Agriculture Commons^™

Measuring Soil Salinity, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

To make sound decisions on managing saline sites, you need to know the source of salt, how salinisation is occurring, the landscape context, and most importantly, the actual salt concentration of the soil.

The most common 'measures' of salt concentration are actually estimates based on electrical conductivity of a soil and water solution. Soil salt content can be measured in a laboratory by measuring the total dissolved solids in a sample. In the field, salt concentration can also be estimated using electromagnetic induction-based soil sensors.

Guide To Supplementary Feeding And Budgeting, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Supplementary feeding of sheep, with grain, hay or silage is necessary when pastures or stubbles are deficient in energy and protein.

A good supplementary feeding program will ensure sheep utilise as much dry paddock feed as possible as well as provide sufficient supplementary feed for maintenance or growth.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends supplementary or confined paddock feeding to maintain livestock productivity and avoid animal welfare and soil erosion problems.

Fallow And Red Deer: Requirements To Keep, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

This factsheet provides information on the requirements for keeping fallow and red deer species in Western Australia.

Fallow (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) are declared pests under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (BAM) Act 2007 in Western Australia (WA).

The department assists in preventing the establishment of deer in the wild. This means a permit is required to keep fallow and red deer in WA. Animals that escape or become feral must be recaptured or destroyed.

Small populations of feral deer occur in WA from escaped captive stock and deliberate release. Deer damage native plants, crops and plantation …

Wind Erosion Control After Fire In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

First steps after a fire

Act to limit further erosion:

• Remove livestock and keep them off burnt paddocks: they can be put into a confinement feeding area, an unburnt paddock or agisted.

• Minimise vehicle traffic on burnt areas

• Protect highly susceptible and valuable areas, such as house, garden, sheds, yards, gateways and laneways with binding spray, clay, gravel, old hay, or straw to give a full cover. A dust-free living and working environment is particularly important after a fire.

Leave burnt residue on roadsides, revegetation and bush areas to decrease the risk of wind erosion.

Natural Revegetation And No Grazing, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

The department recommends that any dryland salinity management is part of a whole farm, and preferably a whole catchment, water management plan.

Natural revegetation and no grazing are only recommended for sites that are too saline, waterlogged and/or inundated for other treatments to succeed in the south-west of Western Australia. It is also the preferred option for the lowest possible cost.

Saltland Pastures In Western Australia, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Saltland pastures are associations of salt and waterlogging-tolerant plants that produce fodder for grazing animals from saline and waterlogged soils. Saltland pastures can improve production from saltland sites, reduce salt movement from the site, and improve soil structure.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that saltland management is part of a whole-farm, and preferably whole-catchment, plan.

Yellow Crazy Ant, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) are believed to be native to west Africa or Asia. They are not present in Western Australia (WA) and are prohibited.

Yellow crazy ants were first observed in Australia in the early 1900’s on the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island, where they have now caused a massive decline in the population of iconic red crabs. More recently, they have been recorded in Queensland, the Northern Territory (NT), and New South Wales (NSW).

Rabbit Control: Warren And Harbourage Destruction, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

If correctly and appropriately undertaken, the destruction of rabbit warrens, or modification of the habitat so it becomes less favourable to rabbits, can be an important and effective part of reducing the impacts of rabbits.

Destruction of warrens can improve the overall effectiveness of rabbit control programs, even though many rabbits live and shelter above-ground under bushes, and in scrub). If undertaken properly, the ripping of rabbit warrens can often provide a relatively permanent and long-term benefit. Similarly, removing or modifying other forms of rabbit-harbourage (for example, removing rock piles) can help, particularly in semi-urban areas or on smallholdings.

Rabbit Control In Urban And Semi-Urban Areas, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet provides information on control options for rabbits in urban and semi-urban areas in Western Australia (WA).

Rabbits cause considerable losses to agricultural and horticultural industries. They can cause serious environmental problems, such as soil erosion and degradation of native vegetation. Rabbits also compete with native fauna for food and habitat.

Rabbits may be a problem or a nuisance in urban environments where they can damage lawns and gardens, buildings, garages, and sheds. Rabbits can also damage golf courses, sports grounds, and parkland reserves.

The options for control of rabbits in urban areas are more limited than in rural …

Water Lettuce And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements landowners/occupiers must adhere to and pest control methods.

Adopt-A-Trap To Help Detect European Wasps, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Early detection of European wasp is important to prevent the spread and establishment of nests, and the Adopt-a-trap program is a key part of annual European wasp surveillance.

The department intensively traps the highest risk areas of the state, but the Adopt-a-trap program can extend surveillance beyond these areas and into the regions to enhance community surveillance.

