MTMP414A
Oversee humane handling of animals

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to oversee the handling and, where applicable, the slaughtering of animals by a range of company personnel and/or government inspection staff to meet regulatory requirements.

Application

Ensuring animals are produced, handled and slaughtered humanely is the responsibility of both regulatory authorities and the companies involved. This unit is therefore applicable to meat safety officers, lairage supervisors, Animal Welfare Officers and Quality Assurance (QA) officers in meat processing establishments, and livestock transport and saleyard staff.


Prerequisites

Not applicable.


Elements and Performance Criteria

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Oversee the humane handling of animals

1.1 Potential animal welfare risks and existing management procedures are identified

1.2 Animal welfare requirements are identified in legislation, regulation and workplace procedures

1.3 Handling of animals is overseen in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements

1.4 Procedures for minimising animal stress and preventing injury are monitored

2. Oversee the humane euthanasing or slaughter of animals

2.1 Effective restraint and stunning (where appropriate), prior to euthanasing or slaughtering of animals is overseen to ensure compliance with workplace and regulatory requirements

2.2 Bleeding of animals is overseen to ensure compliance with workplace and regulatory requirements

2.3 Monitoring of bleed chain insensibility is overseen to ensure compliance with workplace and regulatory requirements

3. Oversee facilities, equipment and people involved with the handling of animals

3.1 Facilities, equipment and people handling and slaughtering animals are overseen in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements

3.2 Bruising and/or hide or pelt damage data is monitored and corrective action is taken where appropriate

4. Handle contingencies

4.1 Handling of sick or injured stock is overseen in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements

4.2 Handling of wild or uncooperative animals is overseen in accordance with workplace and regulatory requirements

4.3 Contingency plans for managing animal welfare are understood and can be implemented

Required Skills

Required skills

Ability to:

explain the consequence of incorrect animal handling techniques

explain why correct animal handling helps ensure that meat attains an acceptably low ultimate pH (i.e. high pH meat, caused by stressed animals and depleted glycogen stores, is avoided)

work effectively as an individual and as part of a team

ensure bruising and/or hide or pelt damage due to livestock handling is minimised

ensure stock handlers remain calm and are not injured or put at risk of injury

ensure stress in animals is minimised through correct handling

identify and apply relevant animal welfare and Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) requirements

monitor the handling of livestock to ensure minimisation of stress

identify sick and injured stock

identify features of effective restraint, stun and bleed and/or oversee humane destruction

monitor bleed chain insensibility, where applicable

plan the movement of stock to meet production requirements and minimise stress

take action to improve work performance as a result of self-evaluation, feedback from others, or in response to changed work practices or technology

use relevant communication skills

Required knowledge

Knowledge of:

regulatory and workplace requirements for the humane handling and slaughtering of animals

animal welfare standards and regulations

strategies to minimise stress to livestock

the stunning and bleeding process and/or humane destruction requirements

causes of ineffective stunning and bleeding

regulatory and workplace requirements for monitoring stunning and bleeding

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

The meat industry has specific and clear requirements for evidence. A minimum of three forms of evidence is required to demonstrate competency in the meat industry. This is specifically designed to provide evidence that covers the demonstration in the workplace of all aspects of competency over time.

These requirements are in addition to the requirements for valid, current, authentic and sufficient evidence.

Three forms of evidence means three different kinds of evidence - not three pieces of the same kind. In practice it will mean that most of the unit is covered twice. This increases the legitimacy of the evidence.

All assessment must be conducted against Australian meat industry standards and regulations.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Competency must be demonstrated against the current animal welfare codes and regulations. Part of the assessment must involve working with livestock handling in stockyards or a slaughtering premises. This may take the form of supervising or auditing livestock handling or slaughtering operations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must be conducted in working stockyards and or slaughtering premises.

Method of assessment

Recommended methods of assessment are:

assignment

quiz of underpinning knowledge

verified work log

workplace demonstration

workplace project

workplace referee or third party report of performance over time

Assessment practices should take into account any relevant language or cultural issues related to Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander, gender, or language backgrounds other than English. Language and literacy demands of the assessment task should not be higher nor less than those of the work role.

Guidance information for assessment

A current list of resources for this unit of competency is available from MINTRAC www.mintrac.com.au or telephone 1800 817 462.


Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Animals may include:

all ages, species and breeds of livestock handled in an establishment for slaughter

livestock of various temperaments from very tame to wild

livestock unused to human contact or any handling procedures

Handling of animals may include:

all activities in the supply chain up to and including the knocking box or where live animals are killed, including handling in lairage, yards and pens, as well as the loading, transporting and unloading of livestock

Workplace requirements may include:

enterprise-specific procedures

WHS requirements

QA requirements

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

the ability to perform the task to production requirements

work instructions

Regulatory requirements may include:

domestic and importing country animal welfare codes, guides and legislation

Animal Welfare Acts and Codes of Practice

Export Control Act

federal and state regulations regarding meat processing or animal welfare

hygiene and sanitation requirements

relevant Australian Standards

relevant regulations

requirements set out in AS 4696:2007 Australian Standard for Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption

Slaughter of animals applies to:

the stunning and bleeding of animals in the slaughter process

Stunning includes the use of:

gas chambers

electrical stunning

rifles

captive bolt guns

any other process approved by the responsible authority

WHS requirements may include:

enterprise WHS policies, procedures and programs

WHS legal requirements

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which may include:

coats and aprons

ear plugs or muffs

eye and facial protection

head-wear

lifting assistance

mesh aprons

protective boot covers

protective hand and arm covering

protective head and hair covering

uniforms

waterproof clothing

work, safety or waterproof footwear

requirements set out in standards and codes of practice

Communication skills may include:

applying numeracy skills to workplace requirements

being appropriately assertive

empathising

establishing/using networks

interpreting the needs of internal/external customers

listening and understanding

negotiating responsively

persuading effectively

reading and interpreting workplace-related documentation

sharing information

speaking clearly and directly

working with diverse individuals and groups

writing to audience needs


Sectors

Not applicable.


Employability Skills

This unit contains employability skills.


Licensing Information

No occupational licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply to this unit.