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Follow the links below to find material targeted to the unit's elements, performance criteria, required skills and knowledge

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Prepare paddocks or yards
   • Confirm particular livestock mating plan with supervisor
   • Select paddocks or yards and stock to appropriate levels
   • Plan predator control program and implement where appropriate
   • Identify hazards, assess risks, implement controls and report safety concerns to the supervisor
   • Select and use safety and personal protective equipment
2. Prepare dams for joining
   • Monitor live weight of dams through weighing and condition scoring
   • Adjust nutrition levels to achieve targeted joining weights in line with feeding strategy
   • Implement dam health and husbandry operations
   • Draft mobs for joining
3. Prepare sires for joining
   • Carry out physical examination of sires prior to joining
   • Seek veterinary advice where appropriate
   • Determine mating ratios
   • Select replacement sires in time to allow adjustment to new environment
   • Carry out sire health, handling and husbandry operations in line with individual requirements and enterprise animal welfare policies
   • Test mate sires to assess libido and serving capability if required
   • Monitor sires environment for optimum mating performance
4. Join sires to dam mobs
   • Select dates for joining where appropriate according to the mating plan
   • Organise test joinings for new sires if appropriate
   • Introduce sires to herds or individual dams to ensure good contact
   • Remove sires from herds at the scheduled time
5. Monitor mating activity
   • Observe and record mating activity
   • Observe distribution of sires within each mob
   • Take remedial action if required

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:

identify hazards and implement safe work practices

prepare dams and sires for joining

manage dams and sires during joining

appraise breeding soundness in animals

estimate live weights

monitor joining activity

prepare joining paddocks

assess the serving capacity and fertility of males pre joining

ensure females are above minimum body weights to exhibit oestrus

use sufficient males for the number of females to be mated in the group

use back up sires where single sire mating is practised

record mating details

apply relevant work health and safety requirements

apply relevant biosecurity and animal welfare practices

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

mating behaviour of sires and dams

optimum live weights and condition for mating

physical abnormalities and mating problems in males and females

environmental influences on joining

work health and safety and animal welfare legislation, codes of practice and enterprise procedures

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