The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) underpins access of Australian livestock products to international markets and is crucial in protecting and enhancing Australia’s reputation as a producer of quality beef and sheep meat. The NLIS allows for traceability of livestock through a combination of permanent identifiers, movement documents and database records.

The NLIS database holds information on livestock movements from birth to slaughter, to protect and enhance Australia’s reputation as a producer of animal products that are free of chemical residues and exotic diseases.

In NSW the NLIS is supported by the Biosecurity (NLIS) Regulation 2017.

The NLIS also enhances Australia’s ability to respond quickly to a major food safety or disease incident using the NLIS database as a critical tracing tool. The NLIS is a key industry and government partnership across Australia.

NLIS (Cattle) was introduced in NSW on 1 July 2004 and involves electronic identification of cattle and recording of all cattle movements in the NLIS database. Cattle are identified with approved NLIS ear devices, or rumen boluses and a matching ear tag. All movements of cattle to sale, slaughter or to any other property are recorded in the NLIS database.

NLIS (Sheep and Goats) was introduced on 1 January 2006 and in NSW is- currently a mob-based system. NLIS (Sheep and Goats) uses a combination of visually readable ear tags printed with a Property Identification Code (PIC), an NLIS movement document which accompanies every mob of sheep or goats when they move, and the recording of all movements of sheep and goats in the NLIS database, to provide traceability.

NLIS (Pigs) was introduced in February 2018. Tracing of pigs is mob-based, which means individual livestock are identified with a tattoo or tag and recorded as a group.

The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is Australia’s system for the identification and traceability of cattle, sheep and goats. NLIS reflects Australia’s commitment to biosecurity and food safety and provides a competitive advantage in a global market.

See their website here.

How does the NLIS work?

The NLIS combines three elements to enable the lifetime traceability of animals:

1. All livestock are identified by a visual or electronic eartag/device. 

2. All physical locations are identified by means of a Property Identification Code (PIC)

3. All livestock location data and movements are recorded in a central database

Traceability through the supply chain

As animals are bought, sold and moved along the supply chain, they must be tagged with an NLIS accredited tag or device from their property (PIC) of birth. In most cases this tag will remain with the animal for their entire life and it is illegal to remove this tag.

If tags are lost or become defective then a new tag can be applied, however if the animal is no longer at its place of birth then a ‘post breeder’ tag must be used. This indicates that the animal no longer has ‘lifetime’ traceability.

All animals leaving a PIC must be identified with an NLIS accredited device before moving, unless a permit is obtained from the state or territory. Each movement they make to a location with a different PIC must be recorded centrally on the NLIS database by people with NLIS accounts. NLIS accounts are free to open and operate.

Using this information, the NLIS is able to provide a life history of an animal’s movements and discern if contact with other livestock occurred. The NLIS is required to facilitate the traceability of animals in accordance with the National Traceability and Performance Standards.

How to set up and use your NLIS account 

1. Obtain a Property Identification Code (PIC)
2. Register for an NLIS account
3. Order NLIS devices. Contact your State or Territory Department of Agriculture to find out the process for ordering tags in
4. Apply NLIS devices to your livestock
5. Record livestock movements onto and off your property (PIC)
6. See information about your NLIS transactions.

NLIS Standards

NLIS is endorsed by major producer, feedlot, agent, saleyard and processor bodies. In addition to this, it is underpinned by State/Territory legislation, which forms the regulatory framework for the system, NLIS Ltd is ISO9001 certified.

What You’ll Need

Property Identification Code (PIC)

A Property Identification Code (PIC) is an eight-character code allocated by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) or an equivalent authority in each state or territory to identify a livestock-producing property. Producers must have a PIC to move livestock on and off a property – it forms the basis of Australia’s food safety and traceability programs.

LPA NVD

Each time livestock are moved off a PIC they must be accompanied by some form of movement documentation. For LPA accredited PICs, this must be an LPA NVD.  LPA NVDs guarantee that on-farm practices meet LPA requirements, and ultimately customer expectations

Record Keeping

Australia’s on-farm assurance and traceability systems underpin our reputation for producing safe, high quality livestock products for both domestic and export markets. The effectiveness of these systems depends on compliance and accurate record keeping.