At the recent Agriculture Department updates in Perth, Economic Consulting Services principal Brian Martin gave a brief review of WA sheep industry current status.

Dr Martin said his objectives were to identify the industry's condition now and how it would look in the future.

"The focus is our concern for lowering sheep numbers," Dr Martin said.

Research shown by Dr Martin highlighted sheep numbers in WA and Australia had halved over the past 18 years.

"We want to know if that is continuing – is this going to happen again over the next 18 years?" he said.

"Getting back into sheep is something we have to encourage and restore the balance.

"The other concern is that productivity in the industry is low and how is that going to change and impact upon the industry.

"We are concerned that the research may not be being picked up and that is why productivity is below where it should be."

Dr Martin said sheep industry production had fallen in all areas.

"In the Wheatbelt I spoke to 60 or 70 people and got 60 or 70 different answers on productivity," he said.

Dr Martin said more research into flock size and losses was needed to figure out if there is balance in the state's flock size.

"If we keep slaughtering the way we are, and sending off live sheep the way we are, then the sheep industry will indeed disappear in five years," he said.

"That is not the forecast, that is saying this is the implications.