New data shows farmers are lifting their game in their use of the animal tracing system following the strengthened Nait approach aimed at boosting compliance.
There has been significant improvement in compliance, which is particularly encouraging at this time of year when dairy farmers are moving cows between farms around the annual Moving Day, Orr said.
From January to March 77% of animals were registered correctly, a 24% increase over the corresponding period in 2019.
Animal movements recorded on time, within 48 hours of movement, jumped to 75%, up 11% over the corresponding time last year. Animals tagged at slaughtered at 98.7% is up 0.3% from the previous year.
In late 2019 the fine for Nait offences increased to $400 an animal.
“That is quite an incentive to do it right,” Orr said.
“While the fines are not the only driver we believe these, along with significant communication with farmers, have seen some good improvements in Nait behaviour.”
But Orr said there is still room for improvement.
Since the beginning of 2020, 436 infringements have been issued for Nait offences and more than 800 warnings given for failure-to-register offences.
“We need to get a lot better at this.
“Our ability to manage biosecurity threats such as Mycoplasma bovis and other diseases of cattle or deer is heavily dependent on being able to rapidly and accurately trace animal movements,” Orr said.
While Moving Day has just passed many farmers are still moving herds and are urged to have all animals Nait tagged and registered, their Nait accounts updated, new Nait location numbers set up and TBfree herd records up to date.
When moving livestock farmers need to complete an Animal Status Declaration paper or eASD form and provide it to their transporter.
Orr said following a review in 2018 significant improvements were made to the Nait system including the Nait number being assigned to a location, not a person.
The Nait interface itself was improved to make it easier to use and a mobile app was developed.
Then the Nait Amendment Bill was passed in December last year, tightening the rules around the handling of untagged animals, improving the use of Nait data and increasing infringement penalties to reflect the seriousness of Nait non-compliance.
On June 14 new rules around the transport of animals, introducing penalties for transporters moving untagged animals that do not have an exemption, took effect.
To ensure their compliance transporters will require farmers to provide declaration paperwork that the animals are identified and registered with Nait.
Osopri is distributing several thousand books of the new declaration forms to farmers who have a high volume of livestock movements.
