Animals exempt from tagging

Some cattle and deer don't need to be tagged before you move them off your property.

Bobby calves

Bobby calves are calves less than 30 days old that are sent direct to a meat processor from their birth farm. You don't need to tag or register these animals when sending them off-farm.

All other calves need to be tagged and registered with NAIT, and their movements recorded.

Animals born at game estates, safari parks or zoos (including trophy stags)

You don't need to tag or register animals born at a game estate, safari park or zoo, including trophy deer, but you do need to provide an annual tally of animals at these locations.

If you send animals from a game estate, safari park or zoo to another property and they are not too dangerous to tag, you must tag and register them, and create a sending movement in NAIT before you move them. If they are too dangerous to tag, they can only move to a meat processor or another game estate, safari park or zoo.

If you receive tagged animals at a game estate, safari park or zoo you must get our permission before removing any tags.

Fallow deer

Fallow deer that the Person in Charge of Animals (PICA) has decided are impracticable to tag don't need to be tagged or registered. But you must still record an exempt animal movement in NAIT when they move. You must also provide an annual tally of fallow deer at your NAIT location.

Unsafe-to-tag (UTT) animals

Animals that the PICA has determined to be unsafe to tag are exempt from the obligation to tag and register. You can only move UTT animals to a meat processor, game estate, safari park or zoo.

How to declare UTT animals exempt

UTT animals are exempt from tagging if you:

• declare them by recording a UTT movement in your NAIT account before you move the animal
• clearly mark them with a red X so they can be identified by the meat processor or inspectors
• pay a UTT levy of $13 (plus GST) for each UTT animal — this will be deducted by the meat processor.

Untagged animals that aren't declared and/or marked, and moved to a meat processor, don't comply with NAIT requirements.

Information you need to record a UTT movement

To declare an animal as UTT you need to provide the:

• NAIT location number of the:
  • property the animals are moving from
  • meat processor, game estate, safari park or zoo the animals are moving to
• exact number of UTT animals in the movement
• the animals' gender, breed and approximate age
• the date you're sending the animals.

If you're using a livestock transporter, note any UTT animals when you fill out a Declaration to Livestock Transporter (DLT).

If your animals are not exempt and have no tag

It's an offence under the NAIT Act to move animals without an exemption.

If you send animals to a meat processor without a tag or a UTT exemption, they must declare this when they update their NAIT records. The normal slaughter levy of $1.49 (plus GST) applies to these animals. Your meat processor may also charge additional fees for untagged animals as they lose revenue from animals that aren't eligible for export markets.

Tags lost in transit

If you notice a high number of your tagged animals arriving at the meat processor untagged, we recommend scanning them as they leave your farm. We can update the NAIT records for you if you contact us. This way you'll avoid possible investigations for untagged animals, although we can't arrange a refund of fees you've paid to the meat processor.