Identifying and tracing livestock
Australia is a world leader in disease control and traceability of stock consigned for human consumption.
Livestock Health and Pest Authorities are key partners in Australia’s National Livestock Identification System (NLIS), the national traceability system for cattle, sheep and goats. Under the scheme, movements of cattle, sheep and goats (and, in the future, pigs) between properties with different property identification codes (PICs) are recorded on a national database. Livestock Health and Pest Authorities allocate PICs and keep a register of PIC allocations.
Livestock health and Pest Authorities also administer other non-compulsory forms of stock identification such as brands and earmarks, which play a traditional role in identifying stock ownership and reducing stock theft.
Moving stock
All movement of stock must be accompanied by the appropriate form of documentation and meet the necessary NLIS requirements to ensure stock activity can be monitored and to assist in the tracing of disease.