Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to take delivery of and prepare livestock for sale at saleyards. It includes the procedures associated with arranging transport and delivery of livestock to saleyards as well as drafting and penning livestock.

The preparation of livestock for sale requires knowledge of the national livestock identification system (NLIS), national vendor declarations (NVD) and relevant federal and state or territory legislative and regulatory arrangements. It also requires knowledge of risks and animal welfare issues associated with preparing livestock for sale at saleyards.

The unit may form part of the licensing requirements for persons engaged in livestock sales in those States and Territories where the selling of livestock is a regulated activity.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the work of those who have responsibility for arranging transport and delivery of livestock at saleyards, ensuring the drafting and penning of livestock prior to sale as well as the checking and completion of required documentation associated with the NLIS, NVD and relevant federal and state or territory legislative and regulatory arrangements.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit of competency is packaged, will assist in identifying employability skills requirements.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised  text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge and/or the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Arrange transport of livestock to saleyards .

1.1 Transport requirements  are agreed with client for movement of livestock to saleyards in line with agency practice.

1.2 Risks  associated with transport, delivery, drafting and penning of livestock are assessed and managed in line with agency practice.

1.3 Transport arrangements are implemented in line with agreed delivery schedule.

2 Take delivery of livestock at saleyards .

2.1 Labour requirements  are determined to ensure that adequate staff is available for delivery of livestock at saleyards.

2.2 Staff  members are advised of delivery details to facilitate the safe and timely delivery of livestock .

2.3 Delivery details  are recorded in line with saleyard and agency requirements.

2.4 Receival penning is arranged to ensure that it is available on delivery of livestock.

2.5 Pre -sale catalogues  are prepared according to sale requirements, NVD and NLIS guidelines and regulations.

3 Draft and pen livestock .

3.1 Livestock may be paint-branded in line with sale requirements.

3.2 Livestock are drafted and, where applicable, weighed  prior to final penning in line with sale requirements.

3.3 Livestock are placed in final allocated pens in line with sale requirements.

3.4 Information on livestock  is displayed in line with agency and saleyard requirements.

3.5 Details of livestock are entered into the sales register in line with sale requirements.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit.

Required skills :

• application of initial and final livestock drafting procedures
• application of livestock penning procedures
• application of paint-branding procedures
• application of pre and post-sale livestock weighing procedures
• application of risk management strategies in the preparation of livestock for sale
• computing skills to access agency databases, send and receive emails and complete standard forms online
• numeracy skills, including the ability to perform and apply measurements and calculations
• literacy skills, including the ability to interpret industry documentation associated with livestock sales, such as NVD and pre-sale catalogues
• planning, organising and scheduling skills to undertake work-related tasks such as arranging transport of livestock
• written and verbal communication skills associated with livestock sales.

Required knowledge and understanding :

• federal and state or territory legislation and local government regulations related to selling and transporting livestock, including:

• animal health and welfare
• anti-discrimination
• aquaculture
• brands and earmarks
• chemical treatments and residues, export slaughter intervals and withholding periods
• consumer protection
• financial probity
• fees and charges
• food safety
• livestock sales and auctions
• livestock-specific legislation and regulations
• NLIS
• NVD
• OHS
• privacy
• public health
• public liability
• tagging
• water curfew
• waybills, including combined waybills

• HACCP
• initial and final livestock drafting procedures
• livestock, including:

• ages
• breeds
• classes
• grades
• pregnancy status
• values
• varieties
• weights
• yields

• livestock penning procedures
• livestock transport, including:

• costs
• insurance
• legislative requirements
• methods
• payments
• risks

• national saleyard quality assurance scheme
• paint-branding procedures
• pre and post-sale livestock weighing procedures
• pre-sale catalogue, including:

• distribution
• importance of accuracy of catalogue content
• legislative requirements
• misleading advertising

• risks associated with the following aspects of preparing livestock for sale, including:

• care and handling of livestock
• chemical treatment and residues
• client misrepresentation
• inspection, assessment and drafting of livestock
• NLIS
• ownership of livestock and encumbrances
• saleyards
• staff supervision
• transport

• saleyard auctions.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed through arranging the transport and delivery of livestock to saleyards as well as preparing the livestock for sale. This would include demonstration of arranging livestock transport, taking delivery of livestock at the saleyards, drafting and penning livestock, and checking and completing relevant documentation. The demonstration and questioning would include collecting evidence of the candidate's knowledge and application of ethical standards and relevant federal, and state or territory legislation and regulations. Targeted written (including alternative formats where necessary) or verbal questioning to assess the candidate's underpinning knowledge would provide additional supporting evidence of competence. Assessment may be carried out in a simulated or workplace environment.

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

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of:

• correctly completing documentation related to the sale of livestock, including entry of livestock details into the sales register
• correctly preparing pre-sale catalogues according to sale requirements, NVD and NLIS guidelines and regulations
• accessing NLIS devices
• safely and correctly applying procedures for taking delivery of, drafting and penning livestock at saleyards
• safely and correctly applying the procedure for paint-branding livestock
• understanding and applying agency codes and relevant federal and state or territory legislation and regulations in relation to preparing livestock for sale
• understanding and applying risk management strategies associated with the delivery, drafting and penning of livestock.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Resource implications for assessment include access to:

• computerised or manual systems for recording information on livestock, including the sales register and NLIS database
• federal, state and territory legislation and regulations relevant to livestock sales
• livestock
• livestock saleyard, including staff and equipment required for taking delivery of livestock as well as drafting and penning livestock
• NVD, NLIS and other relevant documentation on livestock.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and/or assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence require that:

• competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
• where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice with a decision of competence only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's competence
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence
• where assessment is for the purpose of recognition (RCC/RPL), the evidence provided will need to be current and show that it represents competency demonstrated over a period of time
• assessment can be through simulated project-based activity and must include evidence relating to each of the elements in this unit.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess the underpinning knowledge. Questioning will be undertaken in such a manner as is appropriate to the language and literacy levels of the candidate and any cultural issues that may affect responses to the questions, and will reflect the requirements of the competency and the work being performed.

Transport requirements  may include:

• delivery location and time
• insurance
• loading requirements
• time and venue of pick up
• type of vehicle.

Risks  may be associated with:

• care and handling of livestock
• chemical treatment and residues
• inspection, assessment and drafting of livestock
• ownership of livestock and encumbrances
• saleyards
• staff supervision
• transport.

Labour requirements  may include:

• number of staff
• person hours
• skills of staff
• timing.

Staff  may include:

• company staff
• contractors.
• saleyard staff.

Livestock  may include:

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

Delivery details  may include:

• curfew
• feeding
• livestock details
• NLIS scanning
• penning requirements
• time and date of delivery.

Pre -sale catalogues  may include:

• accreditation information
• history of chemical treatment and exposure
• hormonal growth promotant (HGP)
• lifetime traceable
• names and addresses of sellers
• NLIS device
• period of ownership if not bred on seller's property
• property of origin
• stockfeeds used.

Weighing  may include:

• post-sale
• pre-sale.

Information on livestock  may include:

• age and sex
• average weight
• category of livestock
• chemical status
• HGP
• NLIS
• time and date of arrival at saleyard, if applicable
• district of origin
• lot number
• number of livestock
• pregnancy status
• seller's name
• time of weighing
• total weight.

Unit sector 

Property development, sales and management

Competency field 

Stock and station agency