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Research Objectives In Vertebrate Pest Control, A J. Oliver

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

The European rabbit, introduced into Australia in 856 by an early settler for hunting, caused massive losses to agricultural production in Western Australia in 1940s and 1950s.

In those years most of the country's recources and efforts allocated to vertebrate pest problems were aimed at controlling this animal.

Research and control measures by Commonwealth and State agencies, including the introduction of myxomatosis, were largely responsible for reducing the rabbit problem to the comparatively minor one it is now.

Today, the Agricultural Protection Board is involved in the control of a much wider range of mammals and birds which cause losses …

Rabbit Kitten Survival In The South-West, D R. King

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

In the South-West of Western Australis reliable winter rains allow the rabbit breeding season to extend through winter and spring, and thus a large number of kittens are produced each year.

Studies on the biology of rabbits at Cape Naturaliste (270 kilometres south-west of Perth) and Chidlow (40 kilometres east of Perth in the Datling Range) have shown that at these sites each doe produces about 30 and 27 kittens respectively a year. If all these youg rabbits survived, there would be a 15-fold increase in numbers. Within a short time the State would be covered "wall to wall" by …

Rabbits North Of Carnarvon, D R. King

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

In Westeern Australia rabbits are mainly a pest along the south-western coastal parts of the State, but there are populations north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Rabbits after crossing the Nullarbour plain from South Australia and colonising the South-West of the State, were reported to have reached the west coast near Geraldton by 1912 and then spread northwards.

There is little information on the biologhy of rabbits in the northan parts of their range, but pastoralists in some areas are concerned about erosion and damage to vegetation on their stations when rabbits reach high numbers.

The Agricultural Protection Board undertook …

Myxomatosis In Western Australia, D R. King, S. H. Wheeler

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

Since myxomatosis was introduced to Western Australia in the early 1950s rabbit plagues have ceased. However, myxomatosis has not proven to be the whole answer to the rabit problem.

Rabits continue to damage crops and pastures in many areas and resurgences of rabbit populations are reported from time to time.

Drs D.R. King and S. H. Wheeler of the Agricultural Protection Board's research section have been studying the way myxomatosis epidemics occur and spread in rabbit populations in a range of Western Australian environments. This research will provide data for planning effective control strategies intergrating the various control options available …

Feral Donkeys : An Assessment Of Control In The Kimberley, S H. Wheeler

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

Feral donkeys are one of the major limitations to increased pastoral production in many parts of the Kimberley area of Western Australia, where they compete with cattle for food. In addition donkeys are aggressive animals, driving cattle from watering points and better grazing areas. They eliminate perenial plants by overgrazing and therefore reduce the carrying capacity of the range.

Originally introduced as draught animals, donkeys were released when cars arrived; since then they have bred up to large numbers in many areas.

For several years the Agricultural Protection Board has undertaken a programme of donkey shooting from helicopters. Since this …

Pastoral Land Degradation: The Fitzroy As A Case Study, Alan L. Payne, Ronald B. Hacker

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

When large numbers of domestic livestock are superimposed on native vegetation in semi-arid and arid areas of the world, the ecological balance inevitably changes. In extreme cases these changes include such degradation as drastic losses of vegetation and active soil erosion. Areas affected in this way are unproductive for most purposes.

Western Australia's Fitzroy River valley has deteriorated in this way. Today, this once-­productive grazing country is so degraded that it has become a matter of concern to Governments, the pastoral industry and others.

This article gives a brief history of land degradation in parts of the Fitzroy River valley, …

How Saltland Can Be Reclaimed, A J. Peck

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

Some possibilities for reclamation of saltland.

The Causes Of Saltland : A Case Study At Esperance, P R. George, S. C. Bull

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

A series of bores on the Esperance Downs Research Station has demonstrated that the groundwater levels change after clearing, and the relatiojnnship between groundwater levels and soil salinity has been emphasised. This pattern of hydrological change leading to soil salinity problems applies widely in the wheatbelt.

Managing Water-Repellent Soils, D A. Mcghie

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

A study of water-repellent soils has led to some management recommendations.

Saving The State From Rabbits, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

A thoughtful look at the rise and fall of rabbit populations in Western Astralia and the work done to achive the current levels.

