Identification and traceability – Guide for livestock producers and owners

Download a printable version of livestock traceability requirements for bison – PDF (139 kb)

Refer to general requirements to identify your premises and animals.

New The identification of premises where bison are kept or collected and the domestic movement reporting of bison are the key changes in the proposed regulatory amendments.

Identification of bison

Bison must be identified with an approved indicator before they leave their farm of origin, unless they are moved to an approved identification site.

Bison that may cause serious injury to a person trying to identify them can be sent to an assembly point approved as an identification site to be tagged safely. It is the responsibility of the operator of the farm of origin to supply the operator of the approved identification site with approved indicators assigned to the farm of origin.

Other exceptions are:

• Bison or bison carcasses that have been seized by an authority or have been abandoned
• Bison that must be urgently evacuated from a site
• When the morphology of bison or bison carcasses does not allow for the application of an approved indicator

Arrival of bison at your site

Report the arrival of bison within 7 days of arrival.

When bison arrive at your site, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The premises identification number of your site
• The date and time the bison left the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The date and time the bison arrived at your site
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1
• The license plate number or conveyance identification (provided by transporter)

You are not required to report the departure of bison from your site, unless you are sending them to a community pasture.

You are not required to report the following movements:

• the arrival of bison at a leased pasture and their return to your farm if all the bison kept at that leased pasture were from that same farm
• if bison are moved within the same farm

For import or export requirements, refer to the importer and exporter guidance.

Loss of approved indicators

If bison arrive at your site without an approved indicator:

• you must apply an approved indicator as soon as it arrives at your site
  • the new approved indicator must be assigned to your site

If bison lose an approved indicator on site:

• you must apply a new approved indicator as soon as the loss of the approved indicator is noted

Report the application of the approved indicator within 7 days of application of the new indicator.

When applying an approved indicator to bison, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The identification number of the new approved indicator
• If known, the identification number of the approved indicators^Footnote 1 previously applied
• The premises identification number of your site
• If known, the premises identification number of the departure site
• If applicable, the license plate number or conveyance identification

You are not required to report the application of the approved indicators if the bison have not been moved from their farm of origin.

Disposal of bison carcasses

Bison carcasses must be identified with an approved indicator if you move them off site for disposal.

Report the on site disposal of the carcass within 7 days of disposal.

When disposing of bison carcasses, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the site where the carcass was disposed of
• The date on which the carcass was disposed of
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1

If you dispose of a bison carcass on its farm of origin that has not had an approved indicator applied to it, you are not required to apply an approved indicator to it or report its disposal.

Prohibitions

It is prohibited to:

• remove or cause the removal of bison or bison carcasses from a site unless they bear an approved indicator, with the exceptions listed in the "Identification of bison" section above
• apply an approved indicator to bison or bison carcasses that are not at the site for which the indicator was assigned, except for bison sent to an approved identification site
• apply an approved indicator for bison to animals that are not bison or to carcasses that are not bison carcasses
• transfer approved indicators from bison or their carcasses to other animals or carcasses, or reuse an approved indicator
• apply, make, sell, or provide a means of identifying bison or carcasses that is likely to be mistaken for an approved indicator
• remove^Footnote 2 approved or revoked indicators from bison or their carcasses, except at the time and place of disposal of the carcasses
• alter an approved indicator in any manner
• give, sell or distribute approved indicators assigned for your site

Download a printable version of livestock traceability requirements for cattle – PDF (139 kb)

Refer to general requirements to identify your premises and animals.

New The identification of premises where cattle are kept or collected and the domestic movement reporting of cattle are the key changes in the proposed regulatory amendments.

Identification of cattle

Cattle must be identified with an approved indicator before they leave their farm of origin, unless they are moved to an approved identification site.

Cattle that may cause serious injury to a person trying to identify them can be sent to an assembly point approved as an identification site to be tagged safely. It is the responsibility of the operator of the farm of origin to supply the operator of the approved identification site with approved indicators assigned to the farm of origin.

