Elements and Performance Criteria
- Select ingredients for feed
- Identify nutritional needs of livestock from information available and class of livestock
- Source nutritional advice from the appropriate industry or organisational sources
- Select ingredients that provide for the identified nutritional need of livestock
- Select suppliers of ingredients on the basis of quality and cost of feed
- Determine quantities of individual ingredients required, in conjunction with advice from other available information and expert/supplier advice
- Determine feed rations and schedules
- Determine quantities of total feeds required for livestock from the production program, in conjunction with advice from other available information and expert advice
- Take into consideration the results of any available laboratory testing when determining the quantities of each ingredient used
- Schedule feeding and allocate responsibility for feeding in line with the production program and other operations occurring within the site
- Identify the method(s) of providing feed to livestock identified in the production plan and confirm with supplier of ingredients and other expert advice
- Supervise mixing and storage of feed
- Organise secure and hygienic storage of feed and ingredients to eliminate contamination and infestation
- Select storage location to ensure safe access
- Organise rotation of feedstocks and replacements to arrive at the appropriate time to ensure optimum freshness
- Organise mixing of feed to suit the needs of the livestock, the identified nutritional requirements and the equipment available within the organisation
- Add medications to feeds according to enterprise procedures if required
- Take, package and label samples of feed and forward them to the laboratory for testing according to the schedules described in the production program
- Check calibration of measuring equipment and calculation of quantities at regular intervals
- Identify work health and safety hazards, assess risks, and implement, monitor and review risk controls for feed preparation and feeding operations
- Comply with enterprise biosecurity policies
- Supervise feeding
- Supply rations to the livestock according to the production program and schedules devised
- Make potable water available continuously to the livestock
- Monitor the health and wellbeing of the livestock in line with enterprise requirements and animal welfare policies
- Monitor and report any change in production levels as a direct result of changes to feed types, ingredients or schedules
- Give advice to operational staff during the feeding operation when requested, or when the need is observed
- Remove all waste materials and substances from the site and store, or disposed of, according to legislation, environmental policies and enterprise procedures
- Collate and store documentation according to the requirements of the organisation