Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to milk livestock.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes, and sustainability practices.
This unit applies to individuals who work under general supervision and exercise limited autonomy with some accountability for their own work. They identify and provide solutions to a limited range of predictable problems.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Prepare for milking | 1.1 Prepare dairy sheds, yards and equipment for milking operations 1.2 Prepare teat sprays 1.3 Move and yard livestock in readiness for milking operations 1.4 Follow appropriate work health and safety practices |
2. Carry out milking | 2.1 Move livestock into position and check and prepare for milking 2.2 Segregate and report livestock producing milk unsuitable for bulk sales where required 2.3 Conduct milking hygienically and monitor progress to prevent over-milking 2.4 Identify and isolate unsuitable milk from bulk supplies 2.5 Identify and report livestock health problems to supervisor for treatment 2.6 Report livestock on heat where required 2.7 Handle livestock in line with enterprise animal welfare policies |
3. Complete milking operation | 3.1 Return livestock to paddocks without causing stress or injury 3.2 Select suitable detergents and cleaning supplies 3.3 Carry out cleaning procedures to maintain hygiene standards of dairy facilities 3.4 Identify and report machinery and equipment malfunctions for repair or replacement |
Evidence of Performance
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
Evidence of Knowledge
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
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace OR workplace and simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Dairy (DRY)