Recording movements on NLIS database
Recent discussions with farmers around maintaining their National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database have indicated that there may be some uncertainty about what is required, and who is responsible for transfers on and off farm databases.
The National Livestock Identification System is Australia’s system for the identification and traceability of cattle, sheep and goats.
It was introduced to enhance Australia’s ability to trace cattle during disease and food incidents, reflecting Australia’s commitment to biosecurity and food safety.
Some requirements for ensuring records are up to date include:
Livestock that are bought, sold or moved through a public auction the livestock movement must be recorded by the saleyard; and,
Stock sold in private sales (sales and movements that do not take place through a saleyard), the buyer/receiver of the livestock must record the livestock movement onto their property.
The vendor/sender of livestock is not obligated to record the movement off their property, although they may do so if they wish.
Movements must be recorded on and off the PIC (Property Identification Code) database when livestock is; bought privately and moved onto a property; moved between properties owned by the same person, if those properties have a different PIC; moved to an agistment property owned by someone else; animals die on the property.
If an animal dies, the property owner can upload it as a movement off the database (put deceased in the destination PIC box instead of a new PIC).
If they are collected by the knackery it is the knackery operator’s responsibility.
Livestock movements can be recorded on the database without an NVD/Waybill serial number.
For EU-accredited cattle, failure to enter an European Union Vendor Declaration (EUVD) number will result in the animals losing their EU accreditation.
When animals are received without a tag, owners should apply a post-breeder tag to the animal (post-breeder tags for cattle are orange.)
Reconciling the devices that are physically on a property against the devices registered to the NLIS Database account may be of assistance.
A PIC reconciliation transaction function is available by logging in to the NLIS database.
If you are a producer and want to see what livestock are on your property, run the View devices on my property report. Information for producers about cattle on their property (NLIS devices issued to that property) is available via a producer account set up through Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
This includes details about animals sold to abattoirs. However, information is only available for animals that still belong to the producer.
For more information go to the NLIS website www.nlis.com.au and follow the links to the buying, selling and moving livestock section. or contact MLA on 1800 023 100 or info@mla.com.au - Greg O’Brien, Agriculture Victoria, Ellinbank.