Life Sciences Commons^™

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.

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.

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.

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 …

Atrophic Rhinitis In Pigs, A R. Mercy

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

Severe atrophic rhinitis in pigs recurred recently in Australia after an apparent absence of some 20 years. The first of these recent cases occurred in a Westerm Australian herd in late 1984 and since then six other local herds have reported the disease. Severe atrophic rhinitis has also been seen recently in South Australia.

Atrophic rhinitis is a complex disease which causes degeneration of the nasal cavity, twisting of the snout and sometimes occasional bleeding from the nose.

It occurs only in pigs and severely affected animals may have a slower growth rate.

Preventing Lupinosis With Phomopsis-Resistant Lupins, Jeremy G. Allen, W. A. Cowling

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

Lupinosis is one of the major livestock siseases in Western Australia. It is caused by stock eating toxins produced by the fungus Phomopsis leptostromiformis which colonises the stems of dead lupin plants.

In 975, the Department of Agriculture started a breeding programme to develop Phompsis-resistant lupins to overcome or control lupinosis. In the previous issue of this Journal the results of small plot evaluations of new lines of Phompsis-resistant lupins developed in this programme were reported. This article describes the first trial involving grazing of Phompsis-resistant lupins.

New Developments In Footrot Control, R B. Richards, L. J. Depiazzi, R. V. R. Gwynn

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

The eradication policy for footrot in sheep adopted by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture has produced an overall decline in the number of properties with the disease.

Our knowledge of the disease has improved substantially as a result of the research conducted at the Slabany Regional Veterinary Laboratory in recent years. Laboratory tests now sssist stock inspectors and veterinary officers to distinguish between different forms of footrot and to quarantine and eradicate accordingly.

The recent discovery of more effective foot-bathing solutions by officers of the Victorian Department of Agriculture will greatly assist further eradication procedures.

Western Australia's sheep industry …

Controlling Annual Ryegrass Toxicity, C H. Trotman

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

Eight years of intensive work has changed annual ryegrass toxicity from an unknown killer to a manageable problem.

The Sheep Measles Control Programme, J B. White

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

In the first seven months of 1968 Australia exported to the United States 17 747 tons of boned mutton; of this 2 198 tons, or 12.4 per cent, was condemned on arrival in that country.

The main cause of rejection was the presence of Cystkercus ovis cysts, the intermediate stage of the tapeworm Taenia ovis, of which the definitive host is the dog.

In 1969 the Western Australian Department of Agriculture decided to study the epidemiology of this disease.

This was the beginning of the work which would evolve into the 'Three Shire Control Programme'

A Control Programme For Cheesy Gland In Sheep, M R. Gardiner

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

CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS, or "cheesy gland" as it is usually known in Australia, is a common disease of sheep which is very important in the economics of the lamb and mutton industry.

Black-Leg In Cattle, F C. Wilkinson

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

BLACK-LEG is still a serious disease of cattle in the South West coastal region, causing deaths in young cattle.

The disease is characterised by hot swollen muscles, acute lameness and rapid death.

Cattle affected are usually 6 to 12 months old, in fat condition, and grazing on lush pastures.

Bovine Tuberculosis Control In Western Australia : Past, Present And Future, M R. Gardiner

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

TWENTY YEARS AGO, tuberculosis was a widespread and serious disease in the dairy cattle of Western Australia.

Besides having a marked depressing effect on the economy of the dairying industry, bovine tuberculosis was a constant hazard to humans coming in contact with it.

Remarkable Success Of Bovine T.B. Eradication Campaign, J Shilkin

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

Less than 20 years ago Perth dairy herds had the highest T.B. incidence of any Australian capital city and half of the Kalgoorlie cattle had the disease.

Why this was so and how the eradication campaign has reduced the incidence of less than 0.3 per cent, in 128,000 cattle is discussed in this article.

Brucellosis And Its Control With Strain 19 Vaccine, C R. Toop

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

DAIRY farmers of a generation ago will not need to be reminded of the ravages of contagious abortion or of the need for the continued application of effective control measures.

Fifteen or 20 years ago this disease which we now call Brucellosis was rife throughout the dairying districts of the State and it exacted a heavy toll.

The "abortion storm" was a common occurrence and it was not unusual for 30 per cent., and sometimes considerably more, of the cows in a herd to lose their calves at about the sixth month of pregnancy.