Assessor Resource

AHCLSK333
Monitor pen condition and ration suitability

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: March 2024


This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to monitor the suitability of rations and pen conditions for livestock.

All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes of practice and sustainability practices.

This unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and take responsibility for their own work. They complete routine activities and work in a range of known contexts.

All units of competency dealing with animals in the AHC Training Package have the requirements for animals to be handled humanely to minimise stress and discomfort.

No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)



Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Monitor ration and water levels

1.1 Source information on ration ingredients and composition from enterprise livestock production and/or feed plans

1.2 Assess ration levels, composition and consistency and identify potential production and health issues for different pens and classes of livestock

1.3 Identify strategies for removing wet, mouldy and fouled ration from bunks, and preventing livestock from access to unsuitable rations

1.4 Assess water quantity and quality to meet requirements of livestock

2. Inspect pen status and condition

2.1 Source information on pen group status from enterprise livestock production plan

2.2 Assess pen infrastructure, feed bunks, feed apron and water troughs together with animal feeding behaviour and identify performance and potential issues

2.3 Identify strategies to control leaking troughs, and prevent livestock from access to damaged pen or feeding areas

2.4 Assess pen surface conditions and behaviours of livestock in consideration of prevailing weather conditions

2.5 Identify strategies for adjusting stocking density, providing access to shade, modifying pen drainage, cleaning pen and modifying the ration

3. Assess manure condition

3.1 Assess manure consistency and colour as indicators of individual animal and herd health

3.2 Identify strategies for increasing roughage in ration, courser processing of grains and adjusting rations for sick animals

4. Check pen hygiene

4.1 Assess feed bunks, feed aprons and water troughs for fouling and unhygienic build-ups of waste

4.2 Identify strategies for resolving animal production and health issues, work health and safety concerns, and cleaning of pens to prevent odour and insect problems

5. Report and record incidents as required

5.1 Report incidents and problems to supervisor as required

5.2 Record and monitor effectiveness of strategies adopted

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

monitor ration and water levels and respond to issues as required

inspect pen status and condition and respond to issues as required

assess manure condition and respond as required

check pen hygiene and respond to issues as required

report and record incidents

communicate with work team and supervisors

implement relevant work health and safety, biosecurity, animal welfare and environmental protection requirements and practices

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

type of information on rations, water, housing infrastructure and feeding infrastructure that can be gathered from livestock production and feeding plans

principles and elements of nutrition and the impact of nutrition on livestock production

nutritional requirements of different livestock species, classes and life stages

impacts of poor nutrition and unsuitable rations on livestock production, and strategies to mitigate these impacts

how rations can be adjusted or modified to benefit sick animals

housing requirements and housing management of different livestock species, classes and life stages

feeding and water requirements, and feeding and water management of different livestock species, classes and life stages

impacts of unsuitable housing, feeding and watering infrastructure on livestock and strategies to mitigate these impacts

effects of weather on housing and feeding infrastructure and strategies to mitigate such effects

methods for using manure as assessment of livestock health

methods for maintaining, cleaning and removing waste from housing and feeding infrastructure

documentation, record keeping and methods for monitoring effectiveness of adopted strategies

relevant work health and safety, biosecurity, animal welfare and environmental protection requirements and practices

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace and/or simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.

Assessors must satisfy current conditions for RTOs.


Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title]      Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)


Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Element

Performance criteria

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Monitor ration and water levels

1.1 Source information on ration ingredients and composition from enterprise livestock production and/or feed plans

1.2 Assess ration levels, composition and consistency and identify potential production and health issues for different pens and classes of livestock

1.3 Identify strategies for removing wet, mouldy and fouled ration from bunks, and preventing livestock from access to unsuitable rations

1.4 Assess water quantity and quality to meet requirements of livestock

2. Inspect pen status and condition

2.1 Source information on pen group status from enterprise livestock production plan

2.2 Assess pen infrastructure, feed bunks, feed apron and water troughs together with animal feeding behaviour and identify performance and potential issues

2.3 Identify strategies to control leaking troughs, and prevent livestock from access to damaged pen or feeding areas

2.4 Assess pen surface conditions and behaviours of livestock in consideration of prevailing weather conditions

2.5 Identify strategies for adjusting stocking density, providing access to shade, modifying pen drainage, cleaning pen and modifying the ration

