Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required for the identification of animals using electronic systems.
This unit is applicable to workers in stockyards, saleyards and slaughter floors where livestock or carcases are identified using electronic readers for stock ear tags or boluses.
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.
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 animals using electronic systems | 1.1 Identify and meet the regulatory requirements for electronic identification of individual animals 1.2 Identify and follow start-up procedures for electronic readers 1.3 Operate the identification and recording system according to work instructions (incorporating tail tag data where appropriate) 1.4 Identify animals electronically by scanning stock to workplace requirements 1.5 Explain and identify sources of errors in identification and/or malfunction of the system 1.6 Explain consequences of incorrect identification of animals |
2. Maintain, clean and monitor electronic identification system | 2.1 Undertake routine maintenance, cleaning and monitoring according to workplace requirements |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must identify animals using electronic systems.
The candidate must:
complete start-up procedures for electronic readers and recordings
identify the steps in animal identification
scan stock electronically in yards and pens (where applicable)
operate the identification and recording system according to work instructions
identify the sources of errors in identification and/or malfunction of the system
apply communication skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
apply relevant workplace health and safety, and regulatory requirements
undertake routine maintenance, cleaning and monitoring according to workplace requirements
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a basic factual, technical and procedural knowledge of:
the consequences of incorrect identification of animals
the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)
the reasons for animal identification
relevant workplace health and safety, and regulatory requirements
animal identification requirements
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated at normal rates of production.
As a minimum, the following three forms of assessment must be used:
workplace demonstration
quiz of underpinning knowledge
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.