Life Sciences Commons^™

Choosing A Calcium Supplement For Sheep Fed Cereal Grains, R L. Peet, Michael Hare

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

Sheep fed cereal grains as an energy source over summer usually need added calcium because cereal grains are generally low in calcium (for example, 0.03 per cent calcium compared to 0.26 per cent phosphorus), and there may not be a natural source such as clover, weeds, leafy stubble or edible bush in the paddock.

The safestt and most effective calcium supplement is finely ground limestone added to the feed, but some farmers have used other sources of calcium such as gypsum and superphosphate in this manner.

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.

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.

Farmers' Estimations Of Sheep Weights To Calculate Drench Dose, R B. Besier, Diane Hopkins

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

Undersosing with drenches is a mojor cause of anthelmintic (drench) resistance in worm parasites of sheep.

When farmers use a drench at less than the recommended dose rate, some worms may survive, and their ability to resist treatment with the chemical involved is passed to their offspring. Over a period of time, matings between worms with different degrees of resistance can produce individuals able to resist the drench at the recommended dose rate or even higher.

Farmers must use adequate dose rates so that worms do not have a chance to survive treatment.

Weighing Scales For Sheep Do Pay, W D. Roberts

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

Sheep producers can improve production by using weighing scales and keeping accurate records of weights.

Withiut some objective measurement, such as weighing, producers have no accurate method of identifying the heaviest, lightest and average weight of a group of sheep.

They could try to esstimate weight by eye - but most people are poor judges of body weight.

Evaluation Of The Crack Approach For The Control Of Drench Resistance In Sheep Worms, J R. Edwards, Helen Chapman, Jon Dunsmore

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

The Department of Agriculture launched the CRACK approach to worm control in September 1985 in response to finding that anthelmintic (drench) resistant worms were present on 68 per cent of a random selection of Western Australian sheep farms.

The high cost of internal parasites in terms of lost production and drench costs, together with the high prevalence of resistant worms of farms, confirmed that changes were needed to existing parasite control measures in sheep.l

The Sandplain Lupin : Its Nutritional Value And Grazing Management, P W. Morcombe

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

The sandplain lupin or Western Australian blue lupin (Lupinus cosentinii) was introduced to the West Midlands at the turn of the last century. Since that time it has been used as a self-regenerating summer forage for sheep and cattle.

Being deep rooted, it has adapted well to the sandy soils from Perth to Northampton, and plantings now cover more than 100,000 ha.

As few other improved pasture species will persist on these deep sands the sandplain lupin provides an important source of summer feed for grazing livestock. A stand can be grazed throughout summer at stocking rates of 10 to …

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 …