Life Sciences Commons^™

Sheep Or Beef Cattle?, G D. Oliver

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

THE present sustained high meat prices and the moderately low wool prices have caused many farmers to think again about the relative profitability of sheep and beef cattle.

With synthetic fibres continuing to threaten the wool price a changeover from sheep to beef cattle must be seriously exercising the minds of many woolgrowers.

Warning : Footrot Threatens South-West Sheep Industry, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

DURING the past few months footrot has appeared in sheep in the South-West in an area extending from Busselton southwards to Kudardup.

This area has only recently been stocked with sheep which have been purchased from many sources.

It is probable that there were a few "carriers" amongst these introduced sheep, and that under the favourable conditions of the South-West the infection was able to develop and spread and then to declare itself in clinical form.

Piggery Septic System, N E. Macintyre

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

ONE of the problems of intensive houses for pigs is the disposal of the dung and urine.

If proper arrangements are not made to remove this, it soon accumulates in an offensive pile at one end of the piggery, making an excellent breeding ground for flies.

Net Blotch Of Barley, W A. Shipton

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

NET BLOTCH is the most prevalent disease of barley in Western Australia, and is capable of reducing yields considerably.

It is caused by the fungus Pyrenophora teres Drechsl.

Classing Your Own Clip, J Reilly

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

One of the most important activities in the Australian wool industry is the preparation of the clip for sale.

Many growers class their own clips and due to this practice they can reduce production costs.

Septoria Leaf Spot And Glume Blotch Of Wheat, W A. Shipton

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

SEPTORIA leaf spot and glume blotch of wheat occur throughout Australia and are capable of reducing crop yields.

While no estimates of yield losses are yet available in Western Australia both diseases can cause serious damage to crops.

The Recent Story Of Skeleton Weed : A Menace To Our Wheat Industry, G R W Meadly

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

SKELETON WEED was first found in Western Australia at Ballidu in 1963.

No further recording was made until December of last year when a small area was located near Esperance, but, within a brief period, plants were reported from Geraldton and Kwinana.

Trees Of Western Australia, Charles Austin Gardner

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

It is not desirable to give locality names to plants unless their range is fully underwood.

Such names can be very misleading.

Thr following is an illistrated discussion of the identification of five Western Australian trees.

Organo-Phosphorus Insecticides For Control Of Red-Legged Earth Mite And Lucerne Flea, J A. Button

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

MOUNTING CONCERN over residue problems arising from the use of D.D.T. and other chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides on pasture has highlighted the need for alternative chemicals capable of providing satisfactory control without undesirable side effects.

Citrus Rootstocks : An Evaluation For New And Replant Areas, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Widespread decline of citrus orchards in Western Australia associated with Phytophthora root rot, citrus eelworm and other factors has prompted investigation of various citrus rootstocks.

Trifoliata and Troyer citrange are most suitable for replant areas.

Wider use of these and of other stocks such as sweet orange is advocated for new plantings.

Reproductive Wastage And The Sheep Shortage In Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

WESTERN AUSTRALIA has an acute shortage of sheep.

It is estimated that about seven million extra sheep are needed to stock existing pastures fully; meanwhile the carrying capacity of the State's pastures is increasing at the rate of three million sheep a year.

Continuous Grazing On Rose Clover At Northampton, R J. Parkin

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

BECAUSE of its upright growth habit, it is often thought that rose clover may require some form of specialised grazing management.

It has also been said that the sheep find the plant and in particular the seed head, undesirable in the dry stages.

However, more recent observations refute this (Bailey 1966). The present commonly-grown strains of rose clover are later flowering generally than the medics or Geraldton subterranean clover and stay green later in the season.

Alive-Stiff-Dead [Tetanus], F C. Wilkinson

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

Only 12 hours before this photograph was taken the lamb pictured was alive and healthy.

When examined it was very stiff and unable to stand. A few hours later it was dead.

Manure Disposal From Piggeries, P Mcnamara

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

Many new piggeries have been built during the past year as more farmers swing over to intensive housing.

In most cases the problem of effluent disposal has been overlooked. This article shows how some pig raisers are beating the problem.

Myxomatosis : Its Decline As A Killer, C D. Gooding

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

ALTHOUGH nearly every farmer in Western Australia is familiar with myxomatosis, very few landowners really understand the factor causing the disease to spread or, just as importantly, why the severity of the disease is declining.

Mastitis : Modified Teat Cups Give Better Back-Flushing, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Back-flushing of the teat cups has not brought the expected reduction in the spread of mastitis in some dairy herds.

