Livestock legislation in Victoria

Anyone who owns, manages or works with livestock must comply with certain:

• laws
• standards
• codes of practice

Laws for livestock owners

As a livestock owner, you need to follow the laws in the following acts of parliament as they apply to the relevant species of livestock:

• Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 1986
  • Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Regulations 2019
• Livestock Management Act 2010
  • Livestock Management Regulations 2021
• Impounding of Livestock Act 1994
  • Impounding of Livestock Regulations 2018
• Livestock Disease Control Act 1994
  • Livestock Disease Control Regulations 2017
• Meat Industry Act 1993
  • Meat Industry Regulations 2015

Standards and codes of practice

The standards and codes for the welfare of livestock include:

• The relevant Victorian codes of practice for animal welfare.
• The Land Transport Standards which outlines the minimum standards required when transporting cattle by road, rail or on a vehicle aboard a ship.
• The Pig Welfare Standard describes the standards and guidelines that ensure the welfare of pigs in all Australian production systems.