Part 11—Livestock identification
Division 1—Identification of cattle
60—Application of Division
This Division applies only in relation to cattle.
This Division, as in force immediately before the commencement of the Livestock (Electronic Identification of Sheep and Goats) Amendment Regulations 2024, may continue to apply to certain sheep and goats born before 1 January 2025—see regulation 71B.
61—PIDs
(1) For the purposes of this Division, an animal will not be taken to be identified with a PID unless—
(a) in the case of cattle—
(i) a PID is attached to the off‑side ear of the animal, with the component of the PID containing the electronic microchip placed on the inside of the ear; or
(ii) a PID is inserted in the animal and a tag, indicating that the animal has such a PID inserted in it, attached to the off‑side ear of the animal.
(2) The owner or person responsible for the management of an animal must not bring the animal into the State or remove the animal from land on which it has been pastured unless the animal is identified with a PID.
62—Movement documentation
(1) For the purposes of this Division, movement documentation, in relation to animals being moved, must comprise—
(a) either—
(i) a copy of the vendor declaration completed in relation to the animals; or
(ii) a document containing—
(A) the prescribed details (see subregulation (6)) in relation to the animals; and
(B) the name and signature of the person completing the document.
(2) The owner or person responsible for the management of animals that are brought into this State or removed from land on which they have been pastured (the consignor), is guilty of an offence unless movement documentation that complies with subregulation (1) in relation to the animals—
(b) is provided to a person (the consignee) as follows:
(i) if the animals are brought into the State or removed for the purposes of sale by a stock agent—to the stock agent;
(ii) if the animals are brought into the State or removed for the purposes of direct sale to a purchaser—to the purchaser or the person responsible for the management of the animals following the sale;
(iii) if the animals are brought into the State or removed for the purposes of their movement to an abattoir or prescribed premises—
(A) to the person responsible for the management of the animals following their movement; and
(B) to the operator of the abattoir or prescribed premises;
(iv) in any other case—to the person responsible for the management of the animals following their movement.
(3) If animals at a livestock saleyard are sold by a stock agent, a copy of the movement documentation, or a document containing the prescribed movement details, relating to the movement of the animals to the saleyard must be provided by the agent to a person (the consignee) as follows:
(a) if the animals are to be consigned direct to an abattoir for slaughter—
(i) to the person responsible for the management of the animals at the abattoir; and
(ii) to the operator of the abattoir,
by the end of the day of sale;
(b) in any other case—to the purchaser or the person responsible for the management of the animals following the sale within 2 working days after the sale.
(4) Without limitation, a stock agent will be taken to have complied with subregulation (3) if, within the period specified, the agent has—
(a) uploaded the copy of the documentation to the NLIS database; and
(b) notified the consignee of that upload.
(5) Records of documentation under this regulation must be kept as follows:
(b) a consignee (other than the operator of an abattoir or the person in charge of a special event) must keep a copy of the movement documentation relating to the consignment for at least 7 years;
(c) a consignee who is the operator of an abattoir or the person in charge of a special event must keep a copy of the movement documentation relating to the consignment for at least 2 years.
(6) In this regulation—
prescribed details, in relation to animals being moved, means the following:
(a) the number of animals and the type of animals being moved;
(b) the breed, gender and approximate age of the animals;
(c) the date on which the animals are being moved;
(d) the identification code of the land of dispatch;
(e) the identification code of the destination land (or the address or a description of the location of that land);
(f) in addition—
(iii) in the case of bobby calves—
(A) the date and time movement commenced; and
(B) the name and signature of the person responsible for the management of the animals during their movement.
63—NLIS notification before removal of animals from land of pasture
If an animal is pastured on land (other than land on which it was bred), the owner or person responsible for the management of the animal must not remove the animal from that land unless the NLIS database manager has been notified of—
(a) the number or code on the animal's PID; and
(b) the identification code of the land.
