StockedUp

For WA sheep and cattle industries

Seasonal production advice

• Assess Feed on Offer (FOO) to determine whether pastures are established enough for grazing and whether supplementary feeding may still be required. Grazing should be deferred until pastures are over 800kg DM/ha.
• Supplementary feeding of pregnant and lactating ewes may still be required depending on FOO and stage of pregnancy/lactation. Assess condition score and adjust feeding rates accordingly to avoid metabolic disease such as pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia (see article below).
• Whilst still supplementary feeding, test feed for annual ryegrass toxicity and nutritional value (energy, protein, digestibility, dry matter).
• Adequate supplies of good quality stock water are just as important as feed supplies. Ensure livestock have access to adequate, good quality water and check your livestock's requirements.
• Cows with calves at foot are at peak feed demand during lactation. Young cows in particular require more feed as they have not reached mature weight. Assess feed requirements to determine whether pastures are adequate.
• Sheep moved onto good feed from poorer quality feed sources may be of risk of enterotoxaemia (pulpy kidney). Ensure all animals are vaccinated and if at risk, know the symptoms in young and old stock.
• Conduct faecal worm egg counts and drench with an effective drench if necessary.
• After warm and wet conditions for part of the state, some areas may be at risk of fly strike. Keep an eye on susceptible animals and learn more through FlyBoss resources

Image source: Mia Davis

Sheep industry turn-off updates

WA’s sheep turn-off rose to 6.55 million head in 2024, up 13% year-on-year and the second highest since 2014. The increase was driven by record lamb slaughter (3.1 million, +4%) and a 12% rise in mature sheep slaughter (2.1 million), reflecting ongoing destocking due to poor seasonal conditions and price pressures.

Live exports fell 37% to 423,300 head. Meanwhile, interstate transfers increased 255% to 884,000 head, the third highest on record due to strong price differences between WA and the east coast.

These trends suggest a sharp decline in WA’s flock, estimated to have dropped from 12.4 million in 2022 to around 9.5 million in 2024, with further reductions likely in 2025 if turn-off remains high and lambing rates soften.

For more information, contact Kate Pritchett, Senior Research Scientist, DPIRD Albany.

Image source: DPIRD

Cattle industry turn-off updates

WA’s cattle turn-off reached 657,000 head in 2024, up 9% year-on-year but still 4% below the 10-year average. Domestic slaughter dominated, rising 10% to 448,900 head, with a notable 18% increase in female cattle, indicating possible herd reduction.

Live exports dropped 10% to 164,000 head, the lowest in over 30 years, as exports to Israel dropped from 75,000 to just 6,000. In contrast, interstate transfers surged 274% to 44,100 head, driven by higher prices in the eastern states.

Turn-off composition in 2024 was 68% domestic slaughter, 25% live export, and 7% interstate transfers. Over the past decade, domestic processing has taken a growing share of the market as live exports decline.

For more information, contact Kate Pritchett, Senior Research Scientist, DPIRD Albany.

Image source: DPIRD

Do you know the signs of kikuyu poisoning in livestock?

Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestimun) is a subtropical perennial grass that grows from spring to autumn. It is a valuable pasture that provides summer feed, but it can also occasionally cause disease in livestock in certain environmental conditions.

The definite cause and toxin involved in kikuyu poisoning are currently unknown. The endophyte Fusarium torulosum is suspected but unproven. 

Past outbreaks have occurred in summer or autumn after a period of drought followed by rain, causing the kikuyu grass to grow rapidly. Stock placed onto these pastures 2-3 weeks after rainfall are at a risk of poisoning. Paddocks left ungrazed for long periods may provide the greatest risk to livestock. Other factors such as plant stress (e.g. locust or army worm infestations) may also play a role in disease. It is also suspected that stressors on the endophyte may influence toxin production.

Cattle are most affected by kikuyu poisoning; however, sheep and goats are also susceptible. Animals of any age and condition can be affected.

Livestock usually show signs of poisoning 1-8 days after moving onto the affected paddock. After removal from the paddock, animals can continue to show signs for up to 8 days. Signs include unusual vocalisation, bloating, drooling, incoordination, down animals, sham drinking (putting their nose in the water but failing to drink) and death.

There is no specific treatment for kikuyu poisoning, but many animals may recover if quickly removed from the affected paddock and given supportive care. This includes managing them to minimise stress and supplying them with good quality hay, water and shelter. Severely affected stock which remain down despite removal should be euthanised on humane grounds.

