Moving and exporting livestock

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Exporting livestock from the NT

If you're a livestock exporter, there are Federal laws you must follow to send animals out of the country.

The Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF):

  • is responsible for the live animal export trade and
  • sets the conditions and welfare standards for exporting livestock.

For information, go to the Australian Government's DAFF website.

All livestock being exported must carry a National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) device or transaction tag.

Read more about the NLIS.

You must have a property of origin health certificate to export livestock from the Northern Territory (NT).

This certificate is a declaration that the property where the livestock have been held before export is free of disease.

Any property where the stock have been kept during the 30 days before they are loaded onto the ship must be included in the certificate.

The certificate must be signed by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries delegate.

How to get a property of origin health certificate

To get a property of origin health certificate, follow these steps:

Step 1. Choose relevant form

For feeder / slaughter cattle and buffalo shipments to Indonesia, the Philippines, Sarawak, Sabah, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia, use:

For productive cattle shipments to Indonesia, use:

You can also request templates for other countries and markets by emailing poocert@nt.gov.au.

Step 2. Fill in the form

For cattle sourced from NT properties, you must use the property name and property identification code (PIC). The details must be exactly as that shown in an NT PIC search.

You must also check the listed statements satisfy the importing country protocol. The exporter is responsible for ensuring that all required declarations are listed on the certificate.

Step 3. Submit the form

You can email your completed form to poocert@nt.gov.au.

If you need a certificate outside normal business hours, or within 48 hours, call the Darwin veterinary officer or livestock biosecurity officer.

Exporters will be charged for issued property of origin certificates on a monthly basis. Read about biosecurity service fees.

Contact

If you have questions or need a certificate processed urgently, contact the veterinary officer by :

Some countries require female cattle to be certified as not pregnant before they are exported.

In the NT, pregnancy testing must be done by:

  • registered vets or
  • people accredited as pregnancy testers by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries after formal training.

Get a list of accredited pregnancy testers for export cattle.

How to get accredited as a pregnancy tester

To get accredited as a pregnancy tester, follow these steps:

Step 1. Read the guidelines

Read the below guidelines. They are currently under review, but can still be used as guidelines.

Guidelines: accreditation of non-veterinary pregnancy testing of feeder and slaughter cattle for export PDF (96.5 KB)
Guidelines: accreditation of non-veterinary pregnancy testing of feeder and slaughter cattle for export DOCX (58.5 KB)

Step 2. Complete training module

Complete the AHCLSK339 - pregnancy test animals training module.

For information about the training module and course requirements, go to the Australian Government's training.gov.au website.

It also lists organisations which can deliver the training.

Step 3. Apply for accreditation

Fill in the accreditation form and attach your course documents showing you passed.

Accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export form PDF (555.0 KB)
Accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export form DOCX (61.1 KB)

Step 3. Submit form

Submit your form and course certificate by mail or email to:

Livestock Biosecurity 
Biosecurity and Animal Welfare Branch
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
GPO Box 3000
Darwin NT 0801 
vetboard@nt.gov.au

Phone: 08 8999 2028

Once you are accredited

If your application is accepted, you will receive a certificate containing an accreditation number. You must use this number when you certify export cattle are not pregnant.

Your accreditation lasts for 3 years, providing you meet the following competency requirements:

  • you test an average of at least 500 cattle per year over a 3-year period
  • you report your testing activity to the department every year
  • you undertake pregnancy testing for export purposes.

Use the following annual pregnancy testing activity templates to record and report your testing activity:

Annual pregnancy testing activity template PDF (82.9 KB)
Annual pregnancy testing activity template DOCX (57.8 KB)

Annual pregnancy testing activity report PDF (549.8 KB)
Annual pregnancy testing activity report DOCX (61.6 KB)

Making a complaint about incorrect certification

If a certifier incorrectly declares an animal is not pregnant at the time of testing, an exporter can make a complaint to the department.

To make a complaint, fill in the form below and email it with supporting evidence to vetboard@nt.gov.au.

Complaint form - pregnancy tester of feeder/slaughter export cattle PDF (170.9 KB)
Complaint form - pregnancy tester of feeder/slaughter export cattle DOCX (63.5 KB)

For more information, read the process of investigation: accredited pregnancy tester non-compliance fact sheet PDF (643.6 KB).

Renew your accreditation

To renew your accreditation, fill in and submit the form below by email to vetboard@nt.gov.au.

You must include testing records for the year.

Renewal accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export form PDF (557.7 KB)
Renewal accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export form DOCX (62.1 KB).

For more information, read the below guidelines. They are currently under review, but can still be used as guidelines.

Guidelines: accreditation of non-veterinary pregnancy testing of feeder and slaughter cattle for export PDF (96.5 KB)
Guidelines: accreditation of non-veterinary pregnancy testing of feeder and slaughter cattle for export DOCX (58.5 KB)

Export advisory notices

Read the following export advisory notices on the Australian Government's DAFF website:

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