How to access the eNVD

Login via myMLA and access eNVD within your linked LPA account/s. Learn how to link your myMLA and create an eNVD here.

Preparing livestock for dispatch

If livestock become stressed, contaminated or injured during assembly for transport, they may pose a food safety risk. Livestock not fit for transport may be an animal welfare concern, and would not meet the expectations of our customers.

How do producers meet this LPA requirement?

As a livestock producer, you must guarantee that livestock are fit to load and that they are handled to minimise stress and potential contamination during assembly and transportation. To demonstrate this you must:

Document and file LPA NVDs and any Animal Health Declarations
Document and file transport records
Document outgoing livestock movement records, including animals exposed to physical or chemical contaminants
Ensure specific requirements relating to the transportation for sale or slaughter of bobby calves have been met

Why do we need to ensure livestock are fit for transport?

How do we ensure livestock are fit to transport?

Producers should meet the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for the Land Transport of Livestock and decide whether an animal is fit to be loaded for transport and for the entire journey by road or rail, to any destination within Australia.

Producers can refer to Meat & Livestock Australia’s (MLA) national guide, ‘Is the animal fit to load?’ guide, to meet these standards.

How do you prepare for the dispatch of livestock?

Producers must ensure they do everything they can to minimise livestock stress and contamination during assembly and transport. This includes:

Keeping detailed records of livestock movements
Only select animals for transport that are fit to travel by referring to the national ‘Fit to Load’ guide
Inspect vehicles prior to livestock transportation
Enforce pre-consignment curfews for livestock destined for slaughter: cattle is six hours and sheep and goats 12 hours, unless specified otherwise (in writing) by the customer
Choose transport operators that operate in accordance with a recognised quality assurance program
Prepare bobby calves for transport in accordance with the Bobby Calf NVD
Ensuring loading facilities are suitable for use. More information can be found in The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Land Transport of Livestock and AS 5340:2020 Livestock loading/unloading ramps and forcing pens

How should livestock movements be documented?

To ensure that transportation is carried out in a safe and humane manner, it is important to keep detailed records.

Document and file copies of the LPA NVD

Name of transport operator and vehicles registration number

Date and time of yarding and truck departure

Records of feedback or complaints from processors or purchasers and any actions taken

More Information

LPA Learning

Consolidate your knowledge on preparation for dispatch of livestock, by completing this LPA Learning module.

lpa learning

Preparation for dispatch of livestock video

Watch this video to understand how to make sure livestock are fit to transport and experience a minimum of stress and contamination during assembly and transport.

Watch video

Tools and resources

Preparation for dispatch fact sheet and checklist

LPA - Preparation of livestock for dispatch template.pdf

Is the animal fit to load?

FAQs

You will need to use a National Vendor Declaration (NVD) (bobby calves) and waybill, identified by version number BC0720.

The timeframe for retaining records varies between LPA and state and territory requirements.

ISC recommends you keep all records of all livestock registered on your PIC for as long as they are on your PIC.

If the animals are sold, retain the records for the livestock for either a minimum of seven years, or in accordance with your state or territory requirements.

You can check state or territory requirements using this list of contacts.

Animals that may have been exposed to physical contaminants such as broken needles, buckshot or wire need to be identified and this information must be shared with the buyer. You will need to keep records of animals that may have been exposed to these contaminants.

The maximum period of time that each species can be held off water during transport is outlined in Table three on page 15 of the ‘Is the animal fit to load’ guide. This period includes mustering and any time off water in yards, as well as the journey itself.

The times outlined are maximum limits. Some animals may need additional access to water depending on their status (e.g. pregnant or young), environmental conditions (e.g. hot weather), stock condition, stocking density and journey length.

The transporter must ensure that the loading of animals into stock crates adheres to appropriate penning density recommendations to minimise welfare risks.

Loading densities are determined according to body weight but should also consider the species and class, wool or hair length, weather conditions, expected transport time, size and body condition, horn status and design and capacity of the pen/crate.

Read more in Table four on page 17 of the ‘Is the animal fit to load’ guide.

Learn how to link your myMLA and create an eNVD here.

Log in to your LPA account via myMLA and order your NVDs online. If you are unable to access your account, please call ISC Customer Service on 1800 683 111 to order over the phone.

Log-in to your LPA account and order online

1. Log into your LPA account via myMLA.

2. Click on the order books link.

Choose the number of books you would like to order.

Then select ‘checkout’ to finalise the order. You can also track your order through Australia Post.