64—NLIS notification after animals moved to different land of pasture
(1) Subject to this regulation, if an animal is removed from land on which it has been pastured (the land of dispatch) and pastured on other land (the destination land), the following provisions apply:
(a) if the land of dispatch is land or premises other than prescribed premises or a port for live export, the owner or person responsible for the management of the animal after its arrival at the destination land must notify the NLIS database manager of the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the destination land—
(i) in the case of cattle—within 2 working days after the arrival of the animal at the destination land, or before the animal is removed from the destination land, whichever occurs earlier;
(b) if the destination land is prescribed premises, the operator of the prescribed premises must notify the NLIS database manager, by the end of the next working day after the arrival of the animal at the premises, of—
(i) in the case of the movement of cattle to premises on which a special event of 3 days or less is held before their direct return to the land of dispatch—
(A) the number or code on each animal's PID; and
(B) the date on which each animal's electronic PID is scanned at the special event; and
(C) the identification code of the premises of the special event; and
(ii) in the case of prescribed premises comprised of a pound—
(A) the date of impoundment; and
(B) the identification code of the pound; and
(C) the identification code of the land on which the animal was last pastured, or, if that code is not known, the identification code approved by the Chief Inspector for use in the circumstances as a default code; and
(D) the number or code on each of the animal's PIDs including, in the case of an animal that arrived at the pound without being identified with a PID, the number or code of the replacement PID attached to the animal at the pound; and
(iii) in any other case—
(A) the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the prescribed premises; and
(B) the date of arrival of the animal at the prescribed premises;
(c) if the land of dispatch is prescribed premises other than an animal feedlot and the destination land is land or premises other than a port for live export, the operator of the prescribed premises must notify the NLIS database manager, by the end of the next working day after the removal of the animal from the prescribed premises, of the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the destination land;
(d) if the land of dispatch is a live export depot and the destination land is a port for live export, the operator of the depot must, by the end of the next working day after the removal of the animal from the depot, notify the NLIS database manager of—
(i) the date of removal of the animal; and
(ii) the identification code of the depot; and
(iii) the identification code of the port; and
(iv) in addition—
(B) in the case of cattle—the number or code on each animal's PID.
(2) The owner or person responsible for the management of an animal after its arrival at prescribed premises must provide the operator of the premises with information necessary for that person to comply with subregulation (1)(b).
(3) The owner or person responsible for the management of an animal after its removal from prescribed premises must provide the operator of the premises with information necessary for that person to comply with subregulation (1)(c) or (1)(d).
(4) If the owner or person responsible for the management of an animal becomes aware that information provided to the operator of prescribed premises or the NLIS database manager in respect of the animal under this regulation is inaccurate or incomplete or that the animal was not moved direct to the destination contemplated at the time the information was provided, the person must, as soon as practicable, notify the NLIS database manager of the correct or complete information.
(5) It is not a defence to a charge of an offence under this regulation comprised of a failure to notify the NLIS database manager of the identification code of destination land to establish that an identification code had not previously been allotted to the land.
(6) For the purposes of this regulation, if an animal is removed from land of dispatch and unloaded at any other land or premises (including a livestock saleyard) during transit, that other land or premises will be taken to be the destination land.
65—Animals at livestock saleyards must have PID and movement documentation
(1) If an animal at a livestock saleyard is not identified with a PID, the owner and the person responsible for the management of the animal immediately before its movement to the saleyard are each guilty of an offence.
(2) If, at a livestock saleyard, an animal—
(a) that is not identified with a PID; or
(b) in respect of which movement documentation relating to the movement of the animal to the saleyard has not been provided as required under regulation 62,
is sold, the saleyard operator, the stock agent acting on behalf of the vendor and the person responsible for the management of the animal at the saleyard are each guilty of an offence.
(3) If an animal bears a non-functioning PID, the operator of the saleyard or a stock agent may cause the animal to be identified with a replacement PID bearing the identification code of the saleyard.
(4) Before an animal that is not identified with a PID, or bears a non‑functioning PID, is removed from a livestock saleyard—
(a) the operator of the saleyard or a stock agent must, if the animal is not identified with a PID, cause the animal to be identified with a replacement PID bearing the identification code of the saleyard; and
(b) the operator of the saleyard must notify the NLIS database manager of—
(i) the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the saleyard (including, in the case of a non‑functioning PID, the number or code on that PID); and
(ii) the number or code on any replacement PID.
