The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is Australia’s scheme for the identification and tracing of livestock. NLIS enhances Australia's ability to respond quickly to a major food safety or disease incident in order that access to key export markets is maintained. It is a key industry initiative in partnership with governments across Australia.

NLIS Cattle was introduced in NSW on 1 July 2004 and involves electronic identification of cattle and centralised recording of movements on a national database. NLIS Cattle uses approved NLIS ear devices or rumen boluses and reporting all movements of cattle between properties with different Property Identification Codes (PICs).

NLIS Sheep & Goats is Australia's system for identifying and tracing sheep, lambs and farmed goats and was introduced on 1 January 2006. It uses visually readable ear tags printed with a Property Identification Code (PIC) to identify mobs of sheep and goats. Traceability is provided by the combination of tags, movements documents and records. As of 1 July 2010 all movements of sheep and goats to a property with a different PIC need to be recorded on the NLIS database in what is known as a 'mob based movement'.

Schools must comply with the NLIS regulations.

• All properties or places where cattle, sheep or goats are held must have a Property Identification Code (PIC). A PIC is obtained from your Livestock Health and Pest Authority.
• All cattle must be identified with NLIS approved devices (either an ear device or rumen bolus). Devices must be applied at the birth property and need only to be replaced if lost or damaged.
• All cattle movements must be recorded on the NLIS database (movements for sale, show, slaughter, agistment or to a different property for any reason). Cattle moved directly to a saleyard or abattoir, are recorded by the saleyard or abattoir operator.
• All sheep and goats must be tagged before they are moved to a saleyard, abattoir or another property.
• Tags must be printed with the PIC of the property the sheep are moving from unless they are bought in sheep that were already tagged.
• All sheep movements must be recorded on the NLIS database (movements for sale, show, slaughter, agistment or to a property with a different PIC for any reason). Sheep moved directly to a saleyard or abattoir, are recorded by the saleyard or abattoir operator.
• A movement document ('national vendor declaration' or 'transported stock statement') must be fully completed and accompany the the sheep. If the mob is non-vendor bred or mixed and contains tags with different PICs, all PICs must be written on the movement document or a pink post breeder tag must be used with the current property's PIC printed on it for those sheep which have been bought in.

For more details go to:

NSW Department of Primary Industries:National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS)

NSW DPI toll-free helpline: 1300 720 405

MLA Livestock Identification

NLIS Database Helpdesk:  1800 654 743