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National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) for cattle

The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is Australia's system for identifying and tracking beef and dairy cattle. 

The NLIS involves centralised recording of animal movements through a national database managed by NLIS Ltd a subsidiary of Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA). This database enables fast tracking and traceability of animals from property of birth to point of slaughter and enhances Australia's ability to quickly and successfully contain a major food safety or disease incident.

Individual electronic devices are used to enable cattle to be permanently identified throughout their lifetime.

The NLIS ensures that consumers in Australia and overseas can have full confidence in our beef and dairy products.

Cattle

NLIS requirements for producers

  • All cattle, regardless of age, must carry an NLIS Device (NLIS ear tag or NLIS bolus/ear tag) at the time of dispatch from a South Australian property to a saleyard, abattoir, pet food works, agricultural show, or to another property.
  • All cattle must be registered on the NLIS database to the Property Identification Code (PIC) of the property they are residing on.
  • Producers who are unable to safely tag their cattle must obtain a  Bioseucrity SA permit to move cattle without NLIS identification.
  • A person who buys cattle at a saleyard must, at the time of purchase, provide the selling agent or saleyard operator with the PIC of the next property or the abattoir to which the cattle are to be taken.
  • The person receiving NLIS identified cattle that have arrived directly from another property must ensure that the NLIS database is updated within two working days.
  • All movements of cattle also require movement documentation.

NLIS helpline

1800 654 688

Related sites

NLIS Database

Meat and Livestock Australia

European Union Cattle