Plan for your horses, farm animals and livestock

Local Land Services helps landholders to prepare for and recover from natural disasters.

They work alongside Department of Primary Industries to advise landholders about property planning and preparedness for an emergency.

Local Land Services’ district veterinarians can also provide advice and veterinary services to help you care for your animals following an emergency.

Local Land Services has produced a practical Farm flood readiness kit for landholders. 

In the kit you will find:

• Flood Readiness Checklist
• Flood Readiness Action Plan
• Flood plan (What will you do when it floods?)
• Nomination form for what will happen if it floods while you are away from home.

Relocating large animals takes time, so it is best to move them early.

• Stay informed
  • Check weather conditions, warnings and emergency services advice
  • Have Hazards Near Me on your mobile device with your watch zones updated
  • Check BOM and NSW SES warnings on apps and social media pages
  • Listen to local radio and media
• Animals can behave differently under stress. Moving them before they become panicked will keep you and them safe.
  • Bring them closer to the house, yards or transport option so they are ready to load
  • Relocate them to your safe area on your property, if you cannot take them with you.

• Move livestock and horses to higher ground on or off property and make sure they have access to clean water and food.
• Ensure all animals are in a safe place where they cannot get trapped by rising flood water.
• Have a list of properties in different areas where you can relocate your animals to safety. It is best to talk to these property owners in advance of an emergency. Consider agistment properties that can take your animals for the short term, in case you need to re-build fences before returning them home.

Consider how you will move your animals. For more information on the movement of livestock and horses in an emergency, contact your Local Land Service office.

Remember when moving animals always consider biosecurity and health implications.

• Check through Local Land Services that you have a Property Identification Code (PIC) for your animals - required for any property that has large animals or livestock. A PIC helps identify properties which may require emergency and recovery assistance.
• Cattle, sheep, goats and pigs are required to be identified with an approved NLIS ear tag or other NLIS devices.
• Use visual identification methods, in case you are separated from your animals.
• Identification for livestock can include ear tags, tail tags or leg bands, neck chains with ID, ear notches, microchips, brands or livestock marker.

Like people, animals can behave differently under stress, so practicing your plan helps you and your animals to:

• Work out how long it may take you to relocate animals, how many trips you will need to make if you have multiple animals and whether you need others to help you,
• Identify any flaws and improve your plan.

If your animal is on an agistment property, it is important that you have shared your emergency plan with the property owner.

If you are unable to relocate your animals off your property, it is important that you prepare a safe area onsite to give your animals the best chance of survival:

• Ensure clean water and feed is accessible for animals for 3-7 days.
• Bush fire safety - select a paddock with low fuel loads, e.g. very short grass, ploughed ground, yards and minimal flammable materials.
• Flood safety - prepare a flood mound or identify areas above flood levels with appropriate feed available.
• Ensure all animals can be identified, such as with brands, microchips NLIS tags. Have photos of distinctive markings in case they become lost. A mobile phone number written on both sides of large animals can assist.

• Open internal gates and/or fencing to allow freedom of movement BUT never leave the external gates open. Don’t lock gates in case emergency services need to gain access.
• Never tether your animals. Allow them to roam freely.
• Remove rugs, halters and metal shoes if possible as they may be flammable, melt, cause burns or snag.
• Turn off power to electric fencing.
• Ensure that fire hoses reach around buildings and that you have tested your pumps.