Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to maintain growing environments for livestock under production.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes of practice 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.
In addition to legal responsibilities, all units of competency dealing with animals in the AHC Training Package have the requirements for animals to be handled humanely to minimise stress and discomfort.
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. Maintain environment systems | 1.1 Carry out biosecurity procedures, including access to sheds and boot washing 1.2 Carry out maintenance work according to enterprise work health and safety standards for hazards identification, risk assessment and risk control measures 1.3 Carry out shed heating, cooling and ventilation systems maintenance 1.4 Check litter and manure conditions and report changes 1.5 Maintain lighting programs specified for the production unit and report variations 1.6 Clean light globes regularly and report malfunctions 1.7 Check feed program is working according to enterprise procedures and report malfunctions 1.8 Check feeding times and feed rate when restricted feeding is practised and report malfunctions 1.9 Carry out maintenance work as necessary 1.10 Check waterers in sheds and report malfunctions |
2. Observe and assess livestock health | 2.1 Check livestock regularly 2.2 Recognise and report ill health of livestock 2.3 Carry out disease prevention strategies appropriate to the unit as instructed and in line with biosecurity codes |
3. Handle livestock | 3.1 Handle livestock in accordance with animal welfare requirements and codes of practice 3.2 Count and identify livestock 3.3 Recognise and identify injured, malformed or non-productive livestock, and report to enterprise or supervisor 3.4 Treat livestock under direction of the unit supervisor, and report the effects of treatment |
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:
identify work health and safety hazards and follow safe work practices
follow relevant biosecurity practices
maintain environment systems
observe and assess livestock health
follow relevant animal welfare practices when handling or treating livestock
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
relevant biosecurity requirements
relevant animal welfare requirements
relevant work health and safety requirements and sustainability practices
shed heating, cooling and ventilations systems, their functions, maintenance and servicing, and impact of changes on livestock
types of litter, functions and impact of litter changes on livestock
impact of manure conditions on livestock
lighting programs and impact of variations in lighting programs on livestock
types of lighting, functions, maintenance and servicing
feeding programs and impact of changes and malfunctions on livestock
restricted feeding and impact of changes and malfunctions on livestock
watering systems, functions, maintenance and servicing, and the impact of changes and malfunctions on livestock
types of maintenance work that need to be carried out in a livestock production unit
signs of health, anatomy, physiology and behaviour of the livestock species
signs of ill health in the livestock species
signs of injury, malformation and non-productiveness in livestock
types of disease prevention strategies and their functions
methods for handling livestock
methods for counting and identifying livestock
types of treatment in livestock and assessment of treatment effectiveness
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace and/or 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
Livestock (LSK)