LOCAL abattoirs and saleyards have noticed a sharp increase in the number of animals with two National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) devices, sparking renewed warnings from Biosecurity Queensland to ensure tracing devices are used correctly.
Biosecurity Queensland Principal Project Officer Bomber Lancaster said all animals need to be inspected to ensure they not only have an NLIS device but also that there is only one device attached.
"Once an animal has a NLIS device, that device should stay with that animal for the rest of its life," Mr Lancaster said.
"The only time a NLIS device should be removed is when it is not able to be read electronically.
"If this is the case, producers need to replace the tag with a 'post breeder' (orange) coloured device from the property the animal is held on.
"If it is a homebred animal still on its home property another breeder (white) tag should be applied.
"For introduced animals where a post breeder tag is applied, to link the old replaced tag to the new tag, owners should use the replaced tags feature in their database account.
"People who do not have accounts should contact the NLIS database help team on 1800 654 743 for assistance.
"This way, if the animal has life time traceability, it can be maintained," Mr Lancaster said.
"Lifetime traceability is really important for the Queensland industry, not only because it improves product integrity and market access (particularly for export markets), but also because it assists with the management of disease and chemical residue issues," he said.
l For more information about the work of Biosecurity Queensland, or NLIS, visit www.dpi.qld.gov.au.