Ensure close monitoring of livestock after moving animals onto kikuyu-dominant paddocks after summer rain events. The risk of kikuyu poisoning is significantly reduced on paddocks of mixed swards (grass/legume varieties). However, even on a mixed sward, summer or autumn rain events may result in the perennial kikuyu growing to dominate the sward in the early weeks after rain.

Certain emergency animal diseases not present in Western Australia have similar signs to kikuyu poisoning, such as foot-and-mouth disease. If you see any unusual signs of disease, abnormal behaviour or unexpected deaths in stock, call your private veterinarian, your local DPIRD field veterinary officer or the Emergency Animal Disease hotline on 1800 675 888.

Image source: DPIRD

Kikuyu pasture management tips for the cooler months

Kikuyu is normally grown in conjunction with an annual legume which provides feed quantity and quality during the cooler months. However, in some years, legume density can be low resulting in poor pasture performance in winter. The tactics below outline management options for increasing legume content and productivity.

Improving legume content

• Legume content can be increased after the break of season using a grass-selective chemical (e.g. 0.5–1L/ha clethodim) to suppress kikuyu. This tactic requires an adequate legume seedbank.
• If it is necessary to sow a legume because of a poor seedbank, suppress kikuyu and drill in the seed. Do not broadcast.
• Insect control is critical for clover establishment.
• Subterranean clover remains the best companion legume for kikuyu however serradella is a good option for deep sands and can be sown as pod in summer or seed in winter.
• Subterranean clover density can be increased in kikuyu pastures by applying sufficient grazing pressure before the break of season to provide space for clover seedlings.

Increasing production

• Sowing annual ryegrass into suppressed kikuyu stands can also substantially increase winter production.
• Addressing soil constraints such as soil fertility and acidity is critical to ensuring a productive pasture, most legumes are more sensitive than kikuyu to low soil pH and infertility which can lead to poor legume content.
• When suppressing kikuyu to lift legume content, consider using chemicals to control minor weeds such as silver grass, as weed numbers can increase quickly once kikuyu is suppressed.
• Techniques like spray-topping and cropping of kikuyu paddocks can also be used effectively to control problem weeds.

For more information, contact Paul Sanford, Principal Research Scientist, DPIRD Albany.

Image source: DPIRD

Are you prepared for metabolic issues in pregnant ewes this lambing season?

Pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia are metabolic disorders with similar signs but different causes, that can affect late pregnant or lactating ewes. Both pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia can be avoided with adequate ewe nutrition and minimising herding and yarding of ewes in late pregnancy and early lactation.

Pregnancy toxaemia, or twin lamb disease, is caused by drastically low levels of glucose in the blood that can result in dehydration, brain injury, kidney failure and potentially death. The disease usually occurs in the last weeks of pregnancy if the pregnant ewe does not receive enough nutrition.

Signs of pregnancy toxaemia include self-isolation, dull mentality, off feed, nervous signs including tremoring and blindness, animals down for long periods of time, and death. The ewes most advanced in pregnancy are affected before the rest of the flock.

Early diagnosis of pregnancy toxaemia and subsequent treatment are essential to prevent further progression and deaths. A veterinarian can diagnose pregnancy toxaemia and recommend an appropriate treatment; this may include an oral or injectable glucose solution every 6 to 12 hours to rapidly increase the ewe’s blood sugar levels.

Hypocalcaemia, or milk fever, is a deficiency of calcium in the bloodstream, which prevents muscles in the heart, gut and legs from contracting appropriately. Ewes in their last 6 weeks of pregnancy and in the first month of lactation are most at risk. During this period, the ewe may be unable to mobilise calcium from the bone quickly enough to meet the demands of providing calcium for lamb bone development and milk production.

Signs of hypocalcaemia include rapid onset of signs, stiff uncoordinated gait, muscle trembling, weakness, down animals, and death within 24 hours.

Unlike pregnancy toxaemia, hypocalcaemia is not confined to pregnant ewes. Sheep in good condition that are stressed after moving, trucking or yarding are also susceptible to hypocalcaemia, as are sheep that stop eating during extreme weather conditions. Similarly, sheep grazing cereal regrowth (low in calcium) and pastures with high oxalate content may also develop hypocalcaemia. Plants such as mintweed (Chenopodium pumilo) and soursob (Oxalis spp) contain oxalate, which combines with calcium in the bloodstream, effectively removing it from the system and causing hypocalcaemia.

