Biosecurity & Animal Health Hub

Where's Woolly? - a story of mob-based movement vs eID tracing (Vimeo)

Downloadable Checklists

• Producer Checklist (PDF) - for exhibitors preparing livestock for your Show
• Steward Checklist (PDF) - for livestock stewards and section heads
• Show Committee Member Checklist (PDF) - for oversight across all species and sections

Forms and Templates

• Sighted Livestock Record Sheet (PDF) - for short-stay shows (less than 3 days)
• Biosecurity Plan Template – to include in your Show’s risk framework
• Emergency Animal Disease Action Plan (EADAP)– step-by-step response plan
• Animal Incident Report Form– to record animal illness, injury or death

NLIS and Procedures

• NLIS Procedures for Show Committees – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
• NLIS Tag Reader: How to User guide
• Health Declaration Forms (all species)

1. Property Identification Code (PIC)

Every showground must have a valid and active PIC issued by Local Land Services (LLS).

• Required for cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs.
• Essential for livestock traceability and disease management.

👉Apply for or confirm your PIC

2. NLIS Sporting Event Account

To meet your NLIS requirements and enable livestock movements to be uploaded into the NLIS database, you must register for a SPORTEVENT account.

👉Set up your NLIS Sporting Event Account

• Use an NLIS Sporting Event Account to record entries and departures
• Ensure the account is set up before accepting livestock entries

DO NOT APPLY for a ASSOC FILE account. The SPORTEVENT account is the only one that has the special dispensation for shows that allows them to apply without pic manager approval.

The process is streamlined to help show society members obtain authorisation for these accounts more easily.

Applicants can be approved using one of the following methods:

• By providing a valid show society email address, or
• By having the show secretary send an email confirming their membership in the show society.

Need more help? Contact the NLIS Helpdesk from 9am-5pm Monday to Friday (AEST). The NLIS Helpdesk can be contacted by phone on 1800 654 743 (Option 1), or via email at support@nlis.com.au

or DPIRD livestock.traceability@dpird.nsw.gov.au

3. Roles, Awareness & Responsibilities

Show organisers, secretaries and stewards should:

• Understand their NLIS and biosecurity responsibilities
• Maintain accurate livestock movement records
• Ensure movements are uploaded within 2 days of event completion

Consider including this in your steward briefings and volunteer induction.

4. Recording Movements

For most events:

• Record individual movements through your NLIS Sporting Event Account

For short-stay events (stock on the grounds for less than 3 days):

• Use the Sighted Livestock Record Sheet to record movements where appropriate. You need to be able to be able to relate the animals RFID numbers to their NSW/eNVD number.
• Keep copies with your Show’s other livestock records for audit and traceability purposes

New: 20-Minute eLearning for Agricultural Shows

Agricultural Shows & Events – Livestock Traceability & Biosecurity Module

• Free, online, and designed specifically for shows and events
• Takes around 20 minutes to complete
• Covers NLIS, biosecurity, record-keeping and responsibilities at Shows

👉 Access the eLearning module

Encourage Show Secretaries, section stewards and key volunteers to complete this module before show day.

• From 1 January 2025
  • Electronic ID (eID) required for sheep and goats born after this date
  • Short-stay shows (less than 3 days) may use “Sighted Livestock” arrangements for eID recording where permitted
• Transition period – up to 1 January 2027
  • Mob-based movements for livestock that do not yet have individual NLIS tags will continue to be accepted during this period
  • Producers must use the approved mob-based movement forms to record and report stock movements
• From 1 January 2027
  • All livestock (including pigs) must be individually identified with NLIS-approved tags and recorded to the PIC of the showground or venue

Mob-based movement forms
Use the DPI-approved forms for livestock without individual NLIS tags (during the transition period):

• NLIS form – Cattle movements to and from show
• NLIS form – Sheep, Goats & Pigs – mob-based movements to and from show

To support accurate and timely NLIS recording:

• NLIS scanners / wands 
• Manual recording – use the Sighted Livestock Record Sheet for short-stay events
• Clear instructions for producers – send checklists and forms with entry information, schedules and show programs

Show Support Folder (NLIS & Biosecurity)

This folder contains practical guidance and reference material to support agricultural shows in managing livestock movements, biosecurity, and traceability requirements.

It brings together checklists, forms, and step-by-step guidance to help show societies, stewards, committee members, and producers meet their obligations under the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS), including documentation, record-keeping, and database updates, to ensure livestock integrity and biosecurity compliance before, during, and after events.