Other exceptions are:

• Cattle or cattle carcasses that have been seized by an authority or have been abandoned
• Cattle that must be urgently evacuated from a site
• When the morphology of cattle or cattle carcasses does not allow for the application of an approved indicator

Arrival of cattle at your site

Report the arrival of cattle within 7 days of arrival.

When cattle arrive at your site, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The premises identification number of your site
• The date and time the cattle left the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The date and time the cattle arrived at your site
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1
• The license plate number or conveyance identification (provided by transporter)

You are not required to report the departure of cattle from your site, unless you are sending them to a community pasture.

You are not required to report the following movements:

• the arrival of cattle at a leased pasture and their return to your farm if all the cattle kept at that leased pasture were from that same farm
• if cattle are moved within the same farm

For import or export requirements, refer to the importer and exporter guidance.

Loss of approved indicators

If cattle arrive at your site without an approved indicator:

• you must apply an approved indicator as soon it arrives at your site
  • the new approved indicator must be assigned to your site

If cattle lose an approved indicator on site:

• you must apply a new approved indicator as soon as the loss of the approved indicator is noted

Report the application of the approved indicator within 7 days of application of the new indicator.

When applying an approved indicator to cattle, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The identification number of the new approved indicator
• If known, the identification number of the approved indicators^Footnote 1 previously applied
• The premises identification number of your site
• If known, the premises identification number of the departure site
• If applicable, the license plate number or conveyance identification

You are not required to report the application of the approved indicators if the cattle have not been moved from their farm of origin.

Disposal of cattle carcasses

Cattle carcasses must be identified with an approved indicator if you move them off site for disposal.

Report the on site disposal of the carcass within 7 days of disposal.

When disposing of cattle carcasses, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the site where the carcass was disposed of
• The date on which the carcass was disposed of
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1

If you dispose of a cattle carcass on its farm of origin that has not had an approved indicator applied to it, you are not required to apply an approved indicator to it or report its disposal.

Prohibitions

It is prohibited to:

• remove or cause the removal of cattle or cattle carcasses from a site unless they bear an approved indicator, with the exceptions listed in the "Identification of cattle" section above
• apply an approved indicator to cattle or cattle carcasses that are not at the site for which the indicator was assigned, excepted for cattle sent to an approved identification site
• apply an approved indicator for cattle to animals that are not cattle or to carcasses that are not cattle carcasses
• transfer approved indicators from cattle or their carcasses to other animals or carcasses, or reuse an approved indicator
• apply, make, sell, or provide a means of identifying cattle or carcasses that is likely to be mistaken for an approved indicator
• remove^Footnote 2 approved or revoked indicators from cattle or their carcasses, except at the time and place of disposal of the carcasses
• alter an approved indicator in any manner
• give, sell or distribute approved indicators assigned for your site

Download a printable version of livestock traceability requirements for cervids – PDF (129 kb)

Refer to general requirements to identify your premises and animals.

New The identification of premises where cervids are kept or collected, the identification of cervids and the domestic movement reporting of cervids are the key changes in the proposed regulatory amendments.

Identification of cervids

Cervids must be identified with an approved indicator and approved secondary indicator before they leave their farm of origin. The identification number on the approved secondary indicator must be identical to the identification number on the approved indicator.

The exceptions are as follows:

• Cervids or cervid carcasses that have been seized by an authority or have been abandoned
• Cervids that must be urgently evacuated from a site
• When the morphology of cervids or cervid carcasses does not allow for the application of an approved indicator

Loss of approved indicators or approved secondary indicators

If a cervid arrives at your site without an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator:

• you must apply an approved indicator and a matching approved secondary indicator as soon it arrives at your site
  • the new approved indicators must be assigned to your site

If a cervid loses an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator on site:

• you must apply a new approved indicator and a matching approved secondary indicator to a cervid that has lost either of its indicators, as soon as the loss of the approved indicator is noted

Report the application of the approved indicator within 7 days of application of the new indicator.

When applying an approved indicator to a cervid, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The identification number of the new approved indicator
• If known, the identification number of the approved indicators^{Footnote 1Footnote 3} previously applied
• The premises identification number of your site
• If known, the premises identification number of the departure site
• If applicable, the license plate number or conveyance identification

You are not required to report the application of the approved indicators if the cervid has not been moved from its farm of origin.

