Resources › Selling stock

What records you need to sell cattle at an auction

A plain-English checklist so your sale isn't held up at the gate.

Selling at an auction is about more than loading the truck. If your animals aren't properly identified, or the paperwork isn't in order, your sale can be delayed or refused at exactly the wrong moment. Here's what you generally need to have ready — and how to make sure it's done before sale day, not on it.

1. Properly identified animals

Every animal needs your registered identification mark (brand or tattoo) and its ear tags. Auctioneers, buyers and abattoirs expect animals that are correctly marked and that match your records. If you're unsure on this, see livestock brands & ear tags explained.

2. A §6/§8 removal certificate

To move stock to a sale you generally need a removal certificate (the §6/§8 document under the Stock Theft Act). It shows you're entitled to remove and sell the animals, and lists them with their identification. The auction yard and the buyer rely on it — without it, the animals shouldn't be moving. We cover it in detail in §6/§8 removal certificates explained.

3. Your owner details

The paperwork needs your details as the seller — typically your name, address and SA ID number — so make sure these are complete and accurate. Missing owner details are a common cause of last-minute hold-ups.

4. A health declaration

Many sales require a short health declaration (the §8 attestation) — a few yes/no questions about the herd's disease status. Have honest, accurate answers ready; they form part of the document the buyer receives.

5. FMD compliance (where it applies)

In FMD-controlled areas, cattle may need to be up to date on their foot-and-mouth vaccinations to move or sell. It's worth checking each animal's FMD status well before the sale, so you're not caught out with a non-compliant animal on loading day. More in FMD record-keeping: a practical guide.

Get it ready before sale day

• Confirm every animal is marked and tagged, and matches your register.
• Generate the §6/§8 removal certificate for the animals you're selling.
• Check your owner details are complete.
• Have the health declaration answered.
• Check FMD status for any animals where it applies.
• Keep copies of everything — paperwork can be queried after the sale.

How KraalBook helps

KraalBook is built for exactly this. When you build a sale (auction or private), it generates the §6/§8 removal certificate as a PDF — filled with your farm details, brand, the animal list and tag numbers — ready to share or print. It captures the buyer's details for a private sale, includes the §8 health declaration, and warns you before you send cattle that aren't FMD-compliant. Each animal also has a shareable fact sheet proving its history. So the paperwork is done before you reach the gate. See the user guide for how it works.