A veterinarian can assist in diagnosing hypocalcaemia in sheep by collecting blood to test calcium levels. Few changes are visible on post-mortem. A veterinarian can administer a calcium supplement directly into the blood stream of the sheep and recovery is almost instant. Consult a veterinarian for the most appropriate treatment option, this may include injectable products containing calcium borogluconate to increase tissue calcium levels repeated every 4 to 6 hours.

To prevent both pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia, good nutrition and careful management of pregnant ewes are key. Lambing ewes require FOO of more than 1500kg DM/ha during lambing. If this is not available, provide a supplementary source of energy, such as good quality hay and grain. Adding limestone to grain rations or supplementing with a loose lick containing calcium can help prevent hypocalcaemia. Avoid sudden changes to feed or short periods of starvation such as during yarding. To prevent pregnancy toxaemia, pregnancy scanning ewes is recommended to identify and separate twin mothers to better cater for their nutritional requirements.  

Certain emergency animal diseases not present in Western Australia have similar signs to pregnancy toxaemia or hypocalcaemia, such as scrapie. If you see any unusual signs of disease, abnormal behaviour or unexpected deaths in stock, call your private veterinarian, your local DPIRD field veterinary officer or the Emergency Animal Disease hotline on 1800 675 888.

See DPIRD’s livestock calculators, including the supplementary feeding calculator for pregnant and lactating ewes.

Image source: DPIRD

Pasture management strategies for the 2025 season

For parts of the state, rainfall has been patchy, soil moisture is low, and cooler temperatures are starting to kick in – which will reduce pasture growth and winter feed availability. The Pastures from Space™ tool can support producers to keep track of FOO and pasture growth rates of the area to assist in pasture management strategies.

Deferred grazing

Whilst is may be tempting to move livestock onto green pick, deferred grazing will allow pastures to establish greater leaf area and therefore maintain higher growth rates through the winter feed gap. Grazing should be deferred until FOO reaches 800kg DM/ha. Our deferred grazing calculator can help determine how many days it will take to meet a pasture target at a particular pasture growth rate. In the meantime, supplementary feeding will still be required. Completing a feed budget for the break of season can help in determining animals’ requirements and best feeding practices. Test feed for their nutritional value to aid in more accurate feed budgeting. When purchasing feeds, also have them tested (or ask for proof of testing) for annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT).

Alternative options

Producers may consider using a sacrificial paddock or confinement feeding for pregnant livestock. Alternative options to fill the autumn-winter feed gap include grazing perennial pastures, shrubs such as saltbush, early sown cereal or forage crops.

Cereal forage crops can grow around 20kg DM/ha/day day during winter, especially when managed with the right stocking rates and rotational or strip grazing. If you’ve got paddocks with lower pasture density, those are ideal spots to sow forage crops.

Crops can be sown at a rate of 80-100kg/ha, followed by a nitrogen application of 5-10kg/ha for low soil nitrogen paddocks. Make sure crops are protected from pests and wait until plants are well anchored before grazing. Pests like red-legged earth mites can be a real issue for young crops, so keep an eye out.

A follow up application of nitrogen can be applied to increase dry mater production in forage cereals and other grass-based pastures. Once FOO reaches 800kg DM/ha, nitrogen can be applied in the form of urea or sulphate of ammonia at 25-50kg/ha. Grazing should be deferred 1-2 weeks after application to allow the pasture to grow and reduce the risk of nitrate poisoning in livestock.

For more information and seasonal management resources, visit our Season 2025 webpage.

For more information on pasture and grazing management, visit our Pastures and grazing webpage.

Image source: DPIRD

Katanning research station: Carbon neutral requires trees

DPIRD is working towards carbon neutrality by 2030 using a variety of methods at the Katanning Research Station (KRS).

By 2030, modelling suggests that these methods will reduce emissions by 12%.  The KRS aims achieve the required sequestration through revegetation of non-arable or moderately arable areas.

Our research

Bridging the summer-autumn feed gap at Katanning Research Station

Latest n-ewes

• EOIs opening soon for the New Horizons subsidised whole farm nutrient mapping program
• See the latest DPIRD Seasonal Climate Outlook newsletter
• 2024 Southern WA sheep reproductive rates based on pregnancy scanning 
• New triticale crop variety to reap rewards for WA farmers
• The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development has officially launched its new website
• Videos profile Northern Beef Development Producer Innovation Fast Track technology
• DPIRD staff member Brittany Bolt is standing out among the flock with her passion for sheep
• Calling for insights from sheep producers: MLA and AWI May sheep producer intentions survey is now open

Image source: DPIRD

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), 2025.