Livestock sporting events and the NLIS

All committees or persons that host a sporting event using livestock are identified under the Biosecurity Act 2014 as a registrable biosecurity entity and must comply with NLIS requirements.

Registrable biosecurity entities must register with Biosecurity Queensland to be allocated a property identification code (PIC) for livestock traceability purposes.

NLIS tagging requirements

All cattle, sheep, goats and pigs must be identified with an NLIS device before travelling to an event.

Any untagged stock that arrive at an event must be reported to a Biosecurity Queensland inspector and be tagged with a NLIS post-breeder tag bearing the PIC of the event grounds.

NLIS tagging exemptions

Registered stud dairy goats do not require an NLIS tag if they bear an approved tattoo.

Pigs and goats at sporting events do not require an NLIS tag if they are travelling to a sporting event (for example, goat or pig races) and there are no other goats or pigs present from another holding at the event and the goats or pigs will return to the place of departure within 48 hours.

Movement records

All livestock movements must be accompanied by a movement record from the property of origin to the event and return.

A copy of the movement record for cattle, sheep, goats and pigs must be kept by the event committee for 2 years.

Reporting to the NLIS database

It is the event committee's responsibility to report all movements of cattle, sheep and goats to the NLIS database within 48 hours of the stock leaving the event.

To report to the NLIS database committees must register for a 'sporting event' NLIS account. To register for a 'sporting event' account visit the NLIS website. If you require further assistance, contact the NLIS helpdesk on 1800 654 743.

MLA tech tips (PDF, 4.5MB) are available on the NLIS database to assist event committees with the NLIS reporting requirements.

Reporting cattle movements

Sighted cattle transfer

The 'sighted cattle' function records the presence of an animal at an event without having to transfer the animal onto and off the source PIC. This reporting function may be used for any event where at least 1 of the following applies:

• cattle are held for less than 96 hours
• there are less than 500 head
• all cattle that are present at the event are from the same PIC.

The following information must be reported when completing a 'sighted cattle':

• NLIS or RFID tag number for each animal
• movement record number
• PIC of event grounds
• date of event
• comment: name of event.

Only 1 transaction per movement record will be required when using 'sighted cattle'.

Property to property transfer

If the event does not fit the 'sighted cattle' criteria, a 'property to property' transfer must be used when reporting to the database.

The following information must be reported when completing a 'property to property' transfer:

• NLIS or RFID tag number for each animal
• movement record number
• from PIC
• to PIC
• date of event.

The return transfer is usually carried out by the event committee as a service to those who attended the sporting event. This means 2 transactions will be required for 'property to property' transfers at an event, the first from the origin PIC to the event PIC, and the second from the event PIC back to the same PIC (if the animal is not returning to the original PIC it must be transferred to the PIC it is going to).

Reporting sheep and goat movements

Mob based movement

Sheep and goats are reported using the 'mob based movement' function which can be found in the sporting event account. A 'mob based movement onto PIC' and a 'mob based movement off PIC' must be completed for each mob.

The following information must be reported when completing a 'mob based movement':

• date of movement
• from PIC
• showgrounds PIC
• number of stock
• movement record number
• other PICs
• if the animals have been bred by the vendor or not.

Also consider...

• Watch a short video on the National Livestock Identification System.