NLIS Sheep and goats

NSW is currently transitioning to mandatory individual electronic identification for sheep and goats, which means livestock are identified with an electronic device and movements are recorded individually

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 linking animals with the properties of birth.
• 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, 172.96 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, 179.18 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, 197.96 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, 306.66 KB)
  A summary of the requirements for people selling or auctioning sheep on their property.
• Quick guide for stock agents (PDF, 404.44 KB)
  A short summary of requirements for stock and station agents in NSW when moving livestock.
• Online sales (PDF, 143.89 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, 377.7 KB)
  An overview of requirements for knackeries managing cattle, sheep or goats in NSW.
• Guidelines for NSW abattoirs (PDF, 418.3 KB)
  Read about the requirements for abattoirs managing the slaughter of sheep or goats in NSW.
• Guidelines for managing an agent code (PDF, 296.92 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, 404.44 KB)
  These Guidelines outline requirements for saleyards and stock agents managing sheep and goats in NSW.

Goat depot and Harvested 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.
• NLIS requirements to move Harvested Rangeland Goats via one registered goat depot or directly to an abattoir
  (PDF, 224.56 KB)

• Livestock movements in emergencies – NLIS and General Biosecurity Duty (PDF, 192.82 KB)
  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 (PDF, 180 KB)
  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 (PDF, 427.36 KB)
  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, 5119.94 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 (PDF, 197.09 KB)
  This procedure describes the minimum requirements for the supply of approved permanent identifiers as part of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)
• NLIS Procedure for cattle, sheep and goat abattoirs and knackeries (PDF, 304.22 KB)
  This procedure details the measures that must be adopted by operators of abattoirs and knackeries in NSW to effectively implement the NLIS in accordance with state legislation and red meat standards, and by meat safety inspectors when monitoring and enforcing compliance by those establishments.
• NLIS Procedure for livestock movements for NSW shows and sporting events (PDF, 494.74 KB)
  This procedure clearly outlines mandatory NLIS requirements for all livestock attending shows and events, provides clarity on available support networks, and reflects DPIRD's investment in driving long-term behavioural change through targeted interventions that address known compliance barriers.

• 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