Life Sciences Commons^™

Lupinosis, H W. Bennetts

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

LUPINOSIS is a disease which has caused severe mortalities in West Australian sheep flocks in recent years, and one which—because of the important role which lupins are playing in light land development—must inevitably continue to be a matter of serious concern.

Autumn Lambing Means Autumn Feeding, C J. Spencer

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

MANY Merino flocks in the agricultural areas Iamb down in the autumn months.

This means that the lambs are being developed and reared when paddock feed is at its worst, and this in turn means that a well-planned supplementary feeding programme is essential.

Deferred Grazing : What It May Mean In The Mulga Region, W M. Nunn

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

THE practice of deferred grazing has been written up in American textbooks and has been applied effectively to sections of the cattle range lands of the United States.

Early attempts to apply the principle in eastern Australia were not very successful, and it remained for our Departmental workers in the North-West and Kimberley Divisions to demonstrate the phenomenal results that could be obtained on grasslands in summer rainfall areas.

Autumn V Spring Shearing, W L. Mcgarry, I. K. Stott

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

IN the agricultural areas of this State it is customary to shear in the late winter or spring, usually some time between July and September.

In an experiment conducted at Muresk Agricultural College during the past two years it has been shown that shearing in autumn (March) has resulted in more wool being produced with higher returns than when shearing at the conventional time.

Pinkeye In Sheep : Some Timely Comments, F C. Wilkinson

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

DURING the summer months, it is almost inevitable that numbers of sheep in Western Australia will suffer from contagious ophthalmia—or pinkeye, to give the disease its more popular name.

As it can be quite a distressing disease which can cause severe setbacks, most flock owners, knowing that medicaments are available for the treatment of pinkeye, will feel that they should do something for the affected animals.

Pulpy Kidney Is Still A Sheep Killer, F C. Wilkinson

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

ALTHOUGH considerable publicity has been given to methods of control by vaccination, numbers of sheep are lost every year in outbreaks of infectious enterotoxaemia— the disease commonly known as "pulpy kidney."

Diseases Of Goats, J Shilkin

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

MANY of the diseases of goats are common to sheep and cattle, and, as in these species, correct feeding, hygiene and general care and management will assist in the avoidance of serious ailments.

In this article an attempt will be made to advise goat-owners on the diagnosis of the more common ailments, and suggestions as to treatment will be offered where possible.

It should be appreciated however that where veterinary assistance is obtainable it is preferable to first-aid treatment. A qualified veterinarian has access to newer and more efficient methods of treatment than are available to the layman.

Studies In The Mulga Pastoral Zone. 1. The Grazing Of Wandarrie Grass Associations, D G. Wilcox

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

THE establishment of the Wiluna office of the North-West Branch marked the commencement of a series of investigations into the pastures of the mulga zone.

Unlike the agricultural areas where a fund of knowledge exists on the growth habits of the pastures, the pastures of this area were completely unknown.

The preliminary investigations had to be aimed at forming an understanding of the reactions of the various plants to rain, to temperature and seasonal conditions and to grazing in an area of extremely low rainfall reliability.

The Romney Marsh, J A. Mallett

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

THE Romney Marsh, sometimes known as the Kent, is the most popular of the British longwoel sheep breeds used in Western Australia.

Rams of this breed are widely used for mating with Merino ewes, the crossbred female progeny of the matings being in demand for subsequent mating with Downs-type rams to produce export Iambs.

Lamb Marking, I K. Stott

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

LAMB marking is the most severe of the various ordeals which sheep are called upon to endure during their lifetimes—yet it is an operation, or rather a series of operations, to which the average fiockowner gives but little care and thought.

Help Those Lambs To Live, C J. Spencer

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

IN almost all breeding flocks the most serious stage of sheep loss is from birth to three days of age with the majority of these losses occurring at birth or during the first day.

The number of lambs lost at this time is rarely known, but survey work shows that on most properties ten to twenty of every hundred lambs born are dead before three days of age.

The economic importance of such losses cannot be emphasised too much. Money has been expended for rams as sires, while the ewes have received extra feed and have had their wool production …

Selenium : An Essential Trace Element, Laurence C. Snook

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

SELENIUM is one of the rare elements. In most soils it occurs in such minute quantities as to escape attention.

Plants, however, can concentrate selenium in their tissues and, in the U.S.A. in areas where the soils contain more selenium than usual, this facility can result in selenium poisoning in grazing animals.

Fortunately, none of the common soil types in Australia appears to contain enough selenium to affect the quality of the herbage.

This Year's Export Lamb Carcass Competition, N Davenport

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

THE Export Lamb Competition will be conducted through the Royal Agricultural Society again this year.

Last year, due partly to the season, entries were well below those of previous years and if this competition is to continue, greater support from breeders is necessary.

I am sure you will agree that such a competition has undoubted value both for producers in recognising the type of lamb required, and also as an advertising medium for the sale of high quality Western Australian lamb on the English markets.

Teaser (Vasectomised) Rams : A Management Advantage, W L. Mcgarry, I. K. Stott

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

WITH normal late spring-early summer matings (October-December) teaser rams, correctly used, will give a more concentrated lambing.

This has been shown under Western Australian conditions in trials conducted at the Wongan Hills Research Station.

In one experiment a group of 100 ewes which had one per cent, of teasers for 14 days before the fertile rams went in, dropped 42 lambs in the first two weeks of lambing, compared with 17 lambs from 100 ewes that were not teased.