3. Assess manure condition

3.1 Assess manure consistency and colour as indicators of individual animal and herd health

3.2 Identify strategies for increasing roughage in ration, courser processing of grains and adjusting rations for sick animals

4. Check pen hygiene

4.1 Assess feed bunks, feed aprons and water troughs for fouling and unhygienic build-ups of waste

4.2 Identify strategies for resolving animal production and health issues, work health and safety concerns, and cleaning of pens to prevent odour and insect problems

5. Report and record incidents as required

5.1 Report incidents and problems to supervisor as required

5.2 Record and monitor effectiveness of strategies adopted

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

monitor ration and water levels and respond to issues as required

inspect pen status and condition and respond to issues as required

assess manure condition and respond as required

check pen hygiene and respond to issues as required

report and record incidents

communicate with work team and supervisors

implement relevant work health and safety, biosecurity, animal welfare and environmental protection requirements and practices

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

type of information on rations, water, housing infrastructure and feeding infrastructure that can be gathered from livestock production and feeding plans

principles and elements of nutrition and the impact of nutrition on livestock production

nutritional requirements of different livestock species, classes and life stages

impacts of poor nutrition and unsuitable rations on livestock production, and strategies to mitigate these impacts

how rations can be adjusted or modified to benefit sick animals

housing requirements and housing management of different livestock species, classes and life stages

feeding and water requirements, and feeding and water management of different livestock species, classes and life stages

impacts of unsuitable housing, feeding and watering infrastructure on livestock and strategies to mitigate these impacts

effects of weather on housing and feeding infrastructure and strategies to mitigate such effects

methods for using manure as assessment of livestock health

methods for maintaining, cleaning and removing waste from housing and feeding infrastructure

documentation, record keeping and methods for monitoring effectiveness of adopted strategies

relevant work health and safety, biosecurity, animal welfare and environmental protection requirements and practices

Competency is to be assessed in the workplace and/or simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.

Assessors must satisfy current conditions for RTOs.

Copy and paste from the following performance criteria to create an observation checklist for each task. When you have finished writing your assessment tool every one of these must have been addressed, preferably several times in a variety of contexts. To ensure this occurs download the assessment matrix for the unit; enter each assessment task as a column header and place check marks against each performance criteria that task addresses.

Observation Checklist

Tasks to be observed according to workplace/college/TAFE policy and procedures, relevant legislation and Codes of Practice Yes No Comments/feedback
Source information on ration ingredients and composition from enterprise livestock production and/or feed plans 
Assess ration levels, composition and consistency and identify potential production and health issues for different pens and classes of livestock 
Identify strategies for removing wet, mouldy and fouled ration from bunks, and preventing livestock from access to unsuitable rations 
Assess water quantity and quality to meet requirements of livestock 
Source information on pen group status from enterprise livestock production plan 
Assess pen infrastructure, feed bunks, feed apron and water troughs together with animal feeding behaviour and identify performance and potential issues 
Identify strategies to control leaking troughs, and prevent livestock from access to damaged pen or feeding areas 
Assess pen surface conditions and behaviours of livestock in consideration of prevailing weather conditions 
Identify strategies for adjusting stocking density, providing access to shade, modifying pen drainage, cleaning pen and modifying the ration 
Assess manure consistency and colour as indicators of individual animal and herd health 
Identify strategies for increasing roughage in ration, courser processing of grains and adjusting rations for sick animals 
Assess feed bunks, feed aprons and water troughs for fouling and unhygienic build-ups of waste 
Identify strategies for resolving animal production and health issues, work health and safety concerns, and cleaning of pens to prevent odour and insect problems 
Report incidents and problems to supervisor as required 
Record and monitor effectiveness of strategies adopted 

Forms

Assessment Cover Sheet

AHCLSK333 - Monitor pen condition and ration suitability
Assessment task 1: [title]

Student name:

Student ID:

I declare that the assessment tasks submitted for this unit are my own work.

Student signature:

Result: Competent Not yet competent

Feedback to student

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:


Assessment Record Sheet

AHCLSK333 - Monitor pen condition and ration suitability

Student name:

Student ID:

Assessment task 1: [title] Result: Competent Not yet competent

(add lines for each task)

Feedback to student:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall assessment result: Competent Not yet competent

Assessor name:

Signature:

Date:

Student signature:

Date: