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 Industry, Tourism and Trade delegate.

How to get a property of origin health certificate

You must follow the steps below to get a property of origin health certificate issued before you can load live cattle for export:

Step 1. Choose the form for the class of livestock you're exporting.

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 your 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:

Veterinary Officer
poocert@nt.gov.au
Phone: 08 8999 2035
Mobile: 0427 003 600

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

In the NT, pregnancy testing must be done by either registered vets or people accredited as pregnancy testers by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade after formal training.

Get a list of accredited pregnancy testers for export cattle.

Guidelines for accreditation

If you want to get accredited as a competent non-veterinary pregnancy tester for pregnancy testing slaughter and feeder cattle for export from Northern Territory, read the guidelines.

The below documents 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).

Getting accredited as a pregnancy tester

You must follow these steps to get accredited as a pregnancy tester:

Step 1. Fill in the training module AHCLSK339 - Pregnancy test animals

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

It also lists organisations which can deliver the training.

Step 2. Apply to the department for accreditation

You must send us your course documents showing you passed.

Use the accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export form to apply:

Application - accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export PDF (555.0 KB)
Application - accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export DOCX (61.1 KB).

Step 3. Submit your completed form and course certificate to:

Livestock Biosecurity 
Biosecurity and Animal Welfare Branch
Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
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 three years, providing you meet the following competency requirements:

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

Use the annual pregnancy testing activity form and template to record and report your testing activity:

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, apply to the department using the accreditation renewal for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export form.

You must include testing records for the year.

Application – renewal accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export PDF (557.7 KB)
Application – renewal accreditation for pregnancy testing feeder or slaughter cattle for export DOCX (62.1 KB).

For more information, read the guidelines.

The below documents 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 Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment website:

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