Interstate sheep tagging now mandatory

FROM now on, all sheep and non-exempt goats introduced from interstate and born on or after 1 January this year, must be tagged with an electronic post-breeder tag before being dispatched from a Victorian property unless they already have an electronic ear tag.

Agriculture Victoria said that it’s vital livestock can be identified and tracked from their property of birth to slaughter.

The National Livestock Identification System for sheep and goats, known as the NLIS (Sheep and Goats), is Australia’s system for doing this, in turn protecting the reputation of Australia’s livestock industry as a supplier of safe food.

Traceability of sheep and goats underpins Victoria’s reputation for quality with the government saying that the implementation of mandatory electronic identification of sheep and goats provides customers with increased confidence in the safety and origin of Victorian products, protecting and enhancing access to local and international markets.

To strengthen traceability, all sheep and goats born in Victoria on or after 1 January 2017 must be identified with an accredited electronic NLIS sheep tag before being dispatched from the property of birth.

After sheep or goats are moved between properties with two different Property Identification Codes (often called a P2P movement) it is the responsibility of the buyer/receiver of the stock to notify the NLIS database of stock movements, by conducting a transfer on the database.

To find out more about the NLIS requirements go to agriculture.vic.gov.au/sheepEID.