Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to perform first leg opening cuts and to remove udders, pizzles and testicles of cattle, buffalo, deer, camels and horses.
This unit is applicable to workers in abattoirs and knackeries.
All work should be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, customer requirements and product specifications.
This unit applies to individuals who work under broad direction and take responsibility for their own work including limited responsibility for the work of others. They provide and communicate solutions to a range of predictable problems.
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. Make first leg cuts | 1.1 Remove strip of hide along the hock of the first leg in accordance with work instructions. 1.2 Open hide down the inside of the first leg with minimum contamination in accordance with work instructions. 1.3 Maintain compliance with workplace health and safety requirements for the legging area. 1.4 Completely remove udders from lactating females leaving supramammary lymph nodes in accordance with work instructions. 1.5 Remove pizzles and testicles in males in accordance with work instructions. 1.6 Wash hands and sterilise knives before and after trimming. 1.7 Trim milk spillage or any other contamination and dispose of waste in accordance with work instructions. |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must perform first leg opening cuts and to remove udders, pizzles and testicles of cattle, buffalo, deer, camels or horses.
The candidate must:
cut the leg so that all cuts through the hide are directed outwards (spear cut)
complete first leg opening cuts in accordance with work instructions
apply communication skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
apply relevant regulatory and workplace requirements
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:
methods used to achieve a hide with good shape and consistency
equipment sterilisation requirements
consequences of cutting the hide muscle structure and surfaces
relevant workplace health and safety requirements
sources of contamination and cross-contamination
relevant anatomy of the species processed
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be conducted on a slaughter floor or processing floor of a registered meat processing enterprise.
Competency must be demonstrated at normal chain speed.
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.