The trapping method used in the Adopt-a-trap program is very successful in catching European wasps. They address the wasps’ sense of smell and foraging habits to find food. Trapped wasps are useful in alerting us to the presence of a nearby nest — …

Argentine Ants, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are small, brown, and notorious worldwide for being one of the most difficult and costly ants to control, as it can involve ongoing and repetitive use of residual, contact insecticides. The ants are established in Western Australia (WA).

Electric Ant (Little Fire Ant), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The electric ant (Wasmannia auropunctata), also known as little fire ant, is a tiny, gold-brown coloured ant, and one of the world's most invasive pests. Electric ants prey on and compete with other insects and can displace large numbers of native animals, ants, and other insects.

They affect human health and lifestyle, can inflict painful stings on humans and wild and domestic animals, can blind pets, damage the environment, and have the potential to severely affect agricultural industries.

The electric ant is native to Central and South America and was first detected in Australia in 2006 in Queensland, where there …

Rabbit Fencing To Protect Crops And Pastures, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

This factsheet outlines the use of fencing to protect crops and pasture from rabbits.

Rabbits cause an estimated loss of $217 million each year to Australian agricultural production and cause significant environmental damage. In Western Australia (WA), areas of native vegetation, particularly on sandy ridges that would otherwise be subject to wind erosion, have been retained on farms. Bush remnants are a major refuge habitat for rabbits, which can cause considerable damage to nearby pastures and crops. A measure of rabbit control can be achieved by poisoning around bush remnants in late summer or autumn, prior to seeding. To be …

Gorse And Its Control, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Gorse (Ulex europaeus) is a declared pest in Western Australia (WA). This factsheet describes the nature of the plant with links to requirements that landowners/occupiers must adhere to, pest control methods and how to search, detect and report it.

Gorse is a Weed of National Significance (WoNS) present in Australian states and the Australian Capital Territory; it is not present in the Northern Territory. Gorse is a declared pest plant in WA.

European Wasp: Declared Pest, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The European wasp is one of the worst wasps in the world — harmful to people, outdoor lifestyles, and horticultural and agricultural industries. Early detection of wasp activity is critical to prevent the wasp establishing in Western Australia (WA). This is achieved via collaboration between residents, businesses, industry, and government.

European Wasp Information For Local Government, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The department’s European wasp surveillance and eradication program is a yearly campaign, aimed at detecting the presence of this destructive pest as early as possible so that nests can be found and eradicated.

The continued success of European wasp surveillance and eradication program relies on surveillance in metropolitan Perth and regional areas, strong community awareness, and participation between residents, business owners, community groups, industry, and government.

Confined Paddock Feeding And Feedlotting Of Sheep, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Confinement feeding (also referred to as lot feeding or feedlotting) is an intensive feeding system in a confined area where all, or the majority of, feed and water is supplied to the contained animals. The department recommends using confinement feeding as part of a whole farm livestock, pasture and erosion management program.

We recommend having a confinement feeding system as an integral part of a whole farm livestock, pasture and erosion management program. Guides and resources that provide more detailed information are listed at the bottom of this fact sheet.

Sheep Feed Value Guide, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Sheep are supplementary fed for either survival or production purposes. Efficient supplementary feeding should aim to supply sheep with a diet that is sufficient in digestible energy and protein. We recommend testing feedstuffs, although the feed tables supplied here can be used to help roughly estimate the amount of grain and fodder required.

Knowing the value of different feedstuffs is critical when making decisions about livestock nutrition, for survival, maintenance and growth.

Supplementary feeding is a key part of a Western Australian (WA) sheep enterprise because most sheep systems are on annual pasture which is dry over the Mediterranean summer. …

Evaluation Of Dual Purpose Canola And Cereals Grazed With Cattle, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development conducted research to investigate and demonstrate the importance of dual-purpose crops (canola, wheat and barley) to improve the feed availability for cattle (in late autumn to early winter) in mixed farming systems of the high rainfall environment of Western Australia (WA).

The grain yield of a wide range of canola and cereal varieties sown in mid-April were unaffected by the grazing of cattle at a stocking rate of 20 to 22 dry sheep equivalent (DSE) per hectare (ha) for up to 4 weeks at Esperance in 2011.

The grazed crops yielded the …

Roaded Catchments In Wa, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Roaded catchments are earthwork structures designed to increase the amount of run-off from the catchment above a receiving farm dam.

Roaded catchments are lined with clay and compacted to make a smooth surface that reduces infiltration and increases run-off. Roaded catchments should discharge into a silt trap and then into a dam (excavated earth tank). This combined structure should be fenced to exclude livestock.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommends that roaded catchments are part of an integrated water and salinity management program.

The information in this page is only a guide – seek expert advice before …

Excavated Tanks (Farm Dams), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources factsheets

Guidelines and information for planning, legal requirements, design, construction and management of excavated tanks for water storage on farm.

Excavated tanks (farm dams) provide effective water storage wherever surface water run-off can be harvested for livestock, crop spraying, irrigation and domestic use on rural properties.

