StockedUp

For WA Sheep and Cattle Industries

Season and production advice

• Be aware of livestock water requirements for different classes of stock, and budget for stock needs over summer. Factor in the possibility of increased evaporation with a higher temperature outlook for summer.
• Conduct feed tests on supplementary feed to determine nutritional value to accurately feed budget, as well as test for ARGT.
• Assess pasture and stubble quality and quantity and budget for supplementary feeding over summer/autumn.
• Weaner sheep need to meet growth rate targets over summer/autumn, and will require supplementary feeding.
• Keep an eye out for symptoms of vitamin E deficiency after stock have been supplementary fed and off green feed for a period of time. Weaners in late summer/autumn are especially at risk.
• Confinement feeding of sheep is a useful option for maintenance feeding when paddock feed is limited.
• Phomopsis is being detected in lupin crops across the state, be aware of preventative action, and alert to the symptoms of lupinosis. 
• Warmer weather and recent rains will favour flies in some areas. Be on the lookout for flystrike and treat accordingly.
• Keep an eye out for toxic weeds germinating with late rains, especially in agistment paddocks. 
• May lambers will have put the rams out already, but later lambers still have time to ensure ewes and rams are in optimal condition for joining.

Image source: Jeana Pritchard

Nutrition over summer

As summer progresses, planning for the months ahead is critical to ensure enough feed and water is available for stock.

The 2024 season proved drier than average in many areas, resulting in lower pasture production. This will have flow on effects for ground cover over summer, and reduced seed set will affect the level of pasture production next season. 

Start by assessing dry pasture and stubble availability, as well as what supplementary feed stocks are currently on hand. This will influence feeding decisions over the summer/autumn period. If feed on hand is less than required for stock, have plans in place early to purchase extra feed and/or sell excess stock before on-farm feed supplies run low.

Start supplementary feeding stock early to prevent decline in condition. Early supplementation with lupins can increase dry pasture or stubble utilisation where protein content is limiting. Monitor pastures and stubbles and remove stock once ground cover is below 50%.

To manage ground cover and reduce energy demand of stock, confinement feeding is often used once paddock feed is below 50% cover. A full ration can be fed in confinement, increasing labour efficiencies of supplementary feeding. 

Condition scoring or weighing stock is important to ensure they are meeting condition score or growth rate targets, which will depend on the class of stock, and enables producers to adjust supplementary feeding rates accordingly.

As always, roughage is an essential part of the diet for sheep and cattle. Consider what roughage is on hand and act early if extra feed supplies need to be sourced. 

Feed testing is an important step in determining the amount of grain and roughage to be fed. Feeds vary greatly in dry matter, energy and protein content, so testing enables producers to accurately determine rations to be fed and calculate cost per megajoule of the ration.

Testing feeds for Annual Ryegrass Toxicity (ARGT) is also important to ensure health and safety of feed. If agisting, also be sure to look for noxious weeds such as lesser loosestrife that may have germinated with late rains, as well as poisonous native plants that have grown since last being grazed.

Lupins are a popular protein source, however if supplies are limited alternative protein sources may be used. Faba beans can be a good substitute, with a high dry matter content, good crude protein, and high digestibility. Faba beans are palatable for ruminants and can be fed out similarly to lupins.

There are many other energy and protein sources that can be used for sheep and cattle, but there are a range of factors such as nutritional value and feed cost that must also be considered in the decision. 

When stock are no longer on green feed, and being supplemented with cereal grain, they will also need to be given vitamin E and calcium to prevent deficiencies causing production losses. 

Lastly, but probably most importantly, consider how much water you have available for stock over summer/autumn. Many dams have not been replenished in 2024, and the seasonal outlook for the next 3 months is for higher than usual temperatures, meaning that evaporation from dams may be increased. The quality of water supplies also needs to be tested. Salt and other contaminants will affect water consumption and therefore also feed consumption.

For more information and dry season resources, visit the DPIRD webpage. 

Image source: Hugh Watts, Wiringa Park

Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program 

The Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program (SRRP) supports pastoralists in Western Australia’s southern rangelands by promoting system changes to achieve long-term improvements in rangeland condition, land productivity, and livestock management. The program has completed phase 1, with phases 2 and 3 currently running. 

