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1.1 The National
Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) was
introduced nationally by cattle producers
and processors, with the support of
State/Territory and Commonwealth
governments, in 1999. As part of the NLIS,
cattle will progressively be permanently
identified on their property of birth with a
Breeder device. Producers may also obtain
Post-breeder devices to permanently identify
cattle that are no longer on the property on
which they were born. Such devices will be
available during the implementation of the
NLIS under limited and tightly regulated
circumstances. Where specified under
State/Territory legislation, cattle
consigned to a saleyard or abattoir will
also be required to be identified with a
Transaction Tag. Transaction Tags will
identify the last property of residence of
cattle except where, in accordance with
State/Territory legislation, purchased
cattle are resold with their original
vendor's Transaction Tag attached.
1.2 The NLIS Standards
Committee has been formed to establish
standards for devices that are supplied for
use as part of the NLIS. Only Breeder or
Post-Breeder devices and Transaction Tags
that are deemed by the NLIS Standards
Committee to comply with the relevant NLIS
standard may be identified with the NLIS
logo and supplied to producers for use as
part of the NLIS. To support the activities
of the NLIS Standards Committee, a Technical
Group has been formed to provide technical
advice. Suppliers seeking NLIS endorsement
for devices must supply evidence to
demonstrate that their device complies with
the relevant sections of this Standard. The
NLIS Standards Committee may reject
submissions seeking endorsement that do not
contain convincing evidence demonstrating
that the submitted device complies with this
Standard.
1.3 NLIS endorsed
devices may only be supplied to producers in
accordance with State/Territory arrangements
and/or legislation. Breeder or Post-breeder
devices are designed to remain attached to
cattle until they die or are slaughtered.
Legislation introduced by the
States/Territories prohibits the removal of
Breeder and Post-breeder devices other than
by authorised persons such as abattoir and
knackery staff. Legislation also prohibits
the use of Breeder devices to permanently
identify cattle that have left the property
on which they were born.
1.4 In order to retain
access to European Union (EU) markets, AQIS
with the support of industry and the
States/Territories, in mid 1999 devised a
new scheme for the production of cattle for
processing in EU listed abattoirs. This
scheme was launched nationally on 1 December
1999. Producers who choose to participate in
the scheme must, within 12 months of gaining
property accreditation, identify all cattle
on their property except calves that are yet
to be weaned with a NLIS endorsed Breeder or
Post-breeder device.
1.5 The NLIS database has been established
by Meat and Livestock Australia. The
database’s functions include registering the
Breeder and Post-breeder devices supplied to
producers and supporting the national scheme
for the production of cattle for EU markets.
The database will be progressively used to
record transactions involving cattle
identified with Breeder and Post-breeder
devices and the residue and disease status
of such cattle. The database will also
facilitate the provision of carcase feedback
to producers.
1.6 This Standard
details minimum mandatory specifications for
Breeder or Post-breeder devices to be
supplied to producers for use as part of the
NLIS. This Standard also details minimum
mandatory specifications for Breeder or
Post-breeder device readers suitable for use
in the field, in saleyards and in abattoirs.
This Standard does not apply to bobby calf
ear tags. In some States, bobby calves
consigned for sale or slaughter must be
identified with an approved bobby calf ear
tag. The NLIS Standards Committee plans to
draft a separate standard for bobby calf ear
tags.
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