(5) If an animal is identified with a replacement PID under subregulation (3) or (4), the saleyard operator or stock agent must make, and keep for at least 2 years, a written record of—
(a) the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the saleyard; and
(b) the name of the person responsible for causing the animal to be identified with the replacement PID; and
(c) the date on which the PID was attached or inserted; and
(d) the name of the vendor of the animal.
66—NLIS notification of animals consigned to livestock saleyard for sale
(1) The following provisions apply in relation to animals consigned to a livestock saleyard for sale:
(a) by the end of each day on which animals are offered for sale at the saleyard, the operator of the saleyard must notify the NLIS database manager—
(i) for each animal that arrives at the saleyard and is sold at the saleyard on that day, of—
(B) the date of the sale; and
(ii) for each animal that arrives at the saleyard but is not sold at the saleyard on that day, of—
(B) the date of the arrival; and
(C) in addition, in the case of an animal that was dead on arrival—the identification code approved by the Chief Inspector for use in the circumstances as a default deceased code;
(b) the operator of the saleyard must, for each animal sold at the saleyard, update the entry in the database for the animal with details as follows:
(i) if, by the end of the day of sale of the animal, the operator is aware of the destination land for the animal, the operator must—
(A) if the destination land is an abattoir—by the end of that day; or
(B) in any other case—within 2 working days after the sale,
update the entry with the identification code of that land and, in the case of sheep or goats, the total number of animals in the consignment (including the animal) that are to be or have been moved direct to that land;
(ii) if, by the end of the day of sale of the animal, the operator is not aware of the destination land for the animal, the operator must, within 2 working days after the sale, update the entry with—
(A) the identification code of the stock agent acting on behalf of the purchaser of the animal, or, if no such agent was used, the stock agent acting on behalf of the vendor of the animal;
(c) if the operator of the saleyard updates the entry in the database for an animal with the identification code of a stock agent under paragraph (b)(ii)(A), the operator must ensure that the stock agent is aware that his or her identification code has been used for that purpose;
(d) before, or as soon as practicable (and, in any event, within 2 working days) after, an animal that has not been sold at the saleyard is removed from the saleyard, the operator of the saleyard must update the entry in the database for that animal with the identification code of the destination land for the animal;
(e) before, or as soon as practicable (and, in any event, within 2 working days) after an animal that has died at the saleyard is disposed of at the saleyard or removed from the saleyard, the operator of the saleyard must update the entry in the database for that animal with the identification code approved by the Chief Inspector for use in the circumstances as a default deceased code;
(f) if the operator of the saleyard becomes aware that information provided to the NLIS database manager is inaccurate or incomplete through an omission or error made by the operator, the operator must, as soon as practicable, provide the correct or complete information.
(2) A person (whether or not a stock agent) who offers an animal for sale at a livestock saleyard must provide the operator of the saleyard with information necessary for the operator to comply with subregulation (1).
(3) A person (whether or not a stock agent) who purchases an animal at a livestock saleyard must comply with the following provisions:
(a) if the destination land for the animal has been determined before the end of the day of the purchase, the person must, on that day, notify the operator of the saleyard of the identification code of that land;
(b) if the destination land for the animal has not been determined before the end of the day of the purchase, the person must, on that day, notify the operator of the saleyard of the identification code of the stock agent acting on behalf of the purchaser, or, if no such agent was used, the stock agent acting on behalf of the vendor.
(4) If a person notifies the saleyard operator of the identification code of destination land under subregulation (3)(a), the agent must, as soon as practicable (and, in any event, within 2 working days) after that notification, give written notice to the purchaser of the animal setting out details of the identification code provided.
(5) If a person notifies the saleyard operator of the identification code of a stock agent under subregulation (3)(b), the person must ensure that the stock agent is aware that his or her identification code has been used for that purpose.
(6) A stock agent whose identification code has been provided to the saleyard operator under subregulation (3)(b) must, before, or as soon as practicable (and, in any event, within 7 working days) after, the animal is removed from the saleyard, notify the NLIS database manager of the identification code of the destination land for the animal.
