National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)
The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is Australia's system for identifying and tracing pigs, cattle, sheep and farmed goats.
The NLIS records all livestock movements on a national database. All animals are individually identified and tracked from property of birth to point of slaughter.
Properties with any number of pigs, cattle, sheep or goats require a property identification code (PIC).
When animals are moved to another property or location with a different PIC, it must be recorded on the NLIS database. Movements must be accompanied by approved movement documentation which must be kept for 7 years by the seller and receiver.
This process enables animals to be traced to their property of birth and last property of residence. It also allows Australia to:
- contain and manage major disease or food safety incidents
- support access to export markets.
Livestock producers must not
- fit a breeder tag to animals not born on their property
- attach a second NLIS device to any animal
- remove any functioning tag to replace it with a new one.
NLIS devices for cattle
All cattle must have a NLIS accredited tag attached before leaving their property of birth.
There are 2 types of NLIS devices used for the permanent identification of cattle:
- White tags – used to permanently identify cattle before they leave their property of birth. Tags will have a unique number printed on the outside (including the PIC) as well as the electronic number inside the tag.
- Orange tags – used to permanently identify cattle that are no longer on their property of birth, have lost their original white tag, or the white tag no longer functions.
Cattle tags must be applied to the off side (right) ear.
NLIS devices for sheep and farmed goats
Currently, sheep and farmed goats in South Australia must be identified with a visual NLIS tag under the mob-based system.
All sheep and goats born on or after 1 January 2025 must be identified with an NLIS accredited electronic identification (eID) tag before leaving their property of birth.
From 1 January 2027, all sheep and farmed goats will need to be identified with a NLIS accredited eID tag before leaving the property.
Learn more about transitioning to eID for sheep and farmed goats.
There are 2 types of NLIS tags used for the permanent identification of sheep and goats:
- Breeder tags are for identifying animals still on their property of birth. It is recommended that coloured tags are attached according to what year the animal is born, although this is voluntary in SA. There are 8 year-of-birth colours. The year-of-birth tag colour for 2024 is black.
- Post breeder tags are pink. These identify sheep and goats that have moved from their property of birth and have lost their original tag or when it is impractical to record the birth PIC on movement documentation.
NLIS for pigs
NLIS approved pig tags
For pigs born on a property – before leaving the property of birth, they must be tagged in the pig’s left ear with a yellow ‘breeder’ NLIS approved pig tag.
For pigs introduced to a property or of unknown origin (‘post breeder’) – before leaving the property, they must be tagged in the pig’s right ear with an orange ‘post breeder’ NLIS approved pig tag.
NLIS approved pig tags are printed with the letter 'P' in the circle, the NLIS logo, and your PIC.
Once an NLIS pig tag is applied, it must not be removed until the animal is processed at an abattoir. As a result, a pig can accumulate a number of ear tags over its lifetime. If a pig loses its tag whilst on the property, it must be replaced.
NLIS pig tags issued for use on one property cannot be used to identify animals located on another property with a different PIC.
NLIS pig tags cannot be sold, given away, or reused. It is an offence to use somebody else’s swine brand number on your pigs.
Accredited pig tags are available through rural re-sellers:
- Allflex Integra tag (for pigs over 25kg)
- Allflex Litter Max Tag (for pigs less than 25kg)
- Datamars Hog Tag (for pigs over 25kg)
- Leader Products Pig Button Tag.
Read more about the accredited pig tags.
Slap brand or tattoo
For pigs born on a property – before leaving the property of birth they must be branded on the left shoulder with the tattoo assigned by PIRSA Biosecurity for that property.
For pigs introduced to a property or of unknown origin – before leaving the property they must be branded on the right shoulder with the tattoo assigned by PIRSA Biosecurity for that property. For subsequent movements they must be branded on the right rump and left rump in that order.
If branding, pig producers must brand their pigs with a registered brand before sale or slaughter. Pig brands are designed to be read after the pig has been killed.
Pig brands consist of 3 letters of the alphabet.
Brands are made by dipping the points of needles in a carbon-based fluid or paste and then slapping them firmly against the side of the pig. The needles must penetrate about 2 to 3 mm into the skin. The needles leave the carbon behind in the shape of the letters.
The brand must be placed on the:
- left shoulder for pigs bred from the owner’s stock
- right shoulder for pigs that have been purchased.
Pigs that have been slaughtered may be branded on both shoulders.
Identifying weaners
To maintain traceability, weaners must be identified before movement with either:
- NLIS approved pig tags are that are designed to identify pigs under 25kg
- tattooed with a special weaner striker that is pressed into the weaner pig’s skin.
Piglets that have not been weaned and are moving with their mother are exempt from identification.
More information
For more information on PigPass, visit the Australia Pork Limited’s PigPass website, or contact:
- Phone: 1800 001 458
- Email: helpdesk@pigpass.com.au
Tag loss rates
For an RFID tag to obtain full NLIS accreditation, it must complete a 3-year field trial on several different properties across Australia and demonstrate loss rates across all trial properties below 3.5%.
If you experience high tag loss rates then you should contact the tag manufacturer directly and notify them of the problem. If you are unhappy with the manufacturer's response, complete the NLIS device complaint form and Integrity Systems Company (ISC) will investigate the matter.
Contact
For NLIS database queries
Integrity Systems Company (ISC)
Monday to Friday, 8 am to 7 pm (AEDT)