Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to carry out pregnancy testing in livestock.
This unit can be delivered in the context of the following industries: cattle and horses.
This unit does not cover ultrasound scanning for pregnancy diagnosis.
This unit applies to those whose job role includes testing animals for pregnancy using manual diagnosis procedures. Veterinary advice may need to be sought in some cases where pregnancy symptoms are difficult to detect, or animals are to be identified as pregnant for sale.
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 take responsibility for their own work and for the quality of the work of others within known parameters. They use discretion and judgement in the selection, allocation and use of available resources and provide and communicate solutions to a range of predictable and sometimes unpredictable problems.
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. Prepare for pregnancy testing | 1.1 Prepare physical resources, human resources and relevant documentation for pregnancy testing 1.2 Muster, yard and safely restrain animals in compliance with work health and safety, animal welfare and workplace procedures 1.3 Draft animals to be tested according to breeding or management program requirements |
2. Arrange support for pregnancy testing | 2.1 Assemble pregnancy testing supplies and equipment for the operators 2.2 Separate and restrain individual animals for veterinary treatment or examination 2.3 Undertake all handling and testing of animals with strict adherence to animal welfare codes of practice 2.4 Complete records of pregnancy testing operations in line with established procedures and report outcomes to management as required |
3. Carry out manual pregnancy diagnosis procedures | 3.1 Identify work health and safety hazards, assess risks and implement suitable controls while working with animals 3.2 Fit and use personal protective equipment in compliance with biosecurity and personal hygiene requirements 3.3 Humanely restrain individual animals for testing and check individual breeding records 3.4 Clean rectal area of animal prior to examination 3.5 Humanely and safely carry out rectal examination/palpation to establish pregnancy or non-pregnancy 3.6 Implement strict hygiene procedures between pregnancy testing individual animals in compliance with animal welfare and biosecurity requirements 3.7 Record identities and relevant details of animals tested 3.8 Observe and record other indicators of animal health for input to herd health management |
4. Carry out post pregnancy testing procedures | 4.1 Accurately identify animals diagnosed as pregnant or not pregnant 4.2 Consign all animals to their destination or return them to paddocks/pens in line with workplace requirements 4.3 Dispose of biological waste, debris and veterinary medicine waste in compliance with work health and safety, biosecurity and environmental requirements 4.4 Carry out regular monitoring of animals post pregnancy testing to detect post-testing complications |
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:
plan and prepare for pregnancy testing coordinate and arrange support for pregnancy testing
arrange support for pregnancy testing
draft animals and source information on joining to assist in pregnancy testing
restrain animals for pregnancy testing using humane methods and facilities
carry out manual pregnancy diagnosis procedures in adherence with animal welfare codes
monitor animals after pregnancy testing
maintain records of pregnancy testing
apply relevant animal welfare requirements
implement relevant work health and safety animal welfare and biosecurity requirements and practices
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
relevant anatomy and physiology of the animal species
reproductive physiology and pregnancy development of the animal species
husbandry and management strategies for pregnant and non-pregnant animals
pregnancy testing methods
reproductive diseases and complications in the animal species
relevant work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation, codes of practice and industry and enterprise policies
recording and reporting systems used in conjunction with pregnancy diagnosis and animal breeding programs.
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace and/or a simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessments for the following performance evidence must be conducted on live animals:
carry out pregnancy diagnosis procedures
Competency in this unit can be determined in a single species.
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)