Do I need to tag rangeland goats?
21 June 2021
Key points:
- Harvested rangeland goats may be moved tag-free direct to slaughter or via one registered goat depot in some states and territories, including NSW and Queensland.
- Goats must meet the criteria of ‘harvested rangeland goats’ to be moved tag-free.
- Only registered goat depots can receive or complete tag-free movements of harvested rangeland goats.
- Post-breeder tags must be applied to untagged goats that remain in a depot for more than 10 days.
Goat producers are reminded that goats must be tagged with a NLIS-accredited tag or device to be moved off a property except for harvested rangeland goats, which may be moved tag-free in certain circumstances.
In some states and territories, including NSW and Queensland, harvested rangeland goats do not need to be tagged with an NLIS-accredited tag or device if they are being transported directly from the property on which they were captured to a registered goat depot or processing plant.
A harvested rangeland goat is classified as a goat that has:
- been captured from a wild state
- not been born as a result of a managed breeding program
- not been subjected to any animal husbandry procedure or treatment.
Only registered goat depots are permitted to receive untagged harvested rangeland goats and transport them tag-free to slaughter. A registered goat depot is one that:
- meets industry and government requirements to operate NLIS tag free for goats destined for slaughter
- is fully Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) accredited
- operates a goat depot NLIS database account
- has a letter from a goat meat processor indicating that the depot is, or will be, a supplier of goats on a commercial basis.
If untagged goats remain in the depot for more than 10 days, they must be tagged with a pink post-breeder NLIS tag embossed with the depot PIC before they can be transported from the depot to slaughter.
Check the requirements for tagging goats in your state or territory before transporting goats on or off your property.
More information on the NLIS system is available on the ISC website.
