Latest updates and advice
- The seasonal climate outlook for June to August 2026 continues to indicate below median rainfall and higher temperatures for most of the southern rangelands and the south-west of the state.
- Explore how to adjust inputs to maximise economic yield potential, not just crop yield. Tune in to Grains Convo episodes on balancing yield and profit this season.
- Reports of high mouse activity in WA’s agricultural regions mean growers should closely monitor paddocks and consider using registered bait where activity is high.
- Monitor livestock during lambing, watching closely for hypothermia, mismothering and metabolic diseases such as pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia.
Sheep grazing under a storm
Climate outlook
- Rainfall has been below average throughout May, with several areas in the Pilbara, Gascoyne and southwest recording very much below average. The notable exception is the far north Kimberly region. Check out the recent rainfall maps.
- The seasonal climate outlook for June to August 2026 continues to indicate an El Niño, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole and high-pressure systems developing during winter and into spring. These combined climate drivers are expected to result in below median rainfall and bring higher temperatures across the state.
- Check out the June edition of the Seasonal Climate Outlook newsletter for the South West Land Division (SWLD).
- Use the Rainfall to date tool to visualise cumulative rainfall from the start of the grain growing season and inform decision making.
Check monthly updates in DPIRD's Seasonal Climate Outlook
Climate resources
Department research sheep flock
Livestock
- Monitor livestock during lambing, watching closely for hypothermia, mismothering and metabolic diseases such as pregnancy toxaemiaand hypocalcaemia.
- Be aware of the symptoms of Annual Ryegrass Toxicity (ARGT). It is important that purchased cereal and meadow hay is tested for ARGT.
- Contact your local DPIRD field vet to report unusual disease signs, abnormal behaviour or unexpected deaths in your livestock.
- See the latest StockedUp newsletter for a range of seasonal production advice and management tips.
- Defer grazing of regenerating annual pastures until they reach a Feed On Offer (FOO) of 600-700 kg DM/ha. Refer to Pastures from Space for current FOO and pasture growth rates for your property.
- Match stocking rates to feed availability following the autumn break, managing grazing pressure carefully to protect newly germinated pastures and maintain ground cover into winter and control red-legged earth mite.
- All perennial pastures should currently be de-stocked to avoid the loss of perennial plants, the one exception being kikuyu pastures other than paddocks in which sheep have started to dig up kikuyu rhizomes. For advice on specific species refer to the Perennial Pastures for Western Australia Bulletin.
- If sufficient rainfall has induced perennial regrowth, wait until green FOO reaches approximately 600 kg DM/ha before grazing and destock immediately once the green feed has been consumed.
- Consider confinement feeding as a strategy to reduce grazing pressure on pastures. On the south coast, kikuyu pastures can be grazed while deferring annual pastures.
- If sowing new pastures or forage cereals, prepare to spray paddocks and sow as soon as possible after weed control. Consider using post sowing pre-emergent herbicides for control of grasses and broadleaf weeds. Inoculate legumes if it is the first time the species has been sown in the paddock.
- Sowing forage cereal crops such as oats or triticale into existing pastures can increase early feed availability. Consider a starter of 5-10 kg/ha of nitrogen followed by 25-50 kg/ha of nitrogen (50-100 kg/ha urea) unless following a good pasture legume rotation. Lower rates given current N prices would likely provide the most cost-efficient response.
- Applying nitrogen fertiliser to grassy pastures can also increase winter feed.
- Be alert for signs of kikuyu toxicity in stock, though risk at this time of the year is low.
- Refer to this Dairy Australia factsheet and our StockedUp newsletter May 2025 edition for more information.
- Phalaris pastures also pose a toxicity risk following rain. For more information refer to chapter 2, page 116 of the Perennial Pastures for Western Australia Bulletin.
- An increasing number of producers are adopting confinement feeding for livestock in the autumn/winter feed gap. This is a useful way to manage nutrition, ground cover and delay grazing pastures. Careful nutrition and animal health management is required. More information on setting up confinement feeding can be found in our Confined paddock feeding and feedlotting of sheep factsheet.