Producing 20-Month Old Beef Steers Off Annual Pasture, K D. Greathead, D. J. Barker, W. J. Ryan

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

A recent Mt Barker experiment compared two systems of fodder conservation with continuous grazing, using two types of steers, at three stocking rates. Year-round performance, carcass composition, and resulting costs and returns per hectare were assessed.

Production per hectare was greatest from crossbred steers at the intermediate stocking rate with either type of fodder conservation.

P.W.D. Supplementary Public Water Supply Schemes, J E. Davis

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

Shallow wells and soaks with very limited yields were the principal water sources for the early settlers.

Hundreds of such wells were constructed by the Public Works Department in remote areas.

In the early 1930s major development of water supplies from rock catchments was begun in the central wheatbelt.

After the war, larger and more effective earth moving equipment became available. The Public Works Department rehabilitated many old excavated dams as well as constructing new ones.

Roaded catchments were also developed during this post-war period. many farmers took advantage of Public Works Department technical advise and hired a P.W.D. grader …

A Logical Approach To Wheatbelt Water Supply, Stanley Thomas Smith

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

My particular task in this seminar (paper) has been to enunciate a logical approach to water recource utilisation in the wheatbelt, based on the points made by the speakers.

The Comprehensive Water Supply Scheme, K J. Kelsall

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

The Comprehensive Water Supply Scheme has been a great boon to the agricultural area, and it has received strong support from all political parties. The Scheme has been responsible for increased prosperity of country towns, the decentralisation of industry, and general improvements in the standard of living.

This is a look at the development of the Scheme.

Cost Of Farm Water Supplies : Conclusions From Surveys, I A F Laing

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

The Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Farm Water Supply Advisory Committee, has conducted farm wster supply surveys in many districts in the wheatbelt.

The aim of the surveys was to collect data to assess the existing water supplies, the potential for further water supply developments and to compare the relative difficulty of water supply development in different localities.

Some Basics Of Marron Production, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

marron are native to the South-West of Western Australia, and are keenly sought by inland fisher-men. However, supplies do not equal the apparent demand.

One solution is to cultivate marron in farm dams, or more intensively as a commercial enterprise.

This article suggests a few guidelines for marron production.

Farm Dams In The Wheatbelt, I A F Laing

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

Of the estimated 76 000 farm dams in the wheatbelt, about 8 per cent either leak or are salt affected. The remaining 70 000 dams are capable of holding water for livestock use and can be regarded as sercicable dams.

A great many of the serviceable dams are unreliable water supplies due to the combined effects of lack of runoff from catchments, shallow depth of storage and small size of storage in relation to expected demand from livestock and evaporation loss.

Design Standards For Farm Surface Water Supplies, J L. Frith

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

Design is usually concerned with getting adequate return from limited recources. Farm dams which dry up represent dam failure. Less seriously, so too do dams which, although not drying out, never fill; they waste a recource.

Comparison Of Economic Returns From Grain Crops, H M. Fisher

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

While wheat is still generally the most profitable crop in Western Australia the relative profitability of barley and linseed has risen in the last few years; in southern areas they are likely to be at least as profitable as wheat.

Oats has fallen in profitability relative to wheat, and grain legumes have suffered a marked fall. Yields of these grains have increased with the introduction of new varieties but their price increases have not kept pace with those of wheat and barley. The present relationship of yields and costs indicates that substantial price changes will be needed to change the …

A Comparison Of Hay Conservation Systems, E E. Rowley

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

The high cost an dshortage of farm labour in the Esperance District is posing serious problems for farmers using traditional hay conservation systems. Author Ted Rowley, then an advisor with the Esperance District office of the Department of Agriculture surveyed a number of farms to study the economics of varoius alternatives. This article is a summary of his report presented to a 1976 Fodder Conservation Workshop.

Grain Moisture And The Weather : What Can The Records Tell Us?, M W. Perry, P. A. Fievez

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

The expansion of cereal production in areas along the south coast has exposed harvesting problems associated with high grain moisture.

A grain delivery standard of 12 per cent moisture means that, in the absence of grain drying facilities, harvesting times in the field are restricted to those hours when grain moisture falls below this figure.

