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A livestock bill of sale is a signed receipt for farm animals. It names the buyer, seller, animals, price and sale date, and shows the change of owner. Cattle, horse, sheep, goat and pig sellers use one, especially for branded animals.
On this page you can fill out a free bill of sale for cattle and other livestock online or download it in PDF or Word format, follow a guide to each section, see a sample, and check the cited rules that apply in some places.
A cattle and livestock bill of sale is a written receipt that shows a seller handed farm animals to a buyer for an agreed price on a set date. It lists both parties, describes each animal, and carries their signatures.
The same form covers cows, heifers, steers, bulls, calves, horses, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry. People call it a cattle bill of sale, a cow bill of sale or an animal bill of sale, but the content does not change with the name.
The document gives both sides a paper trail. The buyer can show where the animals came from, and the seller can show the animals left their hands on the sale date, at the agreed price.
| Document Name | Livestock Bill of Sale Form |
| Other Names | Cattle Bill of Sale, Animal Bill of Sale |
| Avg. Time to Fill Out | 15 minutes |
| # of Fillable Fields | 86 |
| Available Formats | Adobe PDF; Microsoft Word |
You need a livestock bill of sale whenever animals change hands for money or trade: a private sale between neighbors, a sale off the farm, a purchase of branded cattle, or a load of animals headed to a new owner.
Use one in these situations:
Some places go further and set out when a bill of sale is expected and what it shows. Those rules, each with its citation, are listed further down this page.
A cattle sale agreement sets the terms of a sale that has not finished yet, while a bill of sale confirms the animals and the money changed hands. An agreement fits a deal with a later delivery date, payments over time or a vet check before closing.
The FormsPal template covers both needs in one document. It has fields for installment dates and amounts, and for the health terms the buyer and seller agree on before the animals move.
The free template comes in two forms: a form builder that asks questions and fills in the document for you, and a printable PDF or Word version you complete by hand.
Both versions hold the same fields: parties, animal description, price, payment terms, health terms, the seller's ownership statement and signature lines. More bill of sale forms for other kinds of property are in our bill of sale templates list.
For a pet or a single horse, a form made for that animal fits better: see the dog, cat and horse bill of sale templates below, or all forms in our bill of sale list.
To sell livestock, describe the animals, set a price, choose where to sell, meet buyers, and close the deal with a signed bill of sale that both sides keep a copy of.
You can sell livestock at a public auction or by word of mouth. A private farm sale, a local livestock market or a breed association listing are other common routes.
A good description names the species, breed, color, sex, age, approximate weight and head count of the animals you are selling. Add ear tag numbers, tattoos or brands, plus vaccination and health history.
Take clear pictures and be honest about the condition of each animal. The description you write here goes straight into the bill of sale later.
Price the animals by the head, by the pound or as one lot, and say which in the ad and on the form. Check recent sale barn results for similar animals so the asking price is realistic.
Decide whether the animals go through an auction, a livestock market or a private sale. A private sale leaves all the paperwork to you, so have the bill of sale ready before the buyer arrives.
Meet the buyer, show the animals and agree on price, payment and pickup before anything is signed. Many buyers ask for a vet check first.
If the buyer wants a vet check, write the deadline for it and what happens if the animal fails it into the health terms of the form. The deal then closes on the agreed date if the check comes back clean.
Fill in every line of the form before anyone signs, so the paper matches the animals that leave. The template asks for:
A few states put bill of sale rules for livestock into statute: North Dakota, for one, says a seller of livestock carrying a recorded brand must own that brand and deliver a bill of sale to the purchaser, with exceptions listed in N.D.C.C. § 4.1-73-18.
The tables below list only rules found in the cited statutes and regulations, each with its condition. Brand, transport and health papers are separate documents from the bill of sale.
| State | Rule and its condition | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | A person may not sell or trade branded livestock that does not carry their own recorded brand, unless they have a bill of sale or power of attorney from the owner authorizing the sale. | Alaska Stat. § 03.40.140 |
| California | The seller gives and the buyer receives a written bill of sale at delivery, giving number, kind, breed and sex, and, if branded, the brand and its location. | Cal. Food & Agric. Code § 21702 |
| Indiana | A person selling livestock branded with their brand recorded in a current state brand book gives the purchaser a written bill of sale. | Ind. Code § 15-19-6-17 |
| Kentucky | Only at a sale at a stockyard covered by this stockyard regulation: a bill of sale or other document showing the number of livestock, the purchaser and a physical description is given to the purchaser. The regulation does not reach private sales off the stockyard. | 302 KAR 22:050 |
| Mississippi | A person hauling livestock on public roads by motor vehicle carries a bill of sale showing the seller, a description with any brands or earmarks, the seller's signature and address, and the date. | Miss. Code Ann. § 69-29-11 |
| New Hampshire | Under the duties of licensed livestock dealers, a person transporting livestock carries a bill of sale or memorandum signed by the vendor with the date, breed, age, approximate weight and number of animals. | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 427:41, VII |
| New Mexico | For dairy and feedlot calves sold and moved under this section, the board's approved bill of sale lists each calf by eartag number and is completed upon change of ownership, in no case after change of possession. | NMAC 21.32.3.11 |
| North Dakota | A seller of livestock carrying a recorded brand owns that brand and delivers a bill of sale within fifteen days of the sale, except as provided in subsection 2. | N.D.C.C. § 4.1-73-18 |
| Rhode Island | A person transporting livestock on a public highway in connection with its sale carries a bill of sale signed by the vendor or the vendor's agent, with exemptions in § 4-7-18. | R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-7-17 |
| South Dakota | Only an original bill of sale or affidavit of ownership is valid for proof of ownership. | S.D. Codified Laws § 40-21-10 |
| Virginia | When buying cattle already branded, the buyer secures a bill of sale showing how and why they hold cattle carrying another owner's brand. | 2VAC5-80-90 |
Three states set a signing rule for the seller's signature, under Alaska Stat. § 03.40.140, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-172 and S.D. Codified Laws § 40-21-10.
