Yes – but only if your LPA account has the correct species listed. The Animal Welfare Management Plan (AWMP) is tailored to ask questions relevant to the species you have on your property. If your LPA account doesn’t reflect the livestock you manage, you may be asked irrelevant questions – or miss important ones. 

To make sure the AWMP reflects your farm accurately: 

1. Log in to your LPA account. 
2. Go to the “Account” section.
3. In the “Profile” tab, update your species information by selecting the animals you have on your farm. 
4. Click “Update Profile” to save your changes. 

Keeping this information up to date ensures the AWMP is accurate and relevant to your livestock practices. 

The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines were developed to harmonise and streamline livestock welfare legislation in Australia, resulting in improved welfare in a practical way. 

The standards provide responsibilities of livestock producers for animal welfare and explain the needs of livestock in relation to: 

• feed and water; 

• risk management in extreme weather, natural disasters, disease, injury and predation; 

• facilities and equipment;  

• handling and management/husbandry;  

• breeding management;  

• artificial breeding procedures; and 

•  humane killing. 

For cattle, the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines also cover: 

• castration; 

• dehorning, disbudding or tipping;  

• spaying; 

• calf rearing systems;  

• dairy management; and 

• beef feedlots. 

For sheep, additional chapters address: 

• tail docking and castration; 

• mulesing; and 

• intensive sheep production systems (feedlots and confinement feeding).  

For goats, additional chapters cover:  

• castration; 

• dehorning, disbudding or tipping;  

• dairy management; and 

• intensive goat production systems (feedlots and confinement feeding). 

Producer practices that contribute to improved animal welfare outcomes include:

• Using poll genetics to reduce the need to dehorn
• Planning of breeding management to minimise the movement of pregnant animals in their last trimester
• Use of overhead draft or improved yard design to reduce the stress on livestock in the yards
• Always allowing livestock a cool down period between mustering and processing.
• Transporting livestock at cooler times of the day, such as early in the morning
• Ensure ear marking pliers are kept well maintained and sharpened before use and ensure ear punches are kept clean and dipped in disinfectant between each animal
• Draft and manage calves, lambs and kids according to sex, size and behaviour (this reduces bullying behaviour and enables allocation of small calves, lambs and kids to the best pasture and supplementary feed if required)
• Maintain cows, ewes and does in adequate body condition through good nutritional management

Animal welfare was included in the LPA program on 1 October 2017. LPA-accredited producers must ensure animal welfare requirements are fulfilled by following the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for cattle, sheep and/or goats (as applicable).

ISC understands that most producers will complete the AWMP when seeking reaccreditation. To maintain the integrity of the LPA program, a transition period for including the new AWMP requirement in the LPA audit process has been established. The below timeline outlines the next steps:  

23 June 2025:   

• AWMP tool will be available for completion online as part of accreditation and reaccreditation during the LPA Self-Assessment.  

• This tool can also be accessed at any time through your LPA account.  

1 September 2025:   

• LPA auditors will begin checking if an AWMP has been completed.   

• Audit notifications will include a reminder about the AWMP requirement.  

• If you are selected for an audit and have not completed an AWMP after 1 September 2025, a major nonconformity will be issued, and you will have 30 days to complete an AWMP to close the major nonconformity.  

• ISC will also follow up with producers to ensure they understand the nonconformity and provide support if required.   

Please note: If an LPA audit takes place before 1 September 2025 and an AWMP is not in place, the auditor will discuss the new requirement but not raise a major nonconformity.

You can easily edit or modify your AWMP at any time when changes occur on your property such as seasonal or environmental changes.  Go to the Record Keeping section in your LPA account and select edit on your AWMP.