Elements and Performance Criteria
- Determine breeding goals for the enterprise in relation to market specifications
- Determine the breeding goals for the short term and the strategy to meet market specifications in the long term
- Analyse the traits affecting profit in a livestock breeding enterprise to optimise production through an improved genetic breeding program
- Assess the environment where the breeding enterprise is based and select a breed and breeding program to match that environment
- Select a product specification suited to the breeding enterprise
- Assess current performance of the breeding enterprise
- Assess and select livestock for genetic improvement
- Assess the current breeding herd for the genetic traits required for production and marketing
- Analyse genetic information to select herd replacements from the breeding herd and before purchasing stock
- Evaluate the costs and benefits of natural mating, Artificial Insemination (AI) and Embryo Transfer (ET) to achieve genetic improvement
- Carry out a breeding program
- Assess and improve the facilities on the property for drafting, inseminating and pregnancy testing
- Develop and monitor procedures to be followed for work health and safety while implementing the animal-breeding program
- Apply legal, veterinarian and welfare requirements
- Apply practices to improve submission rates and conception rates of a breeding program
- Assist genetic selection by the use of equipment to aid in data collection and analysis
- Use new technology to collect feedback to improve production and market performance
- Evaluate the breeding program against the breeding goals