• Show Support Folder - NLIS & Biosecurity
• NLIS at Shows - Overview Presentation - overview of NLIS requirements, livestock movements and how the folder is used at shows

Health Declarations – Species Requirements

Make sure exhibitors supply the right declaration for each species:

• Cattle
  • National Cattle Health Declaration
  • Include Pestivirus (PI-negative) certification, where required
• Sheep
  • National Sheep Health Declaration
  • Include OJD and footrot status
• Goats
  • National Goat Health Declaration
  • Align with current GoatMAP modules and disease status
• Horses
  • AgShows NSW Horse Health Declaration (Aug 2023)
  • Must include PIC; encourage disclosure of Hendra vaccination status in line with your Show’s policy
• Alpacas & Llamas
  • Herd Health Declaration – covering key diseases and vaccination as appropriate
• Dogs
  • Proof of current vaccinations (e.g. parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough)
  • Microchipping is required if dogs are being rehomed or sold at the Show

Check all declarations on arrival and retain them with your Show records.

Need Help?

If you are unsure about your obligations or encounter a livestock health or traceability issue:

• NSW DPI Livestock Traceability – livestock.traceability@dpird.nsw.gov.au
• AgShows NSW – hello@agshowsnsw.org.au
• Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Hotline – 1800 675 888

If there is unusual illness, sudden death or serious concern about an animal:

1. Isolate the affected animal and any close companions
2. Notify the Chief Steward and Show Veterinarian (if appointed)
3. Contact:
   • District Veterinarian – Local Land Services office
   • EAD Hotline: 1800 675 888
4. Record details using your Animal Incident Report Form

Every Show should have a simple, written Biosecurity Plan as part of its overall risk management framework.

Your plan should:

• Appoint a Biosecurity Officer or responsible person
• Map animal housing, movement, entry/exit and isolation areas
• Include cleaning and disinfection expectations for equipment, pens, yards and shared facilities
• Define communication channels (stewards, exhibitors, PA announcements, social media) in the event of a biosecurity issue
• Be communicated to section stewards prior to show day

👉Biosecurity Plan Template

Each section should apply best practice for animal handling, welfare and disease prevention.

Cattle

• Require NVD and National Cattle Health Declaration (PI-negative)
• Provide separate unloading and isolation areas
• Clean and disinfect shared equipment and crushes between uses

Horses

• Require a current Horse Health Declaration (including PIC)
• Maintain hygiene of tack, feed and water
• Separate vaccinated and unvaccinated horses if relevant to your policy

Sheep & Goats

• Require NVD and relevant Health Declarations
• Manage risk for OJD, CAE and Brucellosis
• Encourage vaccination and sensible separation of herd/flock groups

Poultry & Caged Birds

• Record bird origin, including PIC where numbers exceed thresholds (e.g. >100 birds)
• Clean cages and equipment before and after the event
• Keep species separate to reduce Avian Influenza and other disease risks

Dogs

• Keep up-to-date exhibitor and vaccination records
• Provide an isolation area for any sick or suspect dogs
• Ensure dogs are microchipped before sale or rehoming on Showgrounds

Make it easy for exhibitors and the public to do the right thing. Display clear signage in all livestock areas, wash bays, handwashing stations and food areas.

Recommended printables (A3/A2):

• Hand Sanitiser – Landscape A3
• Handwashing – Portrait A3
• Handwashing – Portrait A2
• Handwashing – Landscape A3
• Handwashing – Landscape A2

• Highly contagious viral infection affecting poultry and wild birds
• Spread via contact with infected birds, faeces, secretions and contaminated equipment

Show actions:

• Record movements of birds to and from your Show
• Clean and disinfect cages and equipment
• Keep species and groups separate where possible
• AgShows NSW Poultry Health Declaration Template

• Biosecurity Manual 

• Club Logbook 

• Outbreak Postcard 

👉 Read more

• Notifiable pest causing serious health and welfare impacts
• Movement between zones is strictly controlled

Show actions:

• Check current movement and certification rules before admitting cattle from tick-affected areas
• Ensure exhibitors understand and comply with DPI requirements

👉 Read more

• Serious zoonotic disease affecting horses and humans

Show actions:

• Encourage Hendra vaccination in line with your Show policy
• Admit only healthy horses to the grounds
• Manage feed and water to reduce contamination risk

Pestivirus (BVDV) can significantly impact cattle health and productivity, including:

• Reduced fertility
• Poor calf survival
• Lower overall herd performance

Required Show actions: to minimise the risk of Pestivirus transmission at cattle competitions, Shows should:

• Require PI-negative certification via completed cattle health declarations
• Maintain physical separation (e.g. minimum 10 metres) between tested and untested cattle
• Ensure shared equipment is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between animals

To protect stud breeders and uphold the integrity of country shows, Show Societies are strongly encouraged to follow the Pestivirus (BVDV) Guidelines for Show Cattle.

Schedule Wording

Suggested schedule wording relating to Pestivirus (BVDV) is available for inclusion in cattle schedules.

• Serious invasive pest with human and animal safety impacts

Show actions:

• Stay informed about movement restrictions and control zones
• Check soil, hay and other risk materials if travelling from affected areas

👉Current information

Quick access to key external guidance and background:

• Biosecurity Act 2015 – Overview
• Farm Biosecurity Toolkit – Declarations & Statements
• NLIS Guidelines for NSW Shows and Sporting Events (PDF)
• Quick Guide: NLIS for Shows & Campdrafts (PDF)