Quick traceability means emergency animal diseases can be contained and eradicated, and livestock owners can be contacted to assess animal welfare needs when there is a fire or flood.
This helps to reduce the impacts on individual farmers and the wider industry.
The database isn’t just used in emergencies.
Last year there were 33 million livestock movements recorded in Victoria and the database is used by Agriculture Victoria every day to assist stock agents with tracking consignments and undertaking trace-backs on livestock for national residue survey audits.
There are three parts to Victoria’s world-class traceability system:
- All locations where livestock are kept have a Property Identification Code (PIC). This includes farms and saleyards.
- All livestock are identified by a National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) ear tag or device.
- All livestock movements to a different PIC are recorded in the NLIS database.
Agriculture Victoria says up-to-date records are vital and protecting our livestock industry relies on us all doing our part.
When cattle arrive at your property it’s your legal responsibility to ensure the NLIS database is updated within two days. This includes cattle on agistment.
The NLIS can be updated by you, a stock agent, a farm manager or contractor.
Cattle tagging and recording of movements are a vital part of protecting our farming industry and wider community.
For more information, call the NLIS helpline on 1800 678 779 between 9am and 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, or visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/p2p
If your property doesn’t have a PIC, visit: agriculture.vic.gov.au/pic
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