NLIS a key tool for making goat gains

Identifying their goats using NLIS visual tags has become a key tool for Queensland goat producers, Anita Denis and Joe Taylor.

NLIS a key tool for making goat gains

For Queensland goat producers Anita Denis and Joe Taylor, the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is not just an industry requirement but a key tool for managing herd numbers and boosting productivity within their business.

Based at ‘Coolagh’, near Blackall, with a second property, ‘Lorne’, near Aramac, Anita and Joe cross commercial rangeland goats with their Kalahari Red seedstock herd to produce their growing herd run across the two properties.

The business is now exclusively run as a managed goat enterprise, after an MLA goat enterprise benchmarking project revealed that goats provided far more stable profits relative to sheep and cattle during the prolonged dry conditions experienced in the region.

Moving into management

Since moving exclusively into managed goats, Anita and Joe have invested significant time and effort into finding ways to maximise the performance and profitability of their herd.

Identifying their goats using NLIS visual tags soon became one of the key tools they have used to manage their herd and make informed, profitable decisions around the sale of their livestock.

“When the goats come into the yards, we use NLIS tags to tag our kids, using the same colour system as we do with sheep so we can identify the ages of our goats, as well as have records of our numbers,” Anita said.

“Using this system, we then know exactly how many animals we have in certain age groups, and we can work out how many animals we’ve got to sell at any given time throughout the year.”

Backing for the bank

As Anita points out, the NLIS database also provides a useful record for producers to use when dealing with their bank.

“The banking sector wants to see how many NLIS tags you are buying as it helps them ascertain your numbers,” Anita said.

“NLIS tags and the NLIS database gives you the evidence to back up the numbers that you’re stating for things like a loan application.”

Getting into the game

Anita said that producers new to running a managed goat herd should start familiarising themselves with NLIS now, so they can learn to use it to their advantage in their business.

“The more familiar you are with the NLIS database, the easier it is for you,” Anita said.

“You just have to get started using the system and tagging your goats at an early age to see the benefits.”

According to Anita, the new NLIS how-to guides produced by Integrity Systems Company (ISC) may provide a helping hand to goat producers needing support with using the NLIS database to keep track of their herd.

“It can take away a bit of the unknown if you have something which steps it out for producers,” Anita said.

“Sometimes, you can be stuck on doing something in NLIS and if you have that guide there beside you, it would just make things easier.”

Worth your while

While it may require additional resources, Anita said using NLIS to identify and trace their goat herd was well worth the effort for the edge on herd management it provides.

“There is a little bit more management involved when you start to tag your goats,” Anita said.

“However, if you look at the big picture, the benefits far outstrip the extra cost or labour.”