Paperwork key to traceability

Speaking at a Livestock SA meeting at Karoonda recently, Denice Rendell from Biosecurity SA emphasised to the large group of farmers present that accurately filling out documentation for the National Livestock Identification Service (NLIS) was vital to ensuring the success of the industry.

"NLIS in sheep and goats has been evolving since we introduced it, and the reason we introduced it nationally is really for traceability," Ms Rendell said.

"We need traceability for market access, because a lot of what farmers sell is heading overseas, and a lot of those overseas markets have requirements which are all about traceability.

"There are national standards for traceability. There are rules that say within a certain timeframe, each state has to be able to trace certain types of animals. We're not given very long timeframes, they're often quite short. Within 24 hours we've got to be able to determine where an animal has been in the last 30 days. If I had to rely on ringing up every producer to determine that, that 24 hours would be gone in no time."

Ms Rendell said NLIS was used to aid disease management.

"In an exotic disease outbreak we would need a lot of information, and even for an endemic disease we need information," she said.

"The NLIS database and the PIC register is also used for a lot of disaster management, which is something a lot of people wouldn't realise.

"This summer we used a lot of information about property registration to determine who was actually in a fire so we could target them in terms of assistance or assessment of stock."

In a disease outbreak or after a natural disaster, Biosecurity SA staff rely on a range of information to trace stock, including property ID codes, property registration, movement documentation, tags in animals, and movements that are recorded on the NLIS database.

"If something is not quite right with any of those components, it makes it very difficult to trace. It's not impossible, but it does make it difficult - what producers do is really important," she said.

With 63,000 movements - involving 6.5 million animals - recorded on the NLIS database last financial year, accuracy is essential to ensure the system works well should disease or disaster strike.

"Movement documents are an extremely important part of the whole system," she said.

"When you fill them out, take a bit of care and thought about it.

"Don't just copy what you did last time."

Ms Rendell asked producers to treat the NLIS document with respect.

"It will make the agent's life easier, it will make my life easier, and it will make your own life easier in terms of audits," she said.

Ms Rendell said a small minority of producers didn't appear to understand when they needed to notify the NLIS database of a stock transfer.

"If you sell through the saleyards then they will do the transfers for you," she said.

"If you buy through the saleyards, always check that they have transferred it to the correct property.

"We do get instances where brothers or cousins are buying out of the same saleyard, and the animals have been transferred to the wrong person.

"When there's similar names it can be confusing, and everyone makes mistakes.

"Abattoirs also do transfers on animals they kill."

However, producers take responsibility when private sales are made, with the onus on the buyer to notify the database.

"People think because they are just selling it to the bloke down the road they don't need to give him an NVD, but that's wrong," she said.

"You're actually doing yourself and the entire industry a disservice by not providing that documentation. You're also potentially stuffing up your own LPA accreditation.

"If you buy from someone else, or if you've got two properties - say one in the South East and one in the Mid North - if you move the animals you are required to notify the NLIS database.

"You're supposed to do that within seven days, but my philosophy is the sooner the better."

* Full report in Stock Journal, July 3, 2014 issue.