of the narrow-leafed lupin as a crop plantt. These are the first cultivars of the species th have substantial resistance to Phomopsis stem blight, which will make the stubbles much safer for grazing stock.

This article describes the new lupins, their background, and how they were bred. It also acknowledges the contributions of colleagues who helped in important ways.

Economic Impact Of Growing Phomopsis-Resistant Lupins, J M. Warren, Jeremy Allen, Wallace Cowling

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The planting of Phomopsis-resistant lupins will increase net farm income. They will also alter the traditional blend of pastures and cropping, depending on grain and wool prices. In mixed farming areas of Western Australia's southern wheatbelt, they will allow more land to be sown to lupins rather than cereals on farms in which the lack of sheep feed over summer severely restricts wool production.

The benefits of Phompsis-resistant lupins arise from a reduction in sheep deaths due to lupinosis, a longer safe grazing period (free from lupinosis) on lupin stubbles, a decrease in the need for supplementary sheep feed over …

Leaf Diseases Of Wheat And Time Of Sowing, J M. Wilson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Leaf diseases of wheat can be avoided by delaying the planting of a crop, but this often leads to reduced yield because the benefits of early sowing usually outweigh anylosses caused by leaf disease.

However, it is only in exceptional circumstances that farmers need to consider leaf disease when making decisions about planting date, as this article shows. Most examples are taken from department of Agriculture trials in its northern advisory region, but the principals apply to other agricultural areas.