Identify the condition: Milk Fever (Hypocalcaemia). (1 mark)
Category: Metabolic. (1 mark)
The Fix (Action): Inject Calcium (Calcium Gluconate). (1 mark)
The Location: It should be injected under the skin (subcutaneously). (1 mark)
The Reason: Injecting directly into the vein can be dangerous because it can stop the cow's heart if it goes in too fast. Under the skin is safer for a farmer to do in the paddock. (1 mark)
Identify the pest: Western Flower Thrip (WFT). (1 mark)
The Monitoring Tool: WFT are specifically attracted to the color blue. Yellow traps are for aphids/whiteflies, but blue is the most effective for detecting thrips early. (1 mark)
IPM Strategy (Biological): Predatory Mites (e.g., Neoseiulus cucumeris) particularly in protected crops in greenhouses such as strawberries or cucumbers or Orius tantillus (the species of pirate bugs used in Australia) these are effective outside as well as in greenhouses. (1 mark)
Identify the disease: Fungal Rust (e.g., Wheat Stem Rust or Leaf Rust). (1 mark)
Category: Microbial (Fungal). (1 mark)
Long-term Prevention: Look for a High Resistance rating (e.g., MR - Moderately Resistant or R - Resistant). (1 mark)
Why? A high resistance level means the plant's own DNA can fight off the fungus without needing as much chemical spray. (1 mark)
Identify the pest: Intestinal Worms (e.g., Barber's Pole or Black Scour Worm). (1 mark)
The Test (WEC): It is used to count the number of worm eggs in a sample of manure. This tells the farmer how "heavy" the worm burden is and if they actually need to use a chemical drench. (1 mark)
IPM Strategy (Cultural): Moving to a "clean" paddock (one that hasn't had sheep for a while) breaks the life cycle. It means the sheep aren't eating fresh larvae off the grass, this allows their bodies to recover. (1 mark)
Description: (1 mark) Mentioning animal welfare (pain) or economic loss (less meat/wool produced).
Prevention: (1 mark) Quarantine new stock or dry out the paddocks.
Control: (1 mark) Using a chemical foot-bath or paring (trimming) the hooves.
1 mark For stating that traps are used for monitoring/detection to determine the population size or "Action Threshold" before a pest becomes an economic problem.
1 Mark For explaining that they are hung within or just above the crop canopy where insects are active.
1 Mark For identifying that specific colours attract specific pests (e.g., Blue for Western Flower Thrips and Yellow for Aphids/Whiteflies).
1 mark For identifying that weeds act as a reservoir where pests and diseases survive between cropping seasons.
1 mark For explaining that removing these weeds physically disrupts the life cycle of the pest by removing their food source and shelter, preventing them from migrating into the main crop.
1 mark For identifying that Ladybirds are beneficial insects or natural enemies that provide biological control by eating pests like Aphids.
1 mark For explaining that many chemical sprays are non-selective or broad-spectrum, meaning they will kill the helpful ladybirds along with the pests.
1 mark For noting that if the ladybirds are killed, the pest population might rebound even faster because there are no longer any natural predators left to keep them in check.
1 mark For defining the economic threshold as the point where the cost of the damage caused by the pest is greater than the cost of the treatment.
1 mark For explaining that if the rust levels are below this point, spraying would result in a financial loss for the farm because the treatment costs more than the crop value it saves.
1 mark For noting that waiting prevents unnecessary chemical use, which protects the environment and reduces the risk of the fungus developing resistance.
1 mark For explaining that within any population, some aphids may have a natural genetic mutation that makes them immune to the spray.
1 mark For stating that these survivors breed and pass on those resistant genes to the next generation until the majority of the population is immune.
1 mark For suggesting the farmer rotate chemical groups by using a product with a different mode of action.
1 mark For suggesting an integrated approach, such as introducing beneficial insects like ladybirds to eat the resistant pests.
1 mark For explaining that a worm egg count allows the farmer to measure the actual parasite burden so they only treat sheep when the population reaches a risky level.
1 mark For explaining that paddock rotation moves sheep away from larvae on the grass, which breaks the life cycle of the worm by preventing re-infection.
1 mark For concluding that combining these two principles keeps the worm population low without relying solely on chemicals, which builds long-term resilience on the farm.
1 mark: For identifying that flickweed seeds can travel several metres when the pods explode.
1 mark: For explaining that this allows the weed to spread rapidly across many pots or garden beds in a confined space.
1 mark: For identifying that gorse thickets physically block livestock from accessing pasture, reducing the total grazing area.
1 mark: For identifying that gorse provides shelter for vertebrate pests like rabbits or foxes which further damage the land or attack livestock.
1 mark: For explaining that the green bridge refers to weeds that grow between cropping seasons.
1 mark: For explaining that removing these weeds stops them from setting seeds that would compete with next year's crop.
1 mark: For noting that it also removes the habitat for aphids and other pests that could carry viruses into the new crop.
1 mark: For describing the explosive seed dispersal mechanism where mature pods flick seeds several metres away.
1 mark: For explaining that this makes physical control difficult because plants must be removed before they flower, otherwise the act of pulling the weed can trigger the seeds to spread further into neighbouring pots.
Q2: Wild Radish
1 mark: For identifying direct competition, where the weed takes moisture and nitrogen away from the wheat, leading to lower yields.
1 mark: For identifying harvest contamination, where radish seeds are mixed with the grain, leading to price penalties at the delivery point.
1 mark: For mentioning the cost of control, such as the high price of herbicides or the need for extra machinery to clean the grain.
Q3: Gorse
1 mark (Biological): For suggesting the release of the gorse spider mite to reduce the vigour and seed production of the plants or for suggesting the introduction of goats to reduce the infestation..
1 mark (Physical): For suggesting the use of heavy machinery or mulching to clear the dense thickets and allow access for other treatments.
1 mark (Chemical): For suggesting the targeted application of herbicides on cut stumps or regrowth to ensure the root system is killed.
1 mark (Integration/Sustainability): For noting that combining these methods reduces the reliance on any single tool and helps restore the land for productive grazing while removing habitat for pests like rabbits.
Q1: Cultural Control
1 mark: For stating that cultural control is the most cost-effective and sustainable method.
1 mark: For explaining that it prevents the problem from starting, which reduces the need for more expensive or harmful controls later on.
Q2: Biosecurity
1 mark: For identifying that weed seeds can easily hide in the mud and dust on tires or machinery.
1 mark: For explaining that washing the tractor physically removes those seeds so they are not transported into a clean paddock.
Q3: Long-term Outcome
1 mark: For identifying that the weed population will likely develop biological resistance to that specific chemical.
1 mark: For explaining that the survivors of the spray will breed and pass on their resistant genes, eventually making the chemical useless.