(7) If a stock agent notifies the NLIS database manager of the identification code of destination land under subregulation (6), the agent must, as soon as practicable (and, in any event, within 2 working days) after that notification, give written notice to the purchaser of the animal setting out details of the identification code provided.
(8) It is not a defence to a charge of an offence against subregulation (3) to establish that an identification code had not previously been allocated in respect of the land or person concerned.
(9) A person selling or purchasing an animal through a stock agent must provide the stock agent with information necessary for the stock agent to comply with this regulation.
(10) If the purchaser of an animal becomes aware that information provided to the operator of a livestock saleyard or the NLIS database manager in respect of the animal under this regulation is inaccurate or incomplete or that an animal was not moved direct to the destination land contemplated at the time the information was provided, the purchaser must, as soon as practicable, notify the NLIS database manager of the correct or complete information.
67—NLIS notification of movement of bobby calves from land of pasture to abattoir
The person responsible for transporting bobby calves from land on which they have been pastured to an abattoir must—
(a) ensure that the PID attached to each calf is scanned and the electronic information recorded before removal of the calves from the land; and
(b) notify the NLIS database manager, before the end of the day of arrival of the calves at the abattoir or before their slaughter (whichever occurs first), of the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the calves to the abattoir.
68—Animals at abattoirs must have PID and movement documentation
(1) If an animal at an abattoir is not identified with a PID, the owner and the person responsible for the management of the animal immediately before its movement to the abattoir are each guilty of an offence.
(2) If, at an abattoir, an animal—
(a) that is not identified with a PID; or
(b) in respect of which—
(i) in the case of an animal that was moved direct to the abattoir from land on which it was pastured—movement documentation relating to the movement of the animal to the abattoir has not been provided as required under regulation 62(2); or
(ii) in the case of an animal that was moved direct to the abattoir from a livestock saleyard to which it was consigned for sale and kept for a period not exceeding 7 days—documentation relating to the movement of the animal to the saleyard has not been provided as required under regulation 62(3),
is slaughtered, the operator of the abattoir and the person responsible for the management or slaughter of the animal are each guilty of an offence.
(3) No offence is committed under subregulation (2) if the operator of the abattoir notifies an inspector, before the slaughter, of the omission and of as many prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the abattoir as may be reasonably ascertained in the circumstances.
69—NLIS notification when animals slaughtered
(1) The operator of an abattoir must, within 2 working days after slaughtering an animal, notify the NLIS database manager of—
(a) the date of slaughter of the animal; and
(b) in addition—
(i) in the case of cattle—
(A) if the animal was moved direct to the abattoir from land on which it was pastured—the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the abattoir; or
(B) if the animal was moved direct to the abattoir from a livestock saleyard to which it had been consigned for sale and at which it had been kept for a period not exceeding 7 days—
• the number or code on the animal's PID; and
• the identification code of the land on which the animal was last pastured.
(2) The operator of an abattoir must keep a written record of the details referred to in subregulation (1) (other than those details required to be kept by the operator under regulation 62(5)) for at least 2 years.
(3) The owner or person responsible for the management of an animal at an abattoir must provide the operator of the abattoir with information necessary for the operator to comply with subregulation (1).
70—Identification of animal at abattoir must be possible until fitness for human consumption assessed
The operator of an abattoir must ensure that the abattoir has in place post‑slaughter procedures approved by the Chief Inspector that will enable the determination, at any time until an assessment is made of the fitness for human consumption of the carcass of an animal, of—
(a) in the case of an animal that was moved direct to the abattoir from land on which it was pastured—the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the abattoir; or
(b) in the case of an animal that was moved direct to the abattoir from a livestock saleyard to which it had been consigned for sale and at which it was kept for a period not exceeding 7 days—the prescribed movement details relating to the movement of the animal to the saleyard.
71—False or misleading statements under this Division
A person must not make a statement that is false or misleading in a material particular (whether by reason of the inclusion or omission of any particular) in any details required to be provided under this Division.