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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Monitor animal health status
   • Information on animal health programs are sourced from the livestock production plans.
   • Animal health status is assessed by routinely inspecting each animal from induction to despatch to ensure unimpeded access and opportunity to observe behavioural characteristics, signs of ill-health and freedom of movement.
   • Information on past treatment is sourced from the individual animal's health tag/s and enterprise records to assist with decision making.
   • Prevention and treatment strategies are identified to resolve health issues such as; recording for follow-up observation, removal/pulling for exclusion from other livestock and or treatment.
2. Identify and diagnose animals requiring treatment
   • Potential health issues are identified for individual animals in different pens and classes of livestock.
   • The type and severity of infection or injury is determined and animals requiring treatment under the animal health plan are identified and removed/pulled.
3. Determine the type and scope of treatment
   • The need for treatment and the type and scope of treatment is determined and prepared according to manufacturer's specifications or veterinary advice.
   • Equipment, materials and treatment site are prepared to industry standards and according to enterprise requirements.
   • Hazards in the workplace are identified; risk assessed and controlled according to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements and enterprise guidelines.
   • Withholding periods and other details of treatment are recorded according to enterprise guidelines and product specifications.
4. Administer treatment
   • Suitable personal protective equipment is selected according to OHS requirements and enterprise guidelines.
   • Animals are safely handled and restrained without causing harm or injury to animal or handler.
   • Treatment is administered hygienically and consistently according to manufacturer's specifications or veterinary advice.
   • Treated animals are identified from non-treated animals to ensure compliance against the required Withholding Period (WHP).
   • Treated animals are counted out, prepared and moved along a planned route without damage to animal, person, property or environment.
5. Implement follow-up procedures
   • Animal health and condition is monitored post-treatment and abnormalities reported according to enterprise guidelines.
   • Environmental implications associated with the treatment of animals are identified, assessed and controlled according to enterprise requirements.
   • Equipment and worksite are cleaned and waste, including animal residues, is disposed of according to OHS and enterprise guidelines.
   • Health treatments are stored to manufacturers recommendations, industry and enterprise requirements.
   • Relevant information is documented according to industry and enterprise requirements.

Required Skills

Required skills

identify hazards and implement safe work practices for animal health treatment collect faecal tissue or blood samples for laboratory analysis samples identify the symptoms of infectious and other diseases and injuries select livestock prone to infection and behavioural problems for culling arrange and coordinate equipment and resources drench and vaccinate livestock select and apply appropriate chemicals to treat infections and infestations assemble check and calibrate drenching and vaccinating equipment calculate animal numbers and measure treatment dosage and rates demonstrating safe and environmentally responsible workplace practices provide due care and humanely handle animals to minimise stress return animals to prepared and clean environments read and interpret chemical and veterinary health labels manufacturers specifications and Material Safety Data Sheets MSDSs recognise monitor and report the signs of heat load to work team and management use oral communication skillslanguage competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning techniques active listening clarifying information and consulting with supervisors as required use numeracy skills to estimate calculate and record routine workplace measures use interpersonal skills to work with and relate to people from a range of cultural social and religious backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities

Required knowledge

the relationship between livestock health and nutrition types of feedlot diseases and their symptoms application procedures and effects of veterinary chemicals types of health preparation treatments enterprise vaccination programs and procedures identification of and prescribed treatments for infections and infestations livestock health and nutritional requirements requirements for the preparation and transportation of samples for laboratory testing drenching equipment drenches and their efficiency relevant codes of practice with regard to the safe use and handling of hazardous substances WHP for treated animals principles of animal behaviour handling and restraint techniques OHS and animal welfare legislative and enterprise requirements relevant codes of practice with regard to environmental protection understanding of the enterprise heat load management plan understanding of Livestock Arrivals Biosecurity Risk Assessment

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit	The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following monitor animal health status and refer to the production plan for intervention strategies accurately diagnose the type and severity of infection or injury determine the type and scope of treatment administer treatments and observe withholding periods monitor animals for treatment effectiveness document and record procedures for animal treatment
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Competency requires the application of safe work practices under enterprise conditions Selection and use of resources for worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances
Method of assessment	This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units The assessment strategy for this unit must verify required knowledge skill and application using more than one of the following assessment methods demonstration practical skills assessment oralwritten questions professional conversations direct observation thirdparty evidence case study analysis role play simulations presentations performance audit written assignment portfolio and examinations
Guidance information for assessment	Evidence should be gathered over a period of time in a range of actual or simulated environments

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Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.
Animals may include:	beef cattle dairy cattle sheep goats
Feedlots may include:	sheds pens etc
Enterprises may include:	large scale fully automated small scale manually operated
Livestock health issues may include:	monitoring the heat load and heat stress of animals bovine respiratory disease (BDR) acidosis feet problems digestive disorders
Treatments may include:	acclimation ration variations animal health treatments medication

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