Moving and exporting livestock

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Moving livestock into the NT

Changes to the Livestock Act 2008

From early April 2024, new biosecurity laws will apply to the livestock and agricultural industries in the NT.

Read about these changes.

If you want to bring interstate livestock into the Northern Territory (NT) you must follow specific procedures for all of the species of animals in the table below.

Movement conditions for Johne's disease changed on 1 July 2017. Read more about the National Johne's disease program.

Sheep are subject to disease controls and can only be brought into the NT with written permission from the chief inspector of livestock at livestock biosecurity. If approved, you must then follow the conditions in the permit.

You must get a wildlife permit from NT Parks and Wildlife for deer, llama, alpaca and crocodiles as well as following the other marked requirements.

Note: n/a in the table below stands for not applicable, meaning the marked requirement does not apply to that species.

Type of animal	Health certificate and waybill	NT PIC	Brand	NLIS device	Johne’s disease clearance	Cattle tick clearance	Transport standards apply	Special permit or condition
Alpacas and llamas	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	✔	Wildlife import and keep permits
Buffalo	✔	✔	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔
Camels	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	✔
Cattle	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Crocodiles	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	Wildlife permit
Deer	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	✔	✔	✔	Wildlife permit
Goats	✔	✔	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔
Horses, mules and donkeys	✔	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔	✔
Pigs	n/a	✔	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	✔
Queen bees and products	✔	✔	Must have health certificate confirming they do not have European foulbrood, American foulbrood and small hive beetle
Sheep	✔	✔	n/a	✔	✔	✔	✔	Written permission from chief veterinary officer

You do not need a permit to move pigs, pigeons and poultry.

Health certificate and waybill for moving livestock into the NT

Some species of livestock entering the NT must have a health certificate. If entering from Western Australia, Queensland or New South Wales, the certificate must be endorsed by an inspector of livestock.

You must have a health certificate for cattle and buffalo, alpacas, camels, deer, llamas, goats, horses and sheep.

You need a health certificate and waybill specific to the type of animal. In some cases livestock will need to be tested and treated to stop Johne's disease or cattle ticks being brought into the NT.

Health certificate and waybill forms

Use the following species-specific forms:

For instructions about how to fill in the form, read the Agnote health certificates and waybills for cattle entering the NT PDF (133.6 KB).

Property identification code

Every NT property where livestock are kept must have a property identification code (PIC). Read more about PICs and how to get one.

For more information on the movement of livestock from interstate to NT, call a biosecurity officer or the principal livestock regulatory officer at livestock biosecurity on 08 8973 9703.

NLIS devices

Read about the National Livestock Identification System and how to order devices or transaction tags.

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