Phase 1 focused on training, planning, and knowledge sharing among 16 pastoralists, who had the choice of 9 training courses and participated in 10 group meetings. Most participants believed their skills in identifying, addressing, and planning for rangeland revitalisation improved because of the program. 

In Phase 2, 7 stations are implementing on ground revitalisation projects alongside continued training and group work. Project activities are diverse including infrastructure and technology to improve grazing management, native seed nurseries, and erosion/rehydration works and are part of wider changes to their pastoral systems. Most recently, Hillview and Wooleen stations hosted on-station workshops emphasising practical implementation.  

The Hillview project focuses on vegetation exclosures and slowing sheet water flow with hessian bag bunds, which are filled with native seeds to promote revegetation as the bags degrade.  

The Wooleen project focuses on grazing systems, seed nurseries, and water management, having opened a new grazing area supported with a centralised tank connected to pipelines troughs, and irrigated grass nurseries with a solar-powered bore. They will implement a rest-based grazing system. 

Phase 3 has recently begun, aiming to continue providing professional development and supporting on station projects. This phase will also introduce the establishment of regional research demonstration sites to better support revitalisation management decisions.

In order to determine the research direction for these demonstration sites, we are inviting all pastoralists to complete this survey to share their research priorities for improving rangeland condition and livestock profitability.

More information is available on the program website, or by subscribing to SRRP’s industry update newsletter. 

Image source: DPIRD

Could Salmonellosis be a risk to your sheep in confinement?

Salmonellosis is an infectious bacterial disease resulting from the proliferation of salmonella bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and other organs. There are more than 2000 serotypes of salmonella worldwide, but in Western Australian sheep the most common serotype is Salmonella typhimurium.

In sheep flocks, about 2% of animals may be carriers and spread the bacterium through faeces to a flock, precipitating outbreaks. Outbreaks occur more readily when sheep are in close proximity, such as confinement feeding or feedlot situations. Faecal contamination of feed or water sources needs to be avoided.

Outbreaks of infection can occur in sheep of any age, breed, condition or sex. Stressors such as a break in feed intake, long-distance transport or droving, shearing, weather events and high stocking density are common precursors to outbreaks. Heavy worm burdens or water deprivation may also precipitate outbreaks.

Signs of salmonellosis in sheep include: fever, reluctance to move, dehydration, severe, foul-smelling, black diarrhoea and abortion in pregnant ewes. Animals can also be found dead without prior clinical signs.

If you see unusual disease signs, abnormal behaviour or unexpected deaths in your stock, call your private veterinarian, your local DPIRD Field Veterinary Officer or the Emergency Animal Disease hotline on 1800 675 888.

Image source: DPIRD

pasture/feeding systems are being measured over 12-month period. Using GreenFeed machines, researchers track real-time methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen emissions, feed intake, growth, and rumen function. This study will create a sheep methane emissions profile, aiding in refining national emissions factors.

More information can be found here.

Throughout her career, Kari-Lee has also worked on emerging industry issues such as climate change and variability, biosecurity and agricultural technologies.

Since 2021, Kari-Lee has managed the Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program, originally a 14-month pilot that evolved into a 6-year program of work. 

The program, detailed above, addresses the challenges of regenerating degraded landscapes and improving pastoral business profitability by collaborating with pastoralists to find innovative solutions and shift land management practices.

Image source:  Kari-Lee Falconer

Latest n-ewes

• WA eID Tag Incentive Payment extended to 2025
• Spring reminder to reduce flystrike risk in sheep
• Fit to load requirements reminder
• Have a read of the latest edition of the Ovine Observer
• Check out the Seasonal Climate Outlook for summer
• New resources for ewe pregnancy scanning released (MLA)

• Assessing the biosecurity risk of ticks and their pathogens in the cattle industry in Western Australia - Cattle Tick Study WA

Image: Daniel Real presenting the FEED365 project at the MLA updates.

Further information

WA Sheep and Cattle Industry news from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). If you have any questions, or require further information please email livestock@dpird.wa.gov.au

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Important disclaimer 
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.

Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2024.