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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare for milking
   • Prepare dairy sheds, yards and equipment for milking operations
   • Prepare teat sprays
   • Move and yard livestock in readiness for milking operations
   • Follow appropriate work health and safety practices
2. Carry out milking
   • Move livestock into position and check and prepare for milking
   • Segregate and report livestock producing milk unsuitable for bulk sales where required
   • Conduct milking hygienically and monitor progress to prevent over-milking
   • Identify and isolate unsuitable milk from bulk supplies
   • Identify and report livestock health problems to supervisor for treatment
   • Report livestock on heat where required
   • Handle livestock in line with enterprise animal welfare policies
3. Complete milking operation
   • Return livestock to paddocks without causing stress or injury
   • Select suitable detergents and cleaning supplies
   • Carry out cleaning procedures to maintain hygiene standards of dairy facilities
   • Identify and report machinery and equipment malfunctions for repair or replacement

Range Statement

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Performance Evidence

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:

prepare dairy facilities and equipment to industry safety and hygiene standards

operate milking equipment to carry out milking in an effective and efficient manner

complete milking operation and return livestock to paddocks

clean dairy facilities and equipment to industry standards

recognise and isolate unsuitable milk

identify sickness or abnormal behaviour in livestock

communicate with supervisor and staff

follow enterprise work health and safety policies

follow enterprise animal welfare policies

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

types, functions, cleaning and maintenance of milking facilities, machinery and equipment such as sheds, yards, milking machines and teat sprays

anatomy, physiology, reproduction cycle, lactation and behaviour of the animal species applicable to milking operations

relevant work health and safety requirements

relevant animal welfare practices and requirements such as handling and moving livestock

work routines, procedures and impacts of bad practices for milking operations

criteria and methods for determining milk quality

types, characteristics, signs of ill health, prevention and treatment of relevant diseases in the livestock species

types, handling, use and disposal of detergents and cleaning agents, work health and safety and environmental practices for these agents

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