Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Ai : Artificial Insemination Of Sheep, David Windsor

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

Artificial insemination (Al) is used widely in the dairy and beef industries and often performed by farmers themselves. By contrast, sheep breeders generally require assistance from vets when frozen semen is to be used. However, recent experiments with frozen semen are indicating that do-it-yourself Al may soon become a reality.

Pregnancy Diagnosis Using Ultrasound, M A C Johns

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

Few Western Australian ewe flocks are diagnosed for pregnancy despite the precence of high numbers of barren ewes. Surveys of farm flocks in the early 1970s recorded that between 14 and 29 per cent of ewes failed to lamb each year.

Techniques for diagnosing pregnant ewes have been available for many years, but ultrasonic devices and computer technology have made it possible for skilled operators to determine whether ewes are pregnant and more importantly, whether they have one, two or more foetuses.

Once the number of pregnant ewes is known farmers can use labour more efficiently. They can minimise the …

Noise Induced Hearing Loss, R Moulds

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

Most farmers have heard about noise induced hearing loss and many take sensible precautions. But a significant number of farmers still find some excuse for not wearing ear-muffs of using protective devices to conserve their hearing when exposed to loud noise.

This article describes the nature of the problem and states the reasons why hearing protection should be used whenever exposure to loud noise is unavoidable, especially when driving a tractor.

Plants And Asthma, Robert Dunlop Royce

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

ASTHMA is defined in the dictionary as being a disease characterised by recurring attacks of difficulty in breathing, and the causes are stated to include the inhalation of dust, or the odour of plants, flowers or animals.

Hay fever is a similar condition and this too, is caused by plants, usually at the time of flowering, when large quantities of pollen are produced.