Replacement of the conventional nut-and-tail nipple with a special flushing nipple, or use of a one-piece teat cup liner, will ensure that flushing is efficient.

Individual Sow Feeders, P Mcnamara

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

FOOD is the major cost in any pig enterprise and it is particularly easy for waste to occur in the breeding herd.

Individual feeders enable the pigman to feed each sow according to her need, and enable the sows to eat their feed slowly or quickly as they choose.

Citrus Red Scale Control, G D. Rimes

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

THE RED SCALE (Aonidiella aurantii Masc.) is widely distributed throughout the world and is a serious pest in countries with semi-arid climates such as California, South Africa, Palestine and Australia.

The home of the pest is probably China, but it has been known in Australia for over 70 years and it was introduced into North America from the continent.

Black Spot Of Peas, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

THIS fungous disease of peas causes "black spot" and "stem rot" on affected plants. During the wet winter months the disease is often so severe that it is difficult to grow garden pea varieties satisfactorily; but in summer when hot, dry conditions usually prevail the disease is of little consequence.

Hypocalcaemia In Sheep, J Craig

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

Hypocalcaemia can cause trouble among in-lamb and lactating ewes, especially if they are grazing lush pasture or young cereal crops.

Dry sheep can also be affected. The disease can be confused with pregnancy toxaemia.

. . . A timely reminder issued by Senior Veterinary Surgeon J. Craig.

Did This Cause This? [Sarcoptic Mange Of Pigs], F C. Wilkinson

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

The mite on the left was detected by using a microscope with a magnification of 100 times to examine a skin scraping taken from the above pig.

This confirmed the suspicion that sarcoptic mange mites were the cause of the skin lesions.

Downy Mildew Of Crucifers, G C. Macnish

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

DOWNY mildew of crucifers is of world wide distribution.

In other parts of the world it has been recorded on a number of cruciferous plants, but to the present time this disease has only been recorded on cauliflower and cabbage in Western Australia.

Termites Or White Ants, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

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

TERMITES are commonly but erroneously called "white ants."

Actually they are more nearly related to cockroaches than to ants, but their general appearance and subterranean habits have given strong support to the popular designation.

They may be divided into two major groups from an economic point of view, viz., wood-dwelling and earth-dwelling termites.

How To Pickle Your Own Olives, K T. Whitely

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

Are you one of the increasing number of people who planted olive trees a few years ago, with an eye to a future ample supply of tasty pickled olives? If so, your trees will now be starting to bear useful crops and you will be interested in this article on . . .

THE increased number of people who now have their own olive trees and also the increased availability of good pickling olives on the local market has produced a rising interest in pickling olives.

Stoneville Horticultural Research Station : Ten Years Of Progress, Frank Melville

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

THE Stoneville Research Station is a tree fruit station situated in the Darling Ranges 25 miles north east of Perth.

Climatically it is similar to the Hills fruit districts adjacent to Perth and is suitable for the growing of apples, pears and most stone fruits.

Citrus fruits can also be grown moderately well.

Some Recent Developments In The Apple Industry In Western Australia, H R. Powell

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

IN 1940, the total acreage of apples in W.A. was 13,098, made up of 10,359 acres of bearing trees and 2,739 acres of non-bearing trees.

In 1959, the figures were 13,459 acres of total plantings; a bearing area of 10,926 acres and a non-bearing area of 2,533 acres.

Similar figures for 1964 show the plantings as 15,126 acres of total plantings, 10,889 acres of bearing trees and 4,237 acres of trees not yet in bearing.

Beef Cattle And Production In Western Australia, W J O Wilkie

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

IN an article published in the Journal of Agriculture for February, 1963, the growth of the beef cattle population of Western Australia was shown for a number of districts in the State.

Strains Of Stem And Leaf Rust On Wheat In Western Australia Since 1951, I A. Watson, W. P. Cass Smith, W. A. Shipton

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

THE most important wheat rust in Western Australia is stem rust,

Leaf rust occurs infrequently and has not been known to cause serious damage.

Heavy Rate Set Stocking : Esperance Downs Research Station, R J. Doyle

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

THIS article describes a stocking rate demonstration in one paddock at Esperance Downs Research Station, using Merino wethers.

Since December 1961, the area has supported 530 to 540 Merino wethers under continuous grazing.

Coccidiosis Of Calves, W A. Halhead

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

Coccidiosis is one of the commonest causes of calf loss and debility on South-West dairy farms.

Treatment and control are simple once the nature of the disease is understood.