Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to service and repair milking equipment.
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 broad direction and use discretion and judgement in the selection and use of available resources.
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. Service and repair vacuum pumps and the vacuum regulator | 1.1 Follow enterprise work health and safety policies 1.2 Establish vacuum pump capacity and assess performance against design parameters and shed requirements 1.3 Disassemble, service and reassemble vacuum pump 1.4 Check and repair vacuum pump exhaust and housing to minimise noise and ensure that levels remain within prescribed standards 1.5 Check and clean regulators for performance and replace defective parts |
2. Service pulsators and electronic systems | 2.1 Assess pulsator performance during milking and as a part of mechanical testing 2.2 Remove and repair or replace electronic or pneumatic pulsators in mechanical testing 2.3 Test and replace extra low voltage segments of the pulsation and wash systems controllers |
3. Service and repair milk pumps and the milk releasing system | 3.1 Check pumping performance of milk pumps 3.2 Disassemble and repair milk pumps, drives and couplings 3.3 Inspect milk releaser and replace rubber seals and flaps |
4. Repair and maintain the milk transport system | 4.1 Inspect rubberware for correct specification including liner/teat cup matching and replace or adjust 4.2 Inspect claws and claw bowls for cleanliness and correct connection to suit the specific pulsation system 4.3 Assess the operation of automatic vacuum cut-off in the claw and clean air admission holes 4.4 Inspect milk lines and air lines and check joins for compliance with industry standards 4.5 Check cans and vessels for dents and damage and shut off valves for correct operation 4.6 Disassemble, clean and re- assemble plate cooler, and clean and replace filters |
5. Service and repair non-milking systems | 5.1 Inspect jetters and cleaning system to ensure adequate air admission during cleaning and correct water volumes are circulating 5.2 Repair or replace cleaning system components 5.3 Check automatic cup removers to ensure that detectors are clean and effective and that the pistons operate effectively 5.4 Repair or replace automatic cup removers 5.5 Inspect herd recording equipment and valves and replace rubberware 5.6 Inspect and repair or maintain feed systems |
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:
service and repair vacuum pumps and the vacuum regulator
service pulsators and electronic systems
service and repair milk pumps and the milk releasing system
repair and maintain the milk transport system
service and repair non-milking systems
apply enterprise work health and safety policies
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
types, functions, cleaning, monitoring and maintenance of milking machines and all components
criteria and methods for assessing optimal performance of milking machines and their components
requirements, procedures and assessment criteria for mechanical testing of milking machines and all components
possible faults, problems and poor performance with milking machines and their components, impacts on milking operations and corrective actions for these faults and problems
types, functions, cleaning, monitoring and maintenance of feed systems and their components
relevant work health and safety requirements
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
Milk Harvesting (MKH)