NLIS Sheep and goats

Tracing of sheep and goats is mob-based, which means individual livestock are identified with a visual tag (not RFID device or NLIS ID tag) and recorded as a group.

Under the NSW Biosecurity (NLIS) Regulation 2017, requirements for moving sheep and goats in NSW include:

• All sheep and goats 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 and goats are moving from, unless the animals were not born on the property and bought in (and have already been tagged).
• A movement document (usually a National Vendor Declaration and Waybill (NVD) or Transported Stock Statement (TSS)) must be fully completed and accompany sheep and goats 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 animals which have been bought in.

• Sheep and goats - Basic information
  NLIS (Sheep & Goats) is Australia's system for identifying and tracing sheep, lambs and goats. It is a mob-based
  system that links animals with the properties on which they have run.
• Sheep and goats - Questions and answers
  A collection of questions we receive about the NLIS database and how it works.

• 8-step guide to moving & selling sheep and goats
  Follow these 8 steps to make sure you are complying with your biosecurity duty when moving or selling cattle.

• Sheep and goats - Agistment requirements (PDF, 152.98 KB)
  This factsheet outlines requirements in NSW for producers moving sheep and goats temporarily from their property to an agistment property (moving cattle to another property where feed is available).
• Moving sheep into and within NSW (PDF, 192.83 KB)
  Understand the requirements for moving sheep, including pets, poddy lambs, dairy, wool and meat sheep must meet certain movement requirements within NSW.
• Moving goats into and within NSW (PDF, 171.89 KB)
  Learn about the requirements for moving goats, including pets, farmed goats, dairy, miniature or earless goats, within NSW.
• Rules for on property sheep sales (PDF, 202.46 KB)
  A summary of the requirements for people selling or auctioning sheep on their property.
• Quick Guide for shows and campdrafts (PDF, 70.58 KB)
  This resource summarises your responsibilities as a show steward or member of a show or campdraft committee.
• Quick guide for stock agents (PDF, 89.49 KB)
  A short summary of requirements for stock and station agents in NSW when moving livestock.
• Online sales (PDF, 407.73 KB)
  Understand the requirements for anyone who is purchasing or selling livestock online.
• Selling non-vendor bred sheep or goats (PDF, 278.12 KB)
  Everything you need to know about selling sheep and goats that weren't born on your property.
• Completing National Vendor Declarations (NVD) correctly (PDF, 381.31 KB)
  Advice on how to fill out a movement document for sheep correctly.

Guidelines for sellers, shows and slaughter

• Guidelines for NSW knackeries (PDF, 518.29 KB)
  An overview of requirements for knackeries managing cattle, sheep or goats in NSW.
• Guidelines for NSW abattoirs (PDF, 385.09 KB)
  Read about the requirements for abattoirs managing the slaughter of sheep or goats in NSW.
• Guidelines for managing an agent code (PDF, 416.6 KB)
  This document provides stock and station agents with advice and requirements for management of their NLIS agent code and temporary transfers.
• Guidelines for NSW saleyards and stock agents (PDF, 89.49 KB)
  These Guidelines outline requirements for saleyards and stock agents managing sheep and goats in NSW.
• Guidelines for NSW shows and sporting events (PDF, 787.3 KB)
  These Guidelines summarise advice and requirements for any public events and shows in NSW where livestock are presented, including 'hoof and hook' events and recording 'sighted livestock'.

Goat depot and harvest / rangeland goats

• Industry standards for operating a goat depot and user manual
  This link takes you to the Goat Industry Council of Australia's website.
• Goat depot registration application form
  This form is required to register a Goat Depot and should be filled in by all Goat Depot Operators.
• Quick guide for goat depot operators (PDF, 71.77 KB)
  This guide outlines requirements for anyone managing land that is being used to keep goats before their sale or slaughter.
• Feral and rangeland goats (PDF, 379.92 KB)
  This factsheet outlines advice for managing feral and rangeland goats in NSW.

• NLIS Procedures for Sheep and Goats (PDF, 358.93 KB)
  Everything you need to know about identification, tracing and movement of sheep and goats in NSW.
• Livestock movements in emergencies – NLIS and General Biosecurity Duty
  This procedure outlines how the NLIS requirements and the General Biosecurity Duty (GBD) can be met in emergency livestock movement situations caused by bushfire, flood, or other emergencies.
• NLIS Compliance Monitoring
  This procedure describes the requirements for monitoring the NLIS in NSW, consistent with national requirements, with the aim of encouraging industry to improve lifetime traceability of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.
• NLIS Sheep and goats Procedure
  This procedure describes the minimum requirements for identification and movement of sheep and goats under the Biosecurity (National Livestock Identification System) (NLIS) Regulation 2017 (the NLIS Regulation).
• Managing statuses, errors and data transfers on the NLIS database (PDF, 878.8 KB)
  This document describes procedures for assigning and managing statuses, correcting errors and performing special data transfers on the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database.
• Supply of approved identifiers
  This procedure describes the minimum requirements for the supply of approved permanent identifiers as part of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)

• Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA)
  Information about NLIS Sheep and Goats
• Learn more about NLIS
• Livestock Production Assurance (LPA)
  Information about National Vendor Declaration forms
• Learn about on-farm food safety programs and requirements for export markets