NLIS Tag Colours by Year — Complete Australian Guide (2022-2033)
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Every year, NLIS livestock ear tags in Australia change colour. It's a national rotation system that helps you quickly identify when an animal was tagged — just by looking at the tag colour.
This guide covers the full colour rotation for both cattle and sheep/goat tags, the year letter codes, and how the system works.
Cattle Tag Colours by Year
| Year | Tag Colour | Year Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Red | R |
| 2023 | Sky Blue | S |
| 2024 | Black | T |
| 2025 | White | W |
| 2026 | Orange | X |
| 2027 | Light Green | Y |
| 2028 | Purple | Z |
| 2029 | Yellow | A |
| 2030 | Red | B |
| 2031 | Sky Blue | C |
| 2032 | Black | D |
| 2033 | White | E |
The colour cycle repeats every 8 years.
2026 Cattle Tag Colour
The 2026 NLIS cattle tag colour is Orange with the year letter X. This applies to NLIS electronic breeder tags and visual management tags from all brands (Allflex, FOFIA, Leader, Shearwell).
Post-Breeder Tags
Post-breeder cattle tags (for purchased animals being re-tagged to your PIC) are always Orange, regardless of the current year colour.
Sheep & Goat Tag Colours by Year
| Year | Tag Colour |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Black |
| 2025 | White |
| 2026 | Orange |
| 2027 | Light Green |
| 2028 | Purple |
| 2029 | Yellow |
| 2030 | Red |
| 2031 | Sky Blue |
| 2032 | Black (repeats) |
| 2033 | White (repeats) |
Post-breeder sheep tags are always Pink, regardless of year.
Year Letter Codes Explained
Each NLIS tag carries a year letter that identifies when the tag was issued:
| Year | Letter |
|---|---|
| 2022 | R |
| 2023 | S |
| 2024 | T |
| 2025 | W |
| 2026 | X |
| 2027 | Y |
| 2028 | Z |
| 2029 | A |
| 2030 | B |
Note: the sequence skips U and V. After Z (2028), it resets to A (2029).
Why Do Tag Colours Change Each Year?
- Age identification — estimate an animal's age by its tag colour at a glance
- Management decisions — quickly identify older animals for culling, sort joining groups by age, age breakdown across a mob
- Compliance and traceback — supports the integrity of the NLIS system
- Saleyard sorting — buyers and agents use tag colours to quickly assess age groups
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to re-tag animals when the colour changes?
No. Once tagged, that tag stays for life (unless it falls out). The colour tells you when it was tagged, not the current year.
What if a tag falls out?
Apply a new post-breeder tag (Orange for cattle, Pink for sheep). It will be the current year's colour and linked to the original record on the NLIS database.
Do all states use the same colour system?
Yes. The NLIS tag colour rotation is a national standard across all states and territories.
Does the colour apply to all tag types?
The year colour applies to breeder tags. Post-breeder tags have their own fixed colour (Orange for cattle, Pink for sheep). Visual management tags can be ordered in any colour.
Order NLIS tags in the correct 2026 colour from Farm & Acre Co — Allflex, FOFIA & Leader for cattle, sheep, and goats.
Order Cattle Tags | Order Sheep & Goat Tags | Call 0431 183 421 | Email us