Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify animal welfare issues and comply with the necessary requirements when handing animals. The requirements include all workplace and regulatory requirements for humane handling.
This unit is applicable to all personnel responsible for handling livestock.
All work should be carried out to comply with workplace and hygiene requirements.
This unit applies to individuals who work under general supervision, exercise limited autonomy and have some accountability for their own work.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
This unit must be delivered and assessed in the context of Australian meat processing standards and regulations, in particular legislative requirements related to animal welfare.
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. Identify and explain animal handling practices | 1.1 Identify work instructions and work practices for the welfare and handling of animals 1.2 Identify the impact on the quality of meat of stressing and/or injuring animals 1.3 Identify defects in meat quality resulting from poor handling techniques of live animals |
2. Identify and explain animal welfare requirements | 2.1 Identify risks to animals being handled 2.2 Identify and explain workplace and regulatory requirements for handling animals humanely 2.3 Identify and explain relevant sections of the applicable Animal Welfare Standard and relevant legislation |
3. Identify and explain workplace health and safety requirements for handling animals safely | 3.1 Identify risks associated with handling animals 3.2 Identify workplace health and safety requirements associated with handling animals |
4. Identify and explain livestock identification procedures | 4.1 Identify individual animal identification procedures, where appropriate, according to workplace, WHS and regulatory requirements 4.2 Explain the purpose of individual mob and lot identification 4.3 Identify lots according to workplace requirements 4.4 Explain the consequences of incorrect lot identification |
5. Identify and explain requirements for dealing with sick and injured stock | 5.1 Explain workplace and regulatory requirements 5.2 Describe humane destruction (euthanasing) arrangements |
6. Apply animal welfare and handling techniques | 6.1 Handle animals in a way that complies with workplace requirements and minimises stress 6.2 Maintain flow of stock to meet processing requirements 6.3 Handle animals safely in accordance with workplace and WHS requirements 6.4 Handle sick and injured stock in accordance with workplace requirements |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must identify animal welfare issues and comply with the necessary requirements when handing animals.
The candidate must:
identify sick or injured animals
identify out-of-specification animals
accurately complete records of livestock movement
communicate effectively and appropriately with fellow workers (e.g. to exchange information with stockperson)
identify signs and causes of stress in animals
comply with workplace procedures and requirements for handling livestock and minimising livestock stress
maintain flow of livestock with minimal livestock stress
identify the relevant sections of the animal welfare standard and code
identify relevant regulatory requirements
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a basic factual, technical and procedural knowledge of:
workplace procedures for receival and/or dispatch of animals
workplace requirements for maintaining flow and order of animals
impact of stress and injury on the animal
impact of stress and injury on product quality, including carcases, hides and skins
stock identification systems including National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)
lot identification of stock and its importance with regard to trace back
workplace health and safety hazards of handling stock
feed and water requirements where relevant
the relevant sections of the animal welfare standard and code
relevant work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) associated with tasks undertaken
customer and community expectations
workplace and regulatory requirements
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated utilising the most current legislation and codes.
Assessment must involve some practical demonstration of competency in the relevant workplace.
As a minimum, the following three forms of assessment must be used:
quiz of underpinning knowledge
workplace demonstration
workplace referee or third-party report of performance over time
Assessors must satisfy the current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.