Departure of cervids from your farm

Report the departure of the cervids within 7 days of departure.

When cervids leave your farm, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of your farm
• The premises identification number of the destination site
• The date and time the cervids left your farm
• The identification number on the approved indicators^{Footnote 1Footnote 3}
• The license plate number or conveyance identification

You are required to report the departure of cervids to a leased pasture, but you are not required to report their return to your farm, if all the cervids kept at that leased pasture were from that farm.

You are not required to report the arrival of cervids at your farm, unless they are returning from a community pasture.

You are not required to report the movement of cervids if they are moved within the same farm.

For import or export requirements, refer to the importer and exporter guidance.

Disposal of cervid carcasses

Cervid carcasses must be identified with an approved indicator and approved secondary indicator if you move them off site for disposal.

Report the on site disposal of the carcass within 7 days of disposal.

When disposing of cervid carcasses, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the site where the carcass was disposed of
• The date on which the carcass was disposed of
• The identification number on the approved indicators^{Footnote 1Footnote 3}

If you dispose of a cervid carcass on its farm of origin that has not had approved indicators applied to it, you are not required to apply approved indicators to it or report its disposal.

Prohibitions

It is prohibited to:

• remove or cause the removal of cervids or cervid carcasses from a site unless they bear an approved indicator and approved secondary indicator, with the exceptions listed in the "Identification of cervids" section above
• apply an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator to cervids or cervid carcasses that are not at the site for which the indicators were assigned
• apply an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator for cervids to animals that are not cervids or to carcasses that are not cervid carcasses
• transfer an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator from a cervid or its carcass to another animal or carcass, or reuse an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator
• apply, make, sell, or provide a means of identifying cervids or carcasses that is likely to be mistaken for an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator
• remove^Footnote 2 an approved or revoked indicator from a cervid or its carcass, except at the time and place of disposal of the carcass
• alter an approved indicator or approved secondary indicator in any manner
• give, sell or distribute approved indicators or approved secondary indicators assigned for your site

Download a printable version of livestock traceability requirements for goats – PDF (128 kb)

Refer to general requirements to identify your premises and animals.

New The identification of premises where goats are kept or collected, the identification of goats and the domestic movement reporting of goats are the key changes in the proposed regulatory amendments.

Identification of goats

Goats must be identified with an approved indicator before they leave their farm of origin.

The exceptions are as follows:

• Goats or goat carcasses that have been seized by an authority or have been abandoned
• Goats that must be urgently evacuated from a site
• When the morphology of goats or goat carcasses does not allow for the application of an approved indicator

Arrival of goats at your site

Report the arrival of goats within 7 days of arrival.

When goats arrive at your site, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The premises identification number of your site
• The date and time the goats left the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The date and time the goats arrived at your site
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1
• The license plate number or conveyance identification (provided by transporter)

You are not required to report the departure of goats from your site, unless you are sending them to a community pasture .

You are not required to report the following movements:

• the arrival of goats at a leased pasture and their return to your farm if all the goats kept at that leased pasture were from that same farm
• if goats are moved within the same farm

For import or export requirements, refer to the importer and exporter guidance.

Loss of approved indicators

If a goat arrives at your site without an approved indicator:

• you must apply an approved indicator as soon it arrives at your site
  • the new approved indicator must be assigned to your site

If a goat loses an approved indicator on site:

• you must apply a new approved indicator as soon as the loss of the approved indicator is noted

Report the application of the approved indicator within 7 days of application of the new indicator.

When applying an approved indicator to a goat, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The identification number of the new approved indicator
• If known, the identification number of the approved indicators^Footnote 1 previously applied
• The premises identification number of your site
• If known, the premises identification number of the departure site
• If applicable, the license plate number or conveyance identification

You are not required to report the application of the approved indicator if the goat has not been moved from its farm of origin.

Disposal of goat carcasses

Goat carcasses must be identified with an approved indicator if you move them off site for disposal.

Report the on site disposal of the carcass within 7 days of disposal.

