Apr 18, 2024
With weaners starting to move off-farm, it’s timely to remind deer farmers to tag and register deer into the National Animal Identification and Traceability (NAIT) scheme.
A new campaign from OSPRI ‘Be a mate, update NAIT’ is reminding deer farmers that:
- Deer need to be tagged and registered in NAIT within 180 days of birth or before their first movement, whichever comes first
- Buyers need to confirm with the seller that they have completed an Animal Status Declaration (ASD), the deer are tagged and registered in NAIT, and that buyers are aware of their TB status
- When the deer arrive, tags should be scanned and buyers need to create or confirm the receiving movement within 48 hours
- Sellers need to find the NAIT number of the buyer, fill out an ASD and create/confirm the sending movement within 48 hours
- Transporters may ask for a Declaration to Livestock Transporter form to be filled out, failure to do so may result in them refusing to transport livestock
- Selling through an accredited saleyard means they will create the movement for the farmer. Deer still need to be tagged and registered
- Both buyers and sellers need to log in regularly to NAIT and ensure email notifications are on so they are aware of pending movements.
OSPRI has prepared a handy Deer Movements Factsheet for quick reference. Deer farmers are also welcome to join any of its series of NAIT support workshops around the country (filter for ‘workshops’).
More information in the NAIT Animal Movements factsheet >>
Not registering deer has serious consequences, including convictions and fines.
It’s well recognised by OSPRI that there have been challenges for deer farmers in complying with NAIT. This was acknowledged by OSPRI at last year’s NZDFA branch chairs’ conference, and more recently at a workshop held to identify how the deer industry can work collaboratively with OSPRI, notes DINZ industry capability manager John Ladley.
To help understand the scale of the issues being experienced, NZDFA’s OSPRI representative Craig North is collating deer farmers’ examples of any recent problems. He can be contacted at craig.north@rll.co.nz, or 0274 730 864.
Information supplied will help both OSPRI and DINZ understand the issues farmers are facing, explains Ladley.
Both DINZ and NZDFA continue to work alongside OSPRI to ensure there is support for farmers and that solutions are developed where there are system failures.
The OSPRI Support centre is also a resource for farmers to use when issues arise, the contact number is 0800 482 463.
“As we have seen with M. Bovis, integrity of information is vital to quickly stamp down on an outbreak of serious exotic animal disease in New Zealand, like foot and mouth or CWD,” notes Ladley.