| State | Signing rule | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | At least one witness attests the seller's signature. | Alaska Stat. § 03.40.140 |
| Nebraska | At least one witness attests the seller's signature, or a notary public or other officer authorized to take acknowledgments acknowledges it. | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-172 |
| South Dakota | Any bill of sale or affidavit is notarized or signed by two witnesses. | S.D. Codified Laws § 40-21-10 |
Alaska Stat. § 03.40.140 lists the buyer's name and address, the date of transfer, the guarantee of title, the number of cattle, the sex, the brand, the location of the brand, and the seller's name and address.
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-172 asks for the same items for livestock, plus a statement that the animal is unbranded where it is, and any approved nonvisual identifiers.
This list is partial: it shows only the inspection rules found in the cited sources. Other places run brand inspection too, so ask your brand board or agriculture department before a sale.
To write a livestock bill of sale, enter the date, both parties, a description of the animals, the price and payment method, the health terms and the seller's ownership statement, then have everyone sign. The steps below follow the FormsPal template field by field.
Where your local agriculture office or brand board issues its own form, use that one instead.
Write the date the document is drawn up at the top of the form, above the details of the sale.
Give the particulars of each party, the purchaser and the seller, exactly as they appear on their ID:
Describe the livestock in enough detail that a stranger could pick each animal out of a pen:
Add sex, age and ear tag numbers in the description field where you have them.
Enter the sale date and the total price, then choose whether the buyer pays at once or over time:
Then mark the kind of payment:
Check every health statement that matches your deal, so both sides know what the buyer accepted about the animals' condition:
In this part the seller confirms owning the animals free of any liens or debts and filling in the details accurately to the best of their knowledge.
It also says the buyer takes full responsibility for the livestock from the sale onward.
The seller signs and dates the bill of sale, and the buyer signs too so both sides accept the same terms. Alaska Stat. § 03.40.140 asks for at least one witness to the seller's signature.
S.D. Codified Laws § 40-21-10 asks for a notary or two witnesses, and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-172 accepts one witness or a notary. The template ends with an acknowledgment block for that step.
A filled-in bill of sale shows each animal, the price, the payment method and both signatures on one page. The made-up sale below shows how the details fit together.
Anna Baker sells 12 black Angus heifers to Ben Carter at her ranch on 123 Main Street. Each animal weighs about 650 pounds, wears an ear tag numbered 101 to 112, and carries the Baker Ranch brand.
Your own sale will look different, but each of these items has a line on the template.
Most problems with the form come from a vague animal description, a missing head count or unclear payment terms. Check your document against this list before you sign.
Give the buyer and the seller each a signed copy once the document is complete.
Read the finished form before anyone signs. A wrong breed, brand, or number of animals is hard to fix once the animals have left the farm.
It depends on where you sell: S.D. Codified Laws § 40-21-10 asks for a notary or two witnesses, and Neb. Rev. Stat. § 54-172 asks for one witness or a notary. The template has space for both.
No, a cattle bill of sale is the same livestock form used for cows, steers, heifers, bulls or calves. Pick the same template and describe the cattle by breed, sex, brand and ear tag.
The template fits farm animals such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens. For a single horse, a dog or a cat, our horse bill of sale, dog bill of sale or cat bill of sale is a closer fit.
About 15 minutes. The template has 86 fillable fields. You can complete it online or download it as a PDF or Word file.
Yes. List each animal or group of animals on the form with the number of animals, breed, color, weight, and brand. Use a separate document if the livestock go to different buyers.
Both sides keep a signed copy. Under N.D.C.C. § 4.1-73-18, the buyer retains the bill of sale for as long as the buyer owns any animals described in it.
Ask your state department of agriculture or the office of the state veterinarian. They can tell you which brand, transport, or veterinary papers apply before you sell or move animals. A local livestock market or county extension office can also point you in the right direction.
General information, not legal or tax advice.
