Bundilla Beef resource | 29 June 2026

Livestock: What NLIS Reports Do I Need to Provide?

A practical NSW livestock guide to NLIS reports, PIC records and movement evidence for a primary production land tax file.

Quick answer

For cattle, sheep and goats, the strongest NLIS evidence usually includes the PIC details for the property, livestock transferred onto the PIC, livestock transferred off the PIC, supporting National Vendor Declarations or travel documents, tag or device lists and a simple reconciliation showing opening numbers, births, purchases, deaths, sales and closing numbers.

NLIS reports do not prove a land tax exemption by themselves, but they can help demonstrate that livestock were actually maintained on the relevant land and that movements were recorded through the traceability system.

Practical test: a reviewer should be able to take your PIC, compare NLIS movements with paddock records and sale documents, and understand why the livestock were on the land during the relevant period.

Reports and records to collect

Record	Why it helps	What to check
PIC confirmation	Connects the livestock system to the exact property.	Name, property address, PIC manager and whether all relevant parcels are covered.
Livestock transferred onto/off your PIC - device report	Shows individual cattle, sheep or goat movements where electronic or individual identification is used.	Movement date, from PIC, to PIC, device numbers and upload type.
Livestock transferred onto/off your PIC - mob report	Useful for mob-based sheep/goat records where relevant.	Species, head count, movement date, origin/destination PIC and NVD or travel document reference.
NLIS account warnings or third-party uploads	Shows whether saleyard, abattoir or buyer movements have been recorded correctly.	Resolve mismatched PICs, incorrect head counts or duplicate uploads.
NVDs, waybills or Travelling Stock Statements	Explain the physical movement behind the database entry.	Consignor, consignee, PIC, date, species, head count and destination.

Build a livestock reconciliation

Prepare a one-page annual reconciliation beside the NLIS exports. Start with opening head count. Add purchases, births or stock moved onto the property. Subtract deaths, sales and stock moved off. The closing number should match your paddock count or explain the difference.

For land tax evidence, add columns for paddock or grazing area, date range on the property, purpose of keeping the animals and sale or breeding pathway. This helps connect the database record to actual use of the land.

Common NLIS gaps

Movements through a saleyard or abattoir were recorded by a third party, but the landholder never checked the upload.
The property has more than one parcel, but the PIC or paddock map does not explain where animals were actually maintained.
Livestock are present in photographs, but there is no tag, mob, invoice or movement record tying them to the relevant year.
Agistment or third-party livestock records sit with the operator only and are not retained by the landholder.
Sheep and goat eID changes are not reflected in the property record system for animals born or moved after the relevant start date.

Action checklist

Confirm the property PIC and keep the PIC approval or register details in the annual pack.
Export NLIS reports for the land tax year and the surrounding period where relevant.
Match each movement to NVDs, invoices, saleyard statements, abattoir documents or private sale records.
Keep a paddock map showing water, fencing, yards and the areas where livestock were actually maintained.
Record any temporary absence due to drought, sale timing, animal health, pasture recovery or production changeover.

How Bundilla Beef can help

Bundilla Beef can help review PIC coverage, organise NLIS exports, reconcile livestock movements against paddock use and prepare a clear evidence pack. That can help demonstrate the actual livestock use of the property where the facts support that position.

Disclaimer: Bundilla Beef does not provide tax, legal or financial advice and does not guarantee a land tax exemption. Landowners should obtain advice from their accountant, lawyer or tax adviser before relying on any land tax position.

Source notes

This resource was prepared using official and relevant industry sources checked on 29 June 2026. Source links should be checked periodically for changes.