When disposing of goat carcasses, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the site where the carcass was disposed of
• The date on which the carcass was disposed of
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1

If you dispose of a goat carcass on its farm of origin that has not had an approved indicator applied to it, you are not required to apply an approved indicator to it or report its disposal.

Prohibitions

It is prohibited to:

• remove or cause the removal of goats or goat carcasses from a site unless they bear an approved indicator, with the exceptions listed in the "Identification of goats" section above
• apply an approved indicator to goats or goat carcasses that are not at the site for which the indicator was assigned
• apply an approved indicator for goats to animals that are not goats or to carcasses that are not goat carcasses
• transfer an approved indicator from a goat or its carcass to another animal or carcass, or reuse an approved indicator
• apply, make, sell, or provide a means of identifying goats or carcasses that is likely to be mistaken for an approved indicator
• remove^Footnote 2 an approved or revoked indicator from a goat or its carcass, except at the time and place of disposal of the carcass
• alter an approved indicator in any manner
• give, sell or distribute approved indicators assigned for your site

Download a printable version of livestock traceability requirements for pigs – PDF (151 kb)

Refer to general requirements to identify your premises and animals.

New The identification of premises where pigs are kept or collected and slight adjustments to the domestic movement reporting for pigs are the key changes in the proposed regulatory amendments.

Identification of pigs

Pigs must be identified with an approved indicator before they leave a site.

Note: By definition, the word 'pig' includes farmed wild boars as well as any other animals of the genus Sus (for example, Vietnamese Pot-bellied pigs, Göttingen minipigs, Kunekune pigs, etc.)

The exceptions are as follows:

• Pigs moved between contiguous parts of the same farm
• Non-bred pigs moved between non-contiguous parts of the same farm or between farms
• Pig carcasses
• Pigs that have been seized by an authority or have been abandoned
• Pigs that must be urgently evacuated from a site
• When the morphology of the pigs does not allow for the application of an approved indicator

Note: The herd mark slap tattoo is only approved for pigs moved directly from a farm to an abattoir

Movement of pigs between sites

Report the departure of the pigs within 7 days of departure.

When pigs leave your site, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of your site
• The premises identification number of the destination site
• The date and time the pigs left your site
• The number of pigs that left your site
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1 that were applied at your site
• The license plate number or conveyance identification

Report the arrival of the pigs within 7 days of arrival.

When pigs arrive at your site, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The premises identification number of your site
• The date and time the pigs left the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The date and time the pigs arrived at your site
• The number of pigs and carcasses that arrived at your site
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1
• The license plate number or conveyance identification (provided by transporter)

You are not required to report the movement of pigs if pigs are moved between contiguous parts of the same farm.

For import or export requirements, refer to the importer and exporter guidance.

Movement of pigs between linked sites

Pig movements between farms registered as linked will only be required to be reported every 3 months for six-month periods.

Report the movement of pigs between linked sites by the last day of every third month.

The operators of both sites must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• Number of pigs moved between the sites during the past 3 months
• Number of times the pigs were moved between the sites during the past 3 months

If this reporting does not occur by the last day of the third month, the registration for the remainder of the 6-month period will be canceled.

If this reporting does not occur by the last day of the sixth-month period, the farms will no longer be able to register as linked for the next 12 months.

Loss of approved indicators

If a pig arrives at your site without an approved indicator:

• you must apply an approved indicator as soon it arrives at your site if it is required to bear one
  • the new approved indicator must be assigned to your site

If a pig loses an approved indicator on site:

• you must apply a new approved indicator as soon as the loss of the approved indicator is noted

Report the application of the approved indicator within 7 days of application of the new indicator.

When applying an approved indicator from a pig, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The identification number of the new approved indicator
• If known, the identification number of the approved indicators^Footnote 1 previously applied
• The premises identification number of your site
• If known, the premises identification number of the departure site
• If applicable, the license plate number or conveyance identification

You are not required to report the application of the approved indicator if the pig has not been moved from its farm of origin.

Departure of pig carcasses

Report the departure of the pig carcass within 7 days of departure.

When pig carcasses leave your site, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of your site
• The premises identification number of the destination site
• The date the pig carcasses left your site
• The number of pig carcasses that left your site, or their weight
• The license plate number or conveyance identification

You are not required to report the identification number of approved indicators on pig carcasses, should they be bearing one.

