Australian Livestock Ear Tag Reference Data
Reference summary: This page holds two open reference tables for Australian livestock ear tags. First, the year colour rotation for sheep and goat NLIS breeder tags and visual management tags (2022 to 2033), with the cattle management year letters. Second, the common tag types by identification role, animal, colour behaviour and matching applicator. The 2026 year colour is Orange (year letter X). NLIS cattle tags do not follow the rotation: breeders are white and post-breeder tags are orange, both permanent. Sheep and goat post-breeder tags are pink. Data compiled by Farm & Acre Co. Free to use with attribution.
This is a plain reference for anyone who needs to look up an Australian ear tag colour or work out what tag and applicator suits a job. You can read it here, or download the raw data as CSV or JSON at the bottom.
NLIS ear tag year colours and letters (Australia)
Sheep and goat NLIS breeder tags follow a national colour rotation that repeats every eight years, as do visual management tags. Cattle born each year also carry a management year letter. NLIS cattle tags themselves do not rotate: breeders are white and post-breeder tags orange. Post-breeder (bought-in) tags are a permanent colour and sit outside the rotation.
| Year | Breeder year colour (sheep, goats & management tags) | Cattle 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 |
Post-breeder colours (permanent): cattle are always Orange, sheep and goats are always Pink.
Full explanation of how the rotation works is in the ear tag year colours and letters guide.
Livestock ear tag types (identification, animal, applicator)
| Tag type | Identification | Animals | Colour | Applicator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NLIS breeder tag (cattle) | Electronic (RFID) / NLIS | Cattle | White (permanent) | Universal (two-piece) |
| NLIS post-breeder tag (cattle) | Electronic (RFID) / NLIS | Cattle | Orange (permanent) | Universal (two-piece) |
| Sheep & goat EID tag (ET969) | Electronic (RFID) / NLIS | Sheep, Goats | Follows year colour | Sheep applicator |
| Management tag, female (M/L/XL) | Visual | Cattle | Any of 9 colours | Universal (two-piece) |
| Male tag pin / ID button | Visual | Cattle | Any of 9 colours | Universal (two-piece) |
| One-piece maxi tag | Visual | Cattle | Any of 7 colours | One-piece |
| Feedlot one-piece tag | Visual | Cattle | Any of 7 colours | One-piece |
| Sheep VID tag | Visual | Sheep | Print / colour options | Sheep applicator |
Note: the battery E-Tagger is an applicator only. It applies standard, fly, feedlot and visual tags. It is not NLIS-approved and does not record data.
Download the data
Free to use with attribution to Farm & Acre Co (farmandacreco.com.au).
Frequently asked questions
What colour is the 2026 cattle ear tag?
For NLIS cattle tags, breeders are white and post-breeder (bought-in) cattle are orange, and those colours are fixed, they do not change by year. The 2026 year colour of orange (year letter X) applies to sheep and goat NLIS breeder tags and to visual management tags. Bought-in sheep and goats use pink post-breeder tags.
How often does the ear tag colour cycle repeat?
Every eight years. After 2030 (Red) the colour sequence starts again in the same order.
What colour are post-breeder tags?
Post-breeder colours are permanent and do not follow the year rotation. Cattle post-breeder tags are always orange, and sheep and goat post-breeder tags are always pink.
Can I use this data on my own site?
Yes, it is free to use with attribution to Farm & Acre Co. You can download the year colours and tag types as CSV or JSON above.
Need the right tag for a job? Send us your PIC, what you are tagging and roughly how many, and we will sort the tag, colour and applicator. Call 0431 183 421 or email us.