The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is reminding farmers that stock transport companies are checking their cattle and deer are tagged and registered under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme. 

Under the NAIT scheme, all cattle or deer must be fitted with a NAIT tag and registered in the NAIT system by the time the animal is 180 days old or before the animal is moved off farm.

Transporting an untagged animal is an offence and transporters could be liable unless the truck driver has a declaration from the supplier stating the animals are tagged and registered.

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is encouraging all livestock transport operators to ensure they have access to a completed NAIT Declaration to Livestock Transporter form when transporting cattle or deer in New Zealand.

Current compliance with tagging and registering of NAIT animals sits at around 93%.  

MPI’s national manager of animal welfare and NAIT compliance Gray Harrison says, "The NAIT scheme is a critical part of New Zealand's ability to respond quickly to biosecurity threats. We take non-compliance seriously because of the potentially devastating effect these threats can have on industry and communities if we were unable to track and trace animals."