Livestock

What animals classify as livestock?

• Cows includes an ox, calf or bull
• Horses includes an ass, mule, donkey or pony
• Pigs
• Sheep
• Camels
• Goats
• Llamas
• Alpacas
• Deer – Red and Fallow
• Ostrich
• Emus
• Other similar grazing animals

1. Determine if the land is suitable for keeping livestock and its stocking rate

Our Environmental Coordinator is on hand to assist:

9531 7777

mailbag@murray.wa.gov.au

Other resources:

Stocking Rate Guidelines for rural small holdings, Swan Coastal Plain and Darling Scarp and Surrounds, Western Australia

Shire of Murray Local Planning Policy - Keeping of Livestock in Rural Residential Areas

2. Prepare/update a Livestock/Equine Management Plan

The plan must detail how the property will be managed to prevent environmental damage, land degradation, water pollution and adverse amenity impacts.

The plan is to consider:

• Soil types
• Irrigation square meterage - see table in local planning policy for more information
• Dryland square meterage
• Stocking rates
• Number and type of stock
• Infrastructure for the keeping of the livestock
• Stabling practices – if keeping horses
• Manure, fly and odour control plan
• Nutrient management, soil ameliorants and fertiliser application
• Pasture management - in line with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development recommended practice – https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops/pastures/pasture-management
• Protection of trees
• Dust control
• Weed control
• Water availability, use and irrigation
• Inundation and flood management
• Fire management
• Rodent control
• Horse morality
• Chemical storage
• Stock branding
• Healthy stock

A separate Nutrient and Irrigation Management Plan’ (NIMP) may be required to demonstrate how the land will be managed in terms of nutrient production and how it will meet the requirements of the Western Australian Planning Commission’s State Planning Policy 2.1 - Peel-Harvey Coastal Plain Catchment which is a key planning guidance document for nutrient targets in the Peel-Harvey Estuary catchment.

For all properties not zoned rural, please submit your plan to us for consideration:

mailbag@murray.wa.gov.au

Helpful Resources:

Equine Management Plan Example

Site Management Plan Example

Stock Management Checklist

3. Apply for planning approvals and building permits

Planning approval is required in the following instances:

• To keep livestock on any rural residential lot within the Peel-Harvey Catchment – Swan Coastal Plain boundary insert map
• To keep livestock on any rural residential lot which exceeds the base stocking rate under the ‘DAFWA Guidelines” (refer Table 2 under Appendix A of the Shire’s Local Planning Policy) outside of the Peel-Harvey Catchment – Swan Coastal Plain boundary
• For development associated with the keeping of livestock including the construction of stables, training tracks and dressage areas
• Where otherwise specifically required under the Scheme for a particular zone

Building permits my be required if you intend to have shelters/other structures built on your property.

If you are developing your property, we recommend contacting our Planning Officers prior to undertaking any works.

4. Register your livestock with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

If you are a livestock owner or beekeeper, you must register as an owner of livestock, identify stock correctly and obtain a property identification code (PIC) for each property where you keep livestock. When livestock are moved off a property, you may also need to complete a movement document.

A license is required to keep Emus.

Ostrich owners, you only need to register if you own other types of livestock, or if you wish to identify your ostriches with a registered identifier.

Visit the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development's website for further information:

Owenership registration

Movement and identification