AHCHBR309A
Determine nutritional requirements for horses

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to interpret the nutritional requirements of horses and formulate appropriate rations to maintain suitable health.

Application

This unit of competency is intended to apply to any horse breeding environment and is generally applicable to most horse industry enterprises. It supports stud workers and supervisors, stud managers and others authorised to manage and maintain horse health.

In addition to legal and ethical responsibilities, it is a requirement that horses are handled gently and calmly. The individual is required to exhibit appropriate care for horses so that stress and discomfort is minimised.


Prerequisites

Nil


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Identify the nutritional requirements for different classes of horses

1.1 The nutritional requirements that meet the individual needs of horse, are identified according to nutritional principles and in consultation with appropriate personnel

1.2 Rations are prepared as appropriate to the animal’s condition, workload and age

1.3 A basic ration is formulated for an individual horse

1.4 Paddocked horses are provided with standing and supplementary feed according to their needs

2. Assess feed, additives and supplements for horses

2.1 Feed is selected on the basis of quality, nutritional and economic value, according to organisational policies and procedures

2.2 Supplements and feed additives for specific animals are assessed on the basis of active ingredients, price and nutritional needs

3. Establish and monitor individual feeding regimes for horses

3.1 An individual feeding regime is established according to the needs of the horse

Each animal’s eating behaviour, food intake and work level is identified and documented in accordance with organisational policy and procedures

3.3 Feed regime is monitored and adjusted when required

Required Skills

Required skills include:

Problem-solving skills to:

select and formulate rations to meet individual horse's nutritional requirements

assess the effects of additives and supplements on the performance of horses

adjust feeding regimes in response to changing horse behaviour and needs

Planning and organising skills to:

prepare individual rations based on nutritional requirements

feed horses within required time frames

monitor feeding regimes and make appropriate modifications

Communication skills to liaise with relevant personnel to determine nutritional requirements of horses and appropriate feed, additives and supplements

Literacy skills to maintain and monitor feed records and follow instructions to prepare feed rations

Numeracy skills to identify and correctly prepare and weigh up feed components and supplements.

Required knowledge includes:

Knowledge of:

common horse behaviour, social traits and vices to enable feeding regimes to be implemented effectively

signs of changes in horse eating behaviour to enable problems to be identified and addressed

horse digestive system such as mouth and teeth, stomach, small and large intestines to enable identification and correction of feeding problems

nutritional composition of common foods

sources and importance of energy, protein, fibre, minerals and vitamins in food rations to meet horse’s nutritional requirements

feed additives and supplements and their composition to enable potential effects to be monitored

nutritional requirements with respect to the animals age, and needs while breeding, growing and preparation for sale

developing and modifying the feeding regimes of a range of horses at varying stages in life cycle, breeding, growing and preparation for sale

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 include demonstration of candidates ability to perform the following:

applying knowledge of factors affecting the nutritional requirements of different horses in the work environment, including the effects of additives and supplements, to prepare and provide balanced diets and food for horses demonstrating an understanding of quality, type and value of feed and needs of individual horses

completing tasks within nominated time frames and applies safe work practices when determining nutritional requirements of horses

applying effective contingency management techniques to make adjustments to feeding regimes in response to changing conditions, such as signs of problem eating displayed by individual horses

documenting and maintaining feed records and adjusting in response to changing requirements

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must include observation of carrying out and monitoring feeding regimes on individual horses on multiple occasions to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance.

Assessment must also ensure access to:

a variety of horses in various stages of preparation including paddocked horses

information about the properties of additives and supplements

appropriate feed, additives and supplements and feeding equipment

organisational policies and procedures in relation to feeding horses

appropriate personnel

Method of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

observation of interaction with horses during assessment of nutritional needs, and implementation and monitoring of feeding regime

oral and or written questioning to assess knowledge of factors affecting the nutritional requirements of a range of horses

portfolio of feeding records

third-party reports from a supervisor detailing performance


Range Statement

The range statement relates to the Unit of Competency as a whole.

Individual needs of horses may include:

work requirements

individual taste

behaviour

condition

age

environment

workload

stage of training

nutritional principles may include:

nutrients:

protein

fat

trace elements

fibre

minerals

energy

grain and roughage balance

Basic rations may include:

local varieties or species of grass or pasture, hays and fodders

pre-packaged food or bulk base food

Supplementary feed may include:

vitamins

oils

calcium

electrolytes

potassium citrate

iron

hoof hardener

molasses

mineral salt lick

herbal remedies

Individual feeding regimes may include:

size

time and frequency

age effects

gender effects

level of work

individual taste

location of work and feeding

normal habitat

metabolism

time of year and available natural feeds


Sectors

Horse Breeding


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.


Licensing Information

No licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of endorsement.