Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to break the carcase into primals and trim in accordance with relevant specifications.
This unit is applicable to smallgoods operators and meat tradespersons in the retail industry who are required to separate primal cuts for further processing or preparation.
This unit must be delivered in the context of Australian meat processing standards and regulations.
All work should be carried out to comply with workplace requirements, regulatory requirements and hygiene standards.
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.
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. Break carcase into primal cuts | 1.1 Accurately separate carcase into primal cuts in accordance with workplace, workplace health and safety, Quality Assurance (QA) and hygiene requirements |
2. Handle knives effectively | 2.1 Handle knives safely, hygienically and effectively |
Evidence of Performance
The candidate must be observed breaking carcases into primals and trim cuts in accordance with relevant specifications.
For meat retail the candidate must be able to:
break carcase into primal cuts for a minimum of three species (including beef and sheep)
identify primary cut specifications for beef and at least two species of small stock
For smallgoods manufacturing the candidate must be able to:
break carcase into primal cuts for a minimum of one species
identify primary cut specifications for at least one species
The candidate must:
identify the major anatomical structures of the carcase of each species
prepare equipment for breaking carcase correctly and safely
position or fasten carcase securely for separation
separate carcases into primal cuts for a range of meat cuts (minimum of three species for meat retailing and one species for smallgoods manufacturing), in accordance with workplace, workplace health and safety, hygiene requirements and customer specifications
use acceptable cutting lines to produce primary cuts to workplace requirements
identify contaminated product and take appropriate corrective action
demonstrate safe manual handling techniques
sanitise equipment according to workplace requirements
apply relevant communication skills
apply relevant regulatory requirements
Evidence of Knowledge
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
relevant regulatory requirements
Assessment Conditions
Competency must be demonstrated over time and under typical operating conditions for the enterprise.
Assessment must occur in the workplace under normal enterprise or production conditions or in a simulated environment.
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.