Prohibitions

It is prohibited to:

• remove or cause the removal of pigs from a site unless they bear an approved indicator, with the exceptions listed in the "Identification of pigs" section above
• apply an approved indicator to pigs or pig carcasses that are not at the site for which the indicator was assigned
• apply an approved indicator for pigs to animals that are not pigs or to carcasses that are not pig carcasses
• transfer an approved indicator from a pig or its carcass to another animal or carcass, or reuse an approved indicator
• apply, make, sell, or provide a means of identifying pigs or carcasses that is likely to be mistaken for an approved indicator
• remove^Footnote 2 an approved or revoked indicator from a pig or its carcass, except at the time and place of disposal of the carcass
• alter an approved indicator in any manner
• give, sell or distribute approved indicators assigned for your site

Download a printable version of livestock traceability requirements for sheep – PDF (139 kb)

Refer to general requirements to identify your premises and animals.

New The identification of premises where sheep are kept or collected and the domestic movement reporting of sheep are the key changes in the proposed regulatory amendments.

Identification of sheep

Sheep must be identified with an approved indicator before they leave their farm of origin.

The exceptions are as follows:

• Sheep or sheep carcasses that have been seized by an authority or have been abandoned
• Sheep that must be urgently evacuated from a site
• When the morphology of the sheep or sheep carcasses does not allow for the application of an approved indicator

Arrival of sheep at your site

Report the arrival of sheep within 7 days of arrival.

When sheep arrive at your site, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The premises identification number of your site
• The date and time the sheep left the departure site (provided by transporter)
• The date and time the sheep arrived at your site
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1
• The license plate number or conveyance identification (provided by transporter)

You are not required to report the departure of sheep from your site, unless you are sending them to a community pasture.

You are not required to report the following movements:

• the arrival of sheep at a leased pasture and their return to your farm if all the sheep kept at that leased pasture were from that same farm
• if sheep are moved within the same farm

For import or export requirements, refer to the importer and exporter guidance.

Loss of approved indicators

If sheep arrive at your site without an approved indicator:

• you must apply an approved indicator as soon they arrive at your site
• the new approved indicator must be assigned to your site

If sheep lose an approved indicator on site:

• you must apply a new approved indicator as soon as the loss of the approved indicator is noted

Report the application of the approved indicator within 7 days of application of the new indicator.

When applying an approved indicator to sheep, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The identification number of the new approved indicator
• If known, the identification number of the approved indicators^Footnote 1 previously applied
• The premises identification number of your site
• If known, the premises identification number of the departure site
• If applicable, the license plate number or conveyance identification

You are not required to report the application of the approved indicators if the sheep have not been moved from their farm of origin.

Disposal of sheep carcasses

Sheep carcasses must be identified with an approved indicator if you move them off site for disposal.

Report the on site disposal of the carcass within 7 days of disposal.

When disposing of sheep carcasses, you must report the following information to the responsible administrator:

• The premises identification number of the site where the carcass was disposed of
• The date on which the carcass was disposed of
• The identification number on the approved indicators^Footnote 1

If you dispose of a sheep carcass on its farm of origin that has not had an approved indicator applied to it, you are not required to apply an approved indicator to it or report its disposal.

Prohibitions

It is prohibited to:

• remove or cause the removal of sheep or sheep carcasses from a site unless they bear an approved indicator, with the exceptions listed in the "Identification of sheep" section above
• apply an approved indicator to sheep or sheep carcasses that are not at the site for which the indicator was assigned
• apply an approved indicator for sheep to animals that are not sheep or to carcasses that are not sheep carcasses
• transfer approved indicators from sheep or their carcasses to other animals or carcasses, or reuse an approved indicator
• apply, make, sell, or provide a means of identifying sheep or carcasses that is likely to be mistaken for an approved indicator
• remove^Footnote 2 an approved or revoked indicator from sheep or their carcasses, except at the time and place of disposal of the carcass
• alter an approved indicator in any manner
• give, sell or distribute approved indicators assigned for your site