Deer farmers

The NAIT scheme is now mandatory for deer. To comply with NAIT you need to:

  • Register as a PICA (person in charge of animals) with NAIT and get a NAIT number for your property. Your NAIT number is in addition to your Animal Health Board (AHB) number.
  • Tag your deer with an orange NAIT approved RFID ear tag. Deer need to be tagged before they are six months old while they’re easier to handle, or before their first off farm movement, whichever is sooner. Deer born before 1 March 2013 have a three year grace period in which to be tagged, unless they are being moved off farm.
  • You must register your deer online in the NAIT system within one week of being tagged.
  • Movements of deer must be recorded in the NAIT system. If you send your animals to a NAIT accredited sale yard or meat processor they will record the movement for you (unless it is an exempt animal movement). You also need to record all deaths and losses of deer in the NAIT system.
  • If you receive deer at your property you need to confirm that you have received them, and that the sending details are correct.

Impractical to tag deer

If your deer are too dangerous to tag, and they are already tagged with an AHB panel tag, you can send these deer direct to slaughter without a NAIT tag. The meat processor will charge a NAIT impractical to tag levy of $13 (excluding GST) for each untagged deer slaughtered.

Trophy stags

Trophy stags are not required to have a NAIT RFID tag, however you do need to register yourself as a PICA and get a NAIT number for your property. The number of untagged trophy stags on your property needs to be provided to NAIT and updated annually in the NAIT system.

Trophy stags can be moved to a game estate, safari park or zoo without a tag, but if they move to any other location, they must be tagged. Movements of untagged trophy stags to a game estate, safari park or zoo must be recorded by creating an exempt animal movement, at least 48 hours before the movement starts, either online in the NAIT system or by paper form (available from NAIT).

If required, existing tags on trophy deer may be removed with NAIT’s permission if they are being sent to a game estate, safari park or zoo. This can be done by the game park operator or on the farm of origin if this is safer. To apply for permission to remove an existing tag, please call the NAIT contact centre on 0800 624 843.

Fallow deer

Tag retention of fallow deer is a recognised management issue, and they are not required to have a NAIT RFID tag. However, you do need to register yourself as a PICA and get a NAIT number for your property. The number of untagged fallow deer on your property needs to be provided to NAIT and updated annually in the NAIT system.

When moving fallow deer, you must create an exempt animal movement record, at least 48 hours before the movement starts. You must also record this movement if you are sending fallow deer to a NAIT accredited sale yard or meat processor as they are not permitted to record an exempt animal movement for you. No impractical to tag levy will apply to animals covered by the fallow deer exemption.