Grain moisture, however, remains the major problem and for planning purposes, producers require an estimate of the harvesting time available in a given year. This will depend on all the climatic variables which affect grain moisture. These include rainfall and dew which deposit water directly …

Conservation Of The National Estate, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

In 1973 the Australian Government established a Committee of Inquiry under Mr. Justice R. M. Hope to inquire into the National Estate. Under its terms of reference the Committee was to assess the nature and condition of the National Estate and the measures which were being and should be taken for its preservation and enhancement.

Officers of the Department of Agriculture recognise that there are basic natural resources such as land, water, gene material and ecosystems which are essential elements of the National Estate held in trust by successive generations.

In a submission to the Inquiry, matters of particular concern …

The Place Of Lucerne In Western Australian Agriculture, N J. Halse, C. M. Francis

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

Lucerne, the world's most important fodder legume, has never won largescale acceptance in West Australian farming, largely because of our success with productive subterranean clover pastures. But recent disease problems on sub. clover stands have led to greater interest in alternative species, especially lucerne, for higher rainfall areas.

This article summarises our knowledge of lucerne establishment and management in W.A. and reviews current research aimed at achieving better results from lucerne.

Some Concepts In Rangeland Management, R B. Hacker

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

The arid and semi-arid zones of Australia occupy about 75 per cent of the land mass. The pastoral industries are located within these zones and, although productivity per unit area is low, the region nevertheless constitutes one of the nation's valuable renewable resources.

If properly managed, such a resource may be maintained as a productive asset indefinitely.

Samphire For Waterlogged Salt Land, C V. Malcolm, G. J. Cooper

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

For non-waterlogged and mildly waterlogged salt land a number of salt-tolerant shrubs may be used for forage production.

Areas which are highly saline and regularly waterlogged are not suited to these shrubs. However, during trials with shrub species, samphires (Arthrocnemum spp.) were found to volunteer and grow well on these sites.

Research into the use of samphires has shown that it is possible to harvest seed and obtain a seed sample suitable for sowing through a drill. Established samphire stands provide useful grazing in many parts of the Western Australian wheatbelt.

Forage Production From Shrubs On Saline Land, C V. Malcolm

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

In the first volume of the Journal of the Department of Agriculture in the year 1900, the results of experiments at Tulare Experiment Station in California on the growing of Australian saltbushes are reported.

Seed was first sent from Australia by Baron von Mueller in June, 1881. Three species of saltbush (A. semibaccata, A. numularia and A. vesicaria) are all reported to have grown well.

Although C. A. Gardner in 1929 suggested the growing of saltbushes for forage, the earliest and clearest recommendations are those of Teakle and Burvill in 1945.

Early research tended to concentrate mainly on the possibility …

Grey Kangaroo Management Programme, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

The Grey Kangaroo Management Programme, introduced in 1971 by the Department of Fisheries and Fauna, is designed to ensure the long-term conservation of the grey kangaroo, while at the same time recognising the right of the landholder to protect his primary production from damage.

One of the points which has arisen after examination of the programme is that some individual farmers are not fully aware of the requirements of the regulations.

Dust Storms Cause Yield Losses, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia, C. H. Trotman

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

Farmers and research workers are well aware that heavy grazing during summer loosens and exposes soil to the action of strong winds and summer thunder storms. They also realise that dust storms mean soil loss from paddocks, but until now there has been little idea of the effect of these storms on crop yields in subsequent seasons.

Grain Sorghum In The Ord Valley : Three Crops A Year?, P J. May

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

High temperatures and ample irrigation water allow grain sorghum to be grown throughout the year on the Ord River Irrigation Area, and observations in 1969-70 indicated that it may be possible in this area to produce three crops in one year from one planting, by ratoon cropping.

This article describes the technique and discusses its possibilities on the Ord.

The sorghum midge, one of the worst pests of sorghum, could well make ratoon cropping impossible, but the midge has not yet been seen in this area.

Tree Establishment In The Wheatbelt, F Batini

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

Although most of the Forests Department's activity has centred around the State Forests in the higher rainfall areas, the Department has, for many years, encouraged the planting and conservation of trees throughout the farming areas.