Buying & Selling Sheep and Goats

​​​​​​Buying and Selling Sheep & Goats button
The following outlines what you must do if you wish to buy or sell sheep or goats.

Tagging Requirements

(Now also applies to goats)

From 1 January 2009 all sheep, irrespective of when they were born, must be NLIS identified before leaving a property.

Since January 2011, all goats* are required to be NLIS identified when they leave the property.

If you have a PIC number (e.g. MABC1234) and are already registered for NLIS tags please order from your local rural agent store or any online company.

*Dairy goats that are being consigned to another property other than to a saleyard for sale or to an abattoir currently do not have to be NLIS identified. (Note: this exemption is an interim measure pending the determination of a suitable form of permanent identification for dairy goats.)


1. Vendor bred sheep or goats*

Those leaving their property of birth must be tagged with a Breeder NLIS tag (colour of the year wherever possible).

2. Bought in sheep or goats* (not born on the property)

Where sheep or goats* have been bought in and then are to be resold they can either:

a. Be tagged with a pink post breeder NLIS tag identified with the PIC of the property of residence.
OR
b. Have all the different PICs on the tags in the consignment recorded on the Vendor Declaration.

Movement Records

3. Vendor Declarations

Whenever sheep or goats are sold a Vendor Declaration must be provided to the saleyard or purchaser. This applies for any change of ownership.

Both parties are to keep a copy for a minimum of 7 years.

Mob based movements must be recorded on the NLIS database.

4. Purchasers to Provide PIC

If you are buying sheep or goats make sure you provide the saleyard or vendor with the Property Identification Code (PIC) of the property the sheep or goats are to be moved to.

When sheep or goats are moved out on agistment or for other purposes, all movements must be recorded on the NLIS database. See more information on sheep and goat identification for agistment.

For more details see NLIS for Sheep and Goats.