The use of teasers in all Research Station flocks is now routine practice.

Famous Sheep Breeds. 3. The Leicester, J A. Mallett

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

THE Leicester sheep, often referred to in Australia as the "English" Leicester to distinguish it from its relative, the Border Leicester, is the oldest of the improved British breeds.

Its development from the nondescript local sheep marked an advance in stockbreeding technique which did much to make Britain famous as the "stud-farm of the world."

A Survey Of The Incidence Of Lupinosis In Sheep In The Dandaragan District In 1959, H G. Neil, W. J. Toms, C. M. Ralph

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

FOLLOWING widespread losses of sheep grazing on dry lupins, a survey of flockowners' experience with the disease was made by the Department of Agriculture in one of the districts most affected.

The idea of a survey originated from discussions with the President, Mr. K. E. Jones, and several other members of the Dandaragan Pasture Improvement Group.

The information obtained from the survey has provided a valuable factual basis for the design of laboratory and field experiments.

Lupinosis In Sheep. 1. Laboratory Studies, M R. Gardiner, M. C. Nottle

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

IN earlier articles by Bennetts (1957, 1960), the clinical and pathological features of lupinosis, as seen in field outbreaks, were described.

The suggestion was made that the roughage portion of the lupin plants was responsible for the disease.

More recent observations suggest a relationship between parasitism and lupinosis.

Drought Feeding Of Sheep, Laurence C. Snook

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

WHEN this talk on drought feeding of sheep was suggested conditions were very serious over large tracts of pastoral country.

Many stations had not received a worthwhile rain for over 12 months and it appeared that grazing animals would have to be fed if they were to survive.

Requests have been received for advice on the cheapest way to keep sheep alive. Drought feeding in any form is a gamble. There is always the risk that the stock will eventually die despite the consumption of much costly feed.

It follows that if an effort is to be made to save …

Time Of Lambing, W L. Mcgarry, I. K. Scott

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

THE time chosen for lambing depends on many factors, and the final decision rests with the individual flock-owner who has to consider how different times fit in with the overall programme of farm operations; how they will influence the marking percentage, the marketing, the thrift of his sheep and most important, how they influence the profit from his sheep operations.

Studies In The Mulga Pastoral Zone. 2. Some Aspects Of The Value Of The Mulga Scrub, D G. Wilcox

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

THE mulga pastoral zone is so named since most of its area is dominated by Mulga (Acacia aneura).

The mulga is found associated with shrubs and grasses in almost all plant habitats. In its various forms it can associate with spinifex (Triodia basedowi), Wandarrie Grasses (Danthonia, Eragostis and Eriachne spp.) and with low shrubs on flood plains, hills and breakaways. It may even attempt to become established in salty communities, though this is never completely successful.

The scene the area offers from its low hills is one of a succession of low undulations, occasionally scarred by creeks or breakaways and …

How Efficient Is Your Drenching Gun? Does It Deliver Sufficient Drench To Kill The Worms?, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THE drenching gun pictured certainly doesn't. It is set to give two fluid ounces of drench (60 ccs approximately). However, when tested by squirting the fluid into a measuring cylinder, instead of down the sheep's gullet, it delivered only 30 ccs.

Sheep Dipping

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The dipping of all sheep in the Southwest Division of the State, as well as in the Dundas, Esperance and Westonia road districts and those portions of the Merredin, Narembeen, Lake Grace and Phillips River road districts situated east of the No. 1 Rabbit Proof Fence is compulsory, and is required to be carried out within six weeks of the date of shearing.

Shearing Shed Design, W L. Mcgarry

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

As the returns from sales of wool represent a large proportion of many farmers incomes at the present time, it is essential that the fullest consideration should be given to any factors affecting the lifting and preparation of the clip for market. Foremost among these is the provision of adequately-designed sheds with plenty of light and sufficient space for shearing and classing and for the wool tables, bins, press and other equipment.

Shearing Time, M Butler

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

Shearing time on the farm with its attendant worries will soon be coming: around. Now is the time to see that everything is in readiness so that there shall be no hold-ups during the shearing. Any stoppages during shearing are costly to the farmer, and represent a waste of valuable time for the shearers. In order to ensure smooth shearing it is the farmer's responsibility to see that nothing over which he has control is left undone, particularly in regard to his machinery and shed equipment.

"Swelled Head" In Rams, C R. Toop

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

During the summer and autumn months a disease of rams, popularly known as "swelled head" or "big-head" is encountered from time to time in Western Australian flocks. The condition is almost entirely confined to rams of the horned breeds and outbreaks which have come under notice in this State have occurred only among Merinos and Dorset Horns. Young rams and weaners are most frequently affected and the disease results from the infection of wounds about the forehead sustained by the animals when fighting.

Aids To Better Shearing, W. L. Mcgarry, J. Reilly, M. Butler

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3

The demonstrations and instructional work in shearing that have been carried out in the farming areas have revealed the universal difficulty among learner-shearers in "getting a cut." Experience has shown that this absence of good cutting in handpieces has been due in large measure to the general lack of knowledge regarding grinding and the correct adjustment or "setting up" of the combs and cutters on the handpiece. Poor cutting has also resulted from the common practice of using combs and cutters that do not match, together with faulty handpiece maintenance. These and other factors leading to such poor results will …