Traceability to enable a fast response

Accurate compliance to Australia’s red meat integrity systems, the NLIS and LPA programs, is the best way to ensure the safety and welfare of your stock and business, especially in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak.

NLIS enables traceability in the event of a disease outbreak

To maintain a high level of traceability, all cattle, sheep and goats must be identified by an NLIS-accredited electronic or visual device before they are moved off a property identified with a Property Identification Code (PIC). Livestock movements must be recorded on the NLIS database in accordance with the requirements for your state or territory.  Recording information through livestock transfers in the NLIS database is a legislative requirement for livestock producers of all production sizes to ensure fast response and tracing in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak.

Livestock movement requirements

Each time livestock are moved off a PIC, a livestock movement must be recorded on the NLIS Database. The information required to record a livestock movement varies depending on where the animals have moved from and to, and on the type of identification attached to the livestock. Each state or territory authority has specific requirements for completing livestock movements in the NLIS database and it is best to confirm those requirements with your relevant authority. It is however, good practice to check all movement records to and from your PIC on the NLIS database to make sure the details are correct.

Producer responsibilities for traceability

Traceability underpins the assurance Australia provides that our livestock have not been exposed to disease or other biosecurity threats.

To meet all traceability requirements of NLIS and LPA, livestock producers are required to:

• complete an LPA National Vendor Declaration (NVD) for livestock moved off their property
• obtain a copy of an LPA NVD for all livestock moved onto their property
• keep copies of all LPA NVDs/electronic NVDs for livestock moved onto or off their property
• when completing LPA NVDs record the:
  • vendor’s names, addresses and PICs
  • livestock details/descriptions/declarations
  • transporter details
  • sign the NVD
• keep records of animals purchased while within a withholding period (WHP) or export slaughter interval (ESI) period
• keep records of animals that may have been exposed to physical contaminants such as broken needles, buckshot or wire.

If an agent has been involved in the purchase of stock, you must ensure you are confirming who will complete the livestock transfer. The receiver of the stock is responsible for recording the movement data onto the NLIS database.

Livestock traceability is required to enable a fast and efficient response to biosecurity issues that impact trade. Recording livestock movements ensures exposure to biosecurity risks can be traced and managed quickly and effectively, allowing state and federal departments to use this data to mitigate larger threats.