You still need a NAIT location number even if your animals are exempt from tagging. For example, if you have trophy stags, you must record how many are on your property in NAIT and update this number at the end of every year. This way we know what animals are on your farm if there's a disease outbreak.
Moving untagged animals
Some cattle and deer don't need a NAIT tag, but if you want to move them off your property you must follow the NAIT requirements for moving untagged animals.
Animals exempt from tagging
Nearly all animals you send to another NAIT location must be registered in NAIT and have a NAIT tag. Exceptions include:
- animals that are unsafe to tag (UTT) — you can only move these animals to some places, for example, a meat processor
- trophy stags
- bobby calves – that is, calves less than 30 days old sent direct to slaughter.
- fallow deer don’t have to be tagged or registered; but when they move, you must let us know. You also need to provide an annual tally of the fallow deer at your location.
UTT animals — what they are
UTT animals are cattle and deer which you, as a Person in Charge of Animals (PICA), believe are too dangerous to tag. For example, they may be large and aggressive, or present a risk to farm staff.
UTT animals can only move to an accredited meat processor, game estate, safari park or zoo. They must be clearly marked with a red X, before you send them, so the meat processor or new PICA can easily identify them as UTT animals.
You pay a levy of $13 plus GST to the meat processor for each UTT animal you send to slaughter.
Trophy stags
You don't need to tag and register trophy stags born at a game estate, wildlife park or zoo, although you need to provide an annual tally of trophy stags at your location.
If you send trophy stags from a game estate, wildlife park or zoo to another property and they aren't too dangerous to tag, you must:
- tag and register them, and
- create a sending movement in NAIT before you move them.
If you receive tagged deer at a game estate, safari park or zoo you must get our permission before removing any tags.
Bobby calves
You don't need to tag or register bobby calves before you move them to a meat processor.
If tags are missing
When cattle or deer leave your farm they must be tagged and registered in NAIT unless you have an exemption. Animals that arrive at a meat processor with no tag and no exemption, don't comply with NAIT. In this case, the meat processor:
- may charge extra on top of the NAIT Slaughter Levy of $1.49 plus GST for slaughtering your untagged animals, and
- will record them as an untagged, but not exempt, animal in NAIT.
Recording movements for exempt animals
When you move animals exempt from tagging — except for bobby calves — you must record an 'exempt animal movement' in NAIT. As well as the date of the movement and the NAIT number of the animal's destination, include information about its breed, gender and approximate age.
If the information you record isn't correct, your meat processor can reject the movement and may return the animal to you.
Deleting an exempt animal movement
You can delete an exempt animal movement if, for any reason, the movement doesn't go ahead.