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NLIS

NLIS Sheep & Goats

Sheep at saleyards

Related websites

  • Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA)
    Information about NLIS Sheep and Goats
  • Livestock production assurance (MLA) 
    Information about National Vendor Declaration forms

The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) Sheep & Goats is Australia's system for identifying and tracing sheep, lambs and farmed goats. It is a mob-based system that links animals with the properties on which they have run.

The NLIS enhances Australia's ability to maintain access to key export markets and helps to quickly contain a major food safety or disease incident. It is implemented by industry in partnership with governments across Australia.

Mob-based tracing system requirements

NLIS Sheep & Goats was introduced on 1 January 2006. It uses visually readable ear tags printed with a Property Identification Code (PIC) to identify mobs of sheep and goats. Traceability is provided by the combination of ear tags, movement documents and uploads of all mob-based movements to saleyards, abattoirs and other properties to the NLIS database.

All sheep must be ear tagged before they are moved from any property to a saleyard, abattoir or another property. The tag must be printed with the PIC of the property the sheep are moving from unless the sheep are bought in sheep and have already been tagged. A movement document (usually a national vendor declaration (NVD) or transported stock statement (TSS)) must be fully completed and accompany the sheep when they move. If the mob is non-vendor bred or mixed and contains tags with different PICs, all 'Other PICs' must be written on the movement document or a pink post breeder ear tag must be used with the current property's PIC printed on it for those sheep which have been bought in.

Mob-based tracing system in NSW

NSW Department of Primary Industries supports the current mob-based system for NLIS Sheep and Goats.

Read more on NSW DPI support for mob-based tracing system.

Information sheets

  • NLIS Sheep and Goats: Guidelines for NSW saleyards and stock agents
  • NLIS Sheep and Goats: Guidelines for NSW abattoirs
  • NLIS Guidelines for NSW goat depots
  • NLIS Sheep and Goats - New rules apply from 1 July 2010  203.2 KB
  • NLIS ram sales - New rules apply from 1 July 2010  377.0 KB
  • 8-step guide to moving and selling sheep and goats using the NLIS  1.3 MB
  • NLIS tags  129.3 KB
  • NLIS movement documentation  129.3 KB
  • Mob based movements and recording on the NLIS database  123.5 KB
  • NLIS Sheep and Goats: basic information
  • NLIS Sheep and Goats: detailed questions and answers

Procedures

  • NLIS Procedures for Sheep and Goats [PDF 646kb]

Publications

  • NLIS and agistment - sheep
  • Moving sheep into and within NSW
  • NLIS: Feral and rangeland goats
  • Moving goats into and within NSW

Forms information

  • Recording PIC on LPA National Vendor Declaration forms

You may also be interested in...

  • Goats
  • Sheep
  • Livestock health
  • Cattle
  • Sheep and goats
  • Property Identification Codes (PICs)
  • Policy and legislation
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