This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to break carcases for retail sale.

This unit is applicable to meat tradespersons in the retail industry, who may be required to separate carcases into primal cuts for further processing or preparation.

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.

This unit must be delivered and assessed in the context of Australian meat processing standards and regulations.

Competency must be demonstrated over time and under typical operating conditions for the enterprise and must include:

breaking carcase into primal cuts for a minimum of three species, including beef and sheep

identifying primary cut specifications for at least three species, including beef and sheep

The candidate must:

prepare equipment for breaking carcase correctly and safely

position or fasten carcase securely for separation

demonstrate the separation of carcase into primal cuts on a range of meat cuts for a minimum of three species including beef, sheep and one other species, according to workplace, workplace health and safety, and hygiene requirements and customer specifications

use acceptable cutting lines to produce primary cuts to workplace requirements

demonstrate safe manual-handling techniques

apply communication skills relevant to work instructions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

identify contaminated product and take the appropriate corrective action according to workplace requirements

sanitise equipment according to workplace requirements

apply relevant regulatory requirements

The candidate must demonstrate a factual, technical, procedural and theoretical knowledge of:

hygiene, workplace health and safety and workplace requirements when breaking carcases

quality requirements for breaking carcases

principles of contamination in regard to primary cuts

primary cut specifications for beef, sheep and one other species

major anatomical structures of the carcase of each species

relevant regulatory requirements

Assessment must occur in the workplace under normal production conditions or in a simulated environment.

As a minimum, the following three forms of assessment must be used:

quiz of underpinning knowledge

demonstration in the workplace or simulated environment

workplace referee or third-party report of performance over time.

Assessors must satisfy the current standards for RTOs.

Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.