AgMemo - Livestock news, August 2018

Page last updated: Thursday, 16 August 2018 - 4:20pm

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New 1300 number to strengthen livestock traceability

DPIRD staff
A single phone number has been established for all enquiries related to livestock brands, property identification codes and National Livestock Identification System requirements.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has introduced a single phone number for all enquiries related to livestock brands and National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) requirements.

1300 WA NLIS (1300 926 547) will now be the one stop shop for producers, agents, saleyards, abattoirs or anyone within the Western Australian livestock industry requiring assistance with registering or identifying stock, property identification codes (PICs), or for support with any aspect of the NLIS process.

The new one point of call aims to make it easier for industry to meet livestock traceability requirements, which would benefit the entire industry.

Domestic and international markets expect WA livestock and livestock products to be easily traced in the event of a food safety incident or disease outbreak.

Accurate and complete traceability information is vital to underpin the export of meat and livestock and the new 1300 number will make it easier for support to be provided.

Responsibility for the NLIS traceability system begins with producers when they register with the department to own livestock and are issued with a stock brand, PIC and registered identifiers.

Each individual animal must then be identified using the registered identifiers appropriate for each species.

The movements of livestock through the supply chain or from property to property must be accompanied by a paper or electronic waybill which provides details of the consignment.  

These details are then recorded in the web-accessible NLIS database, which is used to store and correlate the movement data and associated details across all jurisdictions.

The 1300 number will operate during business hours and connect callers through a menu system directly to a department technical or administrative officer who can answer their enquiry. 

This will enable the department to better monitor enquiries and target communication and advice toward areas that receive higher numbers of calls.

For more information on stock brands and property identification codes visit the DPIRD website.