By January 2024

1. Develop a plan to record individual sheep and goat eIDs and upload the prescribed information to the NLIS database.
2. Contact eID equipment providers for quotes and complete the design and planning form
3. Submit your completed design and planning form to sheepgoateid@dpi.nsw.gov.au, and submit your application for the NSW Sheep and Goat eID Infrastructure Processor Rebate Scheme on the RAA website.

By June 2024

4. Complete installation of any required eID processor software and hardware as well as any necessary infrastructure changes.
5. Complete any required staff training on how to use all new eID equipment and software. Provide software training and demonstrations where needed to ensure a smooth transition to the new eID system at processors.
6. Conduct testing of eID scanning and recording capability before 30 June 2024 to identify and mitigate any issues.

From June 2024

7. Start scanning and uploading the prescribed information to the NLIS database for individual sheep and goats fitted with eIDs from 30 June 2024.

From 30 June 2024, until 1 January 2027, sheep and goats with eIDs and those with visual tags will have different NLIS requirements. During this period, there will be two types of uploads to the NLIS database

• Mob-Based uploads – from 30 June 2024 to 1 January 2027, all sheep and farmed goats with visual tags and/or eIDs that are processed will continue to be uploaded as mob-based kills.
• Individual uploads – in addition, from 30 June 2024 any sheep and farmed goats with eIDs must be individually scanned, and the prescribed information uploaded to the NLIS database:
  • Date of slaughter
  • Processor PIC (or processor ID)
  • Chain number
  • Operator number
  • Body number
  • Consignment PIC (PIC of the property the stock were last held)
  • Identification particulars (RFID or NLIS ID number) for each body
  • NVD serial number

Kill data must be uploaded to the NLIS database by COB the next working day after slaughter for abattoirs, or seven days after slaughter for knackeries. All records to be kept for two years.

Visual and eID emergency identifiers will be available to order for use on sheep or goats that arrive missing their permanent identifiers.

From January 2027

8. All sheep and farmed goats at an abattoir or knackery for processing must have eIDs and kill data reported to the NLIS database as individual uploads. Mob-based uploads will no longer be accepted.

Visual emergency identifiers will no longer be available.

For support on any of these steps, contact us at sheepgoateid@dpi.nsw.gov.au.

NLIS sheep and goat guidelines for NSW abattoirs (and knackeries).

For more information on how to complete NLIS transfers, visit the Integrity Systems Company Website.

NLIS database user guide for processors.

Factsheet for Australian processors mandatory reading of eID tags in sheep and goat

NLIS (Sheep and Goats) as a mob-based system was fully implemented in mid-2010. The NLIS has matured, and our markets are more stringent in their traceability requirements. Consequently, a more accurate and efficient traceability system for sheep and goats is now required.

The introduction of eID will:

• Provide more accurate and timely traceability of animals
• Reduce time delays to manage an emergency disease or residue incident
• Reduce the number of animals and producers impacted (including animals destroyed) in response to an emergency disease
• Reduce the time that Australia is restricted from export markets following an emergency disease or residue incident.

At a minimum, all processing plants must be equipped to read sheep and goat eIDs and to be able to upload the eIDs to the NLIS database, by close of business the next working day after slaughter for abattoirs, or seven days after slaughter for knackeries.

Each processor should develop a site/business plan looking at what equipment and software may be required. Each processor will be unique in relation to the type and number of readers and software they may require.

Other optional equipment that can be integrated with eID readers and software include automatic drafters, scales and hook tracking.

In NSW, all sheep and farmed goats born from 1 January 2025 must be fitted with an eID before leaving their property of birth. All sheep and farmed goats of any age must be fitted with an eID before leaving a property from 1 January 2027. If stock arrive at a processor non-compliant with this timeline:

• If there are a small number of stock in a consignment without an eID, an emergency eID can be fitted, and the vendor charged for the cost of the eID.
• If an entire consignment of stock is not identified with eIDs:
  • the stock cannot be processed and must be returned to the vendor.
  • the stock can be held until sufficient emergency tags can be obtained and attached.
  • the stock may be slaughtered without tags on the direction of a NSW Compliance Officer or government veterinarian on welfare grounds and must be correctly linked to the PIC of origin as determined by the NVD.

For processors, if you are not set up in time to be able to scan sheep and goat eIDs by 30 June 2024, you must be able to provide proof of purchase of equipment before 30 June 2024, and consult with your providers for estimated delivery and installation times.

Potential causes of eID tags not being read successfully are the:

• eID is damaged.
• reader is experiencing interference.
• reader is damaged.
• temporary loss in connection between reader and software.

If the issue is with the tag, you may have to manually record the visual NLIS ID number printed on the exterior of the eID or fit an emergency eID to the animal. If the issue is with your reader or other equipment, contact your equipment manufacturer.

Any goats presenting for processing with leg bands are required to have the leg bands scanned and uploaded into the NLIS database (the leg-band contains a microchip). This may be completed by scanning with a handheld reader, positioning a fixed panel reader to scan the goats’ back legs or reading and recording the NLIS serial number on the exterior of eID manually.

No, harvested rangeland goats will not have to be identified with an eID if they are captured from the wild and sold directly to a processor, or via one registered depot. All farmed goats and sheep must be fitted with eIDs even when sold directly to a processor.