- Pregnant ewes should be released from confinement 2-3 weeks before lambing. Provide unlimited hay and continue supplementing in paddock for at least a few days to allow the rumen to adapt to pasture. Continue supplementing if pasture supply is inadequate.
- Pregnancy scanning ewes is an important part of feed budgeting as nutrition requirements vary depending on stage of pregnancy and number of lambs being carried. Allocate feed according to stock requirements. A twin bearing ewe needs much more feed than a dry or single bearing ewe.
- Monitor livestock during lambing, watching closely for hypothermia, mismothering and metabolic diseases such as pregnancy toxaemiaand hypocalcaemia.
- Revisit your feed budgets regularly and adjust supplementation to ensure stock are meeting condition score and weight targets. Energy demand peaks in late pregnancy and lactation. A green pick is not enough to sustain pregnant and lactating stock. Ensure adequate roughage is available to stock during supplementation.
- Use Pastures from Space for current FOO and Pasture Growth Rates to estimate when adequate FOO will be available to stock, and determine when supplementary feeding can cease.
- Lamb marking should be carried out between 2 and 12 weeks of age. A 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 vaccination should be used with a follow up dose at weaning. Pain relief options such as anti-inflammatories and local anaesthetics are also available for lamb marking and mulesing.
- For July-lambers, allocate and preparing lambing paddocks based on previous paddock history, access to feed, water and shelter and give the annual pre-lambing vaccination.
- Review parasite control programs, monitor worm burdens through faecal egg counts and drench if necessary, and manage lice risk in sheep before winter conditions reduce treatment options.
- Review sire performance as most bull sales have concluded for the year. Use joining and pregnancy test results to assess which sires delivered the best outcomes. Begin planning early for spring bull purchases or semen orders to secure preferred genetics.
- Manage early‑winter feeding as pastures are still establishing. Energy supplementation may be required until Feed On Offer (FOO) reaches levels that support maintenance and lactation. Prioritise young cows and first‑calvers to prevent condition loss.
- Protect establishing pastures by monitoring FOO closely and adjusting grazing pressure. Consider short‑term confinement feeding to avoid overgrazing germinating paddocks and to support pasture recovery after the break.
- Support cows with calves at foot during peak lactation. Assess cow condition regularly and ensure adequate energy intake. If feed is limited, early weaning or creep feeding may help maintain cow fertility heading into spring.
- Plan for dry‑season resilience in pastoral regions where rainfall may still be variable. Use seasonal outlooks, feed budgeting tools and decision guides to evaluate options such as destocking, agistment or holding core breeders.
- Implement winter parasite control with a focus on internal parasites, which increase with cooler, wetter conditions. Conduct worm egg counts, review drench strategies for young stock, and monitor for lice or ticks depending on region. Maintain strong biosecurity practices to reduce disease risk.
Animal welfare
- What are my animal welfare responsibilities? - information and resources
- For areas with low dam levels and concerned about water quality, visit the Water for livestock.
Crops
- With nitrogen (N) in tight supply, (1) establish your paddock nitrogen supply; (2) understand your breakeven yield/cost combination; and (3) spread your fertiliser according to responsiveness in the remaining paddocks. Listen to the Grains Convo podcast for discussions around this for wheat and canola.
- Explore how to adjust inputs to maximise economic yield potential, not just crop yield. Tune in to Grains Convo episodes on balancing yield and profit this season.
- It’s a great year to do N rate trial strips on your farm to assist you to make better decisions in following years. Read more on Making N applications pay this season (GRDC). You need to have at least 4 rates (including no N) for a useful response curve to fertilisers and replication gives you confidence in your treatment effects.
- For information to identify and manage crop pests and diseases throughout the season refer to PestFacts WA cropping resources.
