Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the process of loading and unloading animals for transport and defines the standard required to: anticipate animal behaviour; check loading facilities for hazards to animals and workers; provide and maintain appropriate animal feed and water; complete documentation and affix individual tags if required; monitor animal health and welfare; load and unload animals.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to workers in the livestock industries that normally operate under routine supervision within enterprise guidelines.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Check facilities and equipment for sound working conditions

1.1. Required facilities and equipment are identified.

1.2. The work site, facilities and equipment are checked for hazards and safety concerns are reported.

1.3. Repairs and maintenance of facilities and equipment required for the loading or unloading of livestock are carried out where necessary.

1.4. Personal protective clothing and equipment is used and stored.

2. Load animals

2.1. Animals are mustered, yarded/caught, prepared for transport, loaded and counted using safe working methods.

2.2. Numbers of livestock are recorded according to enterprise procedures.

2.3. Identification details of individual animals are recorded as required.

2.4. Vendor declarations and any other required documentation are completed.

2.5. Animal identification tags are fitted as required.

2.6. Livestock are loaded in compliance with animal welfare and Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements.

3. Unload animals

3.1. Animals are unloaded in safe manner to ensure no injury to personnel or animals.

3.2. Numbers of livestock are recorded according to enterprise procedures.

3.3. Agreement on condition of animals is reached with the receiving and/or dispatching party.

4. Perform appropriate animal health procedure

4.1. Stock is sorted if required.

4.2. Animal health treatments are performed off truck as instructed.

4.3. Animals are fed and watered to enterprise requirements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• identify hazards and implement safe operating procedures
• provide due care and handle animals safely and humanely
• prepare equipment and working dogs (when used) for handling animals
• monitor animal behaviour and recognise irregularities
• read and interpret muster plans and maps
• calculate animal numbers and assess and calculate feed and water requirements
• use literacy skills to follow sequenced written instructions and record information accurately and legibly
• use oral communication skills/language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the organisation including questioning, active listening, asking for clarification and seeking advice from supervisor
• use interpersonal skills to relate to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with a range of physical and mental abilities.

Required knowledge 

• animal handling and movement methods and techniques
• animal basic health and nutritional requirements
• animal herding/flocking behaviour
• animal welfare codes of practice
• working dogs' uses and techniques (where appropriate)
• relevant OHS and animal welfare legislative and enterprise requirements.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

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 

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

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy holistically all of the requirements of the performance criteria and required skills and knowledge and include achievement of the following:

• anticipate animal behaviour
• check loading facilities for hazards to animals and workers
• provide and maintain appropriate animal feed and water
• complete documentation and affix individual tags if required
• monitor animal health and welfare
• load and unload animals.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency requires the application of work practices under work conditions. Selection and use of resources for some worksites may differ due to the regional or enterprise circumstances.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole.

Livestock may include:

• cattle
• sheep
• goats
• alpacas
• pigs
• horses.

Unit sector 

Livestock

Co-requisite units 

Competency field