Excavated tanks for rainfall storage are common in the southern agricultural areas of WA.

Well-designed and constructed dams are farm assets, safe and require little maintenance.

Poor design and construction can lead to poor water harvesting and storage, excessive costs, downstream erosion and risks to property and people.

DPIRD recommends that excavated tanks should be …

Greenhouse Gas Accounting For Western Australian Agriculture 2022, Johnny Machon, Mandy Curnow, Christophe D'Abbadie

Climate Science Published Reports

This report presents new modelling of the greenhouse gas emissions attributable to Western Australia’s agricultural industries and provides an overview of sequestration at the state level. The report improves and expands on the estimates from previous technical reports by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), most notably Curnow et al. (2022). The report presents a new, much broader picture, capturing not only emissions from agricultural activities in Western Australia (WA), but also the emissions associated with the production of agricultural inputs and the sequestration that occurs on agriculturally managed lands. This broader picture of emissions aligns with …

Wics Conference 2024: Creating Connections Together: Agenda And Abstracts, Daren D. Redfearn, Christopher A. Proctor

Water and Integrated Cropping Systems Conferences

WICS Conference 2024: Creating Connections Together

Agenda and Abstracts

Water Security (Quantity/Quality)

Nebraska Groundwater Quality Clearinghouse; Augustine Adjei, Martha Rhoades, and Kent Eskridge

Assessing the AquaCrop model’s accuracy for soybean under variable irrigation; Anmol Singh

Yield response of irrigated maize hybrids to water availability; Thais Murias Jardi, Saleh Taghvaeian, Chris Proctor, Daran Rudnick, and Chuck Burr

Using the DSSAT CERES-Maize model to evaluate farmers' irrigation decisions; Rintu Sen

Nutrient Management and Cycling

Effect of cover crop mixtures and crop rotation on nitrogen dynamics and crop yield in southeast Nebraska; Madhusudhan Adhikaari

Nitrogen inhibitors reduce nitrogen losses via ammonia volatilization, nitrous …

Weed Seed Wizard Case Study - Don't Stop Harvest Weed Management Because It’S A Dry Year, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity research reports

The Weed Seed Wizard is a national collaborative project that uses paddock management information to predict weed emergence and crop losses now and in the future.

The Weed Seed Wizard is a computer simulation tool that:

• applies to all Australian grain growing areas

• helps growers understand and manage weed seedbanks on their farms

• uses farm management records to simulate how different crop rotations, weed control techniques, irrigation, grazing and harvest management tactics can affect weed numbers, the weed seedbank and yields

• uses farm-specific management and site-specific weather

• is multi-species

See www.dpird.wa.gov.au for further information on Weed Seed Wizard.

This case …

Managing Frost Risk, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Frost occurs on clear nights in early spring when the air temperature drops to 2°C or less. Crop damage from frost may occur at any stage of development but is most damaging at or around flowering.

Frost is difficult to manage, and damage will be unavoidable in some seasons. Risk management options proven to reduce frost risk include paddock zoning, crop and variety selection, time of sowing, stubble management and managing inputs. The greatest gains result from in paddock choice/zoning, crop and variety choice, and manipulating the canopy.

Feral Camel, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

No abstract provided.

Feral Donkey, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

Donkeys (Equus asinus) were first imported in substantial numbers to Australia in 1866 by Sir Thomas Elder. They were used as pack and draught animals in outlying areas of Western Australia (WA) until the 1930s. They were eventually replaced by the motor vehicle, and unwanted donkeys were released to the wild, where they became feral. The first record of feral donkeys is from the Kimberley in the early 1930s, but it is possible they became feral much earlier.

Feral Goat, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

The goat (Capra hircus) was one of the first animals to be domesticated, 8 to 10 thousand years ago. Archaeological work indicates the earliest attempts at domestication were in dry hills surrounding the Mediterranean basin. The ability of goats to utilise the coarse browse of mountainous areas made them suitable for domestication, in preference to sheep. With large-scale domestication of goats throughout the world, goats escaped and established feral goat herds on most continents. Overgrazing by goats has caused severe environmental damage, worldwide.

Goats arrived in Australia with the first fleet. They were introduced to many areas by early settlers …

Rabbit Control: 1080 Versus Pindone, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity factsheets

There are two toxins available for controlling pest rabbits in Western Australia: 1080 and pindone. This factsheet provides a brief summary of the main characteristics of both vertebrate pesticides. 1080 is generally the preferred toxin for rabbit control in Western Australia (WA).

Any attempt to reduce the impact of rabbits on the productivity of any agricultural enterprise (for example, pasture, crops, tree farms, horticulture) should be undertaken as part of a pest management plan.

This strategy should be proactive rather than reactive to a problem. It should also include a long term strategy for dealing with potential rabbit damage, including …