- There are reports of high mouse activity in WA's agricultural regions. Check out these resources for management options to reduce risks to emerging crops: Mouse management (GRDC) and Mouse control (CSIRO)
- Landholders and regional communities are encouraged to report mouse sightings through MouseAlert (FeralScan) to help track changes across affected local governments and support the broader industry.
- The State Government has announced $200,000 in funding to support regional communities impacted by extreme mice populations. Grants of up to $10,000 are available to affected local governments for baiting, trapping and clean-up measures. View the media statement.
- Baiting may be considered at seeding where high mouse activity has been identified. In addition to the registered ZnP25 bait, the APVMA is also permitting the use of high-strength control measures (ZP50) to manage current unprecedented mice levels. To support permit conditions, Grain Producers Australia is coordinating online training to help accelerate program delivery. Products must be used in accordance with the label instructions and any adverse effects, including lack of efficacy, should be reported via the APVMA website.
- To protect community health and safety, residents should follow the latest WA Department of Health advice on managing mice infestations and using pesticides safely.
Deep ripping soil
Soils
- Fertiliser decisions are being adjusted to accommodate availability and yield potential. The economically optimum rate for fertiliser depends on the yield response to applying the fertiliser, and the prices of fertiliser and grain. Flat economic response curves are common, where a wide range of fertiliser inputs provide a similar profitability when analysed annually. To learn more, read Economics of fertilisers.
- The Fertiliser management toolbox sets out a relatively easy and reliable approach for measuring and interpreting fertiliser efficiency and profitability at the paddock scale to support deciding on what returns are acceptable for your business.
Season 2026 – information for pastoralists
Latest updates and advice
- Primary producers impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle may be eligible for disaster relief assistance. Visit Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements for more information.
- Be aware of the symptoms of Annual Ryegrass Toxicity (ARGT). It is important that purchased cereal and meadow hay is tested for ARGT.
Holding or selling breeding cattle
- In a dry season where feed, water and finances are limited, removing less productive animals as soon as possible is a good option. This will free up feed for more productive animals and help preserve ground cover. View the Holding or selling breeding cattle in the rangelands factsheet for more information.
- Read more on body condition score, heifer management and breeder management in the Breeder and heifer management for rangeland cattle factsheet.
Grazing to reduce soil erosion
- Grazing of sheep in the pastoral areas of Western Australia: best management practice guidelines
- Grazing of cattle in the northern pastoral areas of Western Australia: best management practice guidelines
- Procedures for rangeland condition assessment in the Pilbara and southern rangelands 2025.
Welfare considerations
- Stock owners and managers have an obligation to ensure animal welfare including sufficient food, water and shelter is provided. Read more on Drought Feeding and Management of Cattle guide.
- Where sufficient food and/or water requirements cannot be met, management decisions should be made early. Cattle should be moved to where feed and water is sufficient, or they should be sold or humanely destroyed. Read more on What are my animal welfare responsibilities?
Feeding requirements
- Feeding Livestock (Agriculture Victoria)
- Drought feeding and management of beef cattle (Agriculture Victoria)
- Full handfeeding of beef cattle (NSW DPI)
- Checklist for good beef cattle health and management in drought (NSW DPI)
Livestock water requirements
- Water is a critical component in livestock productivity and welfare. To help you manage and budget your stock water accordingly, visit the Water for livestock webpage.
Transport
- Are sheep and cattle fit to be sold at a saleyard?
- Are sheep and cattle fit to load?
- Assessing beef cattle body condition for transport or sale at a saleyard
- Assessing sheep body condition for transport or sale at a saleyard
- Body condition score for beef cattle - FutureBeef
Support
- Find out more about available funding and support services.
Funding and support services
Support services are available to assist rural people in stressful situations, these include:
- Regional Men’s Health Initiative
- Rural Aid
- Lifeline
- Beyond Blue
- Rural West financial counselling service.
More information can be found on WA's rural support services directory.
View the rural support services directoryContact us
-
Christine Zaicou-KuneschFarming Systems ManagerGascoyne & Mid West