Moving sheep into Victoria

Sheep entering Victoria must:

  • be identified in accordance with the legal requirements of the jurisdiction from which they were dispatched
  • be accompanied by a fully completed National Vendor Declaration (NVD)

A National Sheep Health Declaration (SHD) completed by the vendor is also recommended.

Health requirements of imported sheep

All livestock brought into Victoria must be free of notifiable diseases.

Diseased livestock can only enter Victoria under a licence, usually only direct for slaughter at an abattoir. In some situations, we might issue a licence to introduce the animals to another Victorian property.

Diseased livestock forms

Application and licence to introduce diseased livestock into Victoria to an approved property

Application and licence to introduce diseased livestock into Victoria for immediate slaughter

These licences are issued by the Chief Veterinary Officer Unit at Agriculture Victoria.

Ovine brucellosis (OB)

Rams entering the Mallee Ovine Brucellosis Control Area must have:

They must also:

  • be from a flock that is OB Accredited Free

or

  • have no evidence of ovine brucellosis (OB) in the last 12 months, and
  • have a negative OB blood test from within the last 14 days before the sale or introduction, and
  • have had no palpable scrotal abnormalities in the last 7 days before the sale or introduction

The Mallee Ovine Brucellosis Control Area is in the north-western corner of Victoria, extending to the New South Wales and South Australian borders

Rams entering other parts of Victoria must be:

  • tagged
  • accompanied by a NVD
  • free of disease as for other sheep

Ovine footrot

From 7 October 2021, sheep infected with ovine footrot can be introduced into Victoria without an approved licence as long as they're:

  • consigned direct to slaughter at an abattoir or knackery within Victoria
  • correctly NLIS identified
  • accompanied by a true and accurately completed NVD.

This is made possible by the blanket licence to introduce sheep with ovine footrot into Victoria for immediate slaughter. The blanket licence is valid from 7 October 2021 to 7 October 2024.

Download: Blanket licence to introduce sheep with ovine footrot into Victoria for immediate slaughter (WORD - 34.4 KB)

Sheep infected with footrot cannot be consigned to a saleyard or other property in Victoria unless under a licence to introduce diseased stock approved by Agriculture Victoria.

Ovine Johne's disease (paratuberculosis)

Ovine Johne's disease (OJD) is a notifiable disease in Victoria. But an exemption is in place for OJD, including for flocks known or suspected to be infected with OJD. Clinically diseased sheep are unlikely to be fit to load and must not be imported.

Purchasers of interstate sheep are strongly recommended to request a SHD when considering buying sheep from interstate to enable them to assess the risk posed by those sheep. Interstate producers selling sheep to Victoria are strongly encouraged to provide an SHD with each consignment of sheep.

Page last updated: 19 Jul 2024