National Livestock Indentification System (NLIS)

Visit the Department Website for additional information: http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/

While on our visit to the Department of Primary Industries located in Melbourne, we received an indepth lecture regarding the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) in Australia. Throughout Australia, it is now required to place an electronic ear tag or bolus inside the animal that can later be scanned to tell the new owner of the history of the animal. Each indentification device contains a Property Identification Code, or PIC, that can be traced back to the birthplace of the animal if used accordingly. The also utilize several different devices in order to read the ear tags such as strips that can be attached to trucks or a wand that must be waved over the tag. The bolus can only be indentified once the animal has been slaughtered. This has become a necessity in Australia due to the large number of exports to the European Union and a previous lack of tracing disease or residue. The down side to each of these systems though is quite obvious but difficult to correct. The ear tag itself can be removed and replaced with ease, making the animal a resident of a different property. The bolus also has issues because it must be removed before slaughter with no residue or sign of it being there. There are several upsides to this system though. For starters, if done properly, it creates a much simpler and standard form of record-keeping for producers. It is also beneficial for the producers that do not sell their livestock domestically since the requirements to export beef to the European Union are quite strict. The system allows an approved way to provide the history of the animal that can include all of the information the producer wishes. Lastly it gets rid of a great deal of "word of mouth" guarentees because there are several fines for not abiding by the rules tied into the NLIS. Unfortunately, while this system seems almost flawless, it is still very new and there are a fair number of people that are not willing to change there system or make the initial investment that is several thousand for the appropriate set up. Furthermore, if not maintained such things as a lost ear tag can cause a loss of the history prior to the implanting of the new ear tag.