Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit covers the process required to monitor the health and welfare of livestock and defines the standard required to: monitor and assess livestock health and welfare; select, use and maintain specialised animal health equipment; prepare treatment site, facilities and equipment; administer drenches, vaccines and medication to livestock; monitor the effectiveness of treatments and report issues and keep and maintain records.

Application of the unit 

This unit applies to working under limited supervision. It will usually follow set routines, methods and procedures. Overall progress may be checked periodically. Some discretion and judgement is required in the selection of equipment and materials, organisation of work, and services.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Monitor and assess livestock health and welfare

1.1. Regular checks are taken to assess livestock health and welfare according to the requirements of the organisation.

1.2. Symptoms of ill health and common diseases, disorders or parasite infestations are recognised and reported.

1.3. Livestock are handled calmly and according to enterprise procedures.

2. Implement livestock health and welfare procedures

2.1. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) hazards in the workplace are recognised and safety issues reported according to enterprise requirements.

2.2. Quarantine and biosecurity procedures are maintained as instructed to minimise the risks of disease introduction.

2.3. Thorough personal hygiene practices are maintained in all activities associated with handling livestock, including reducing risks from diseases transmissible to humans.

2.4. Sick or dead livestock are safely treated and humanely destroyed, if necessary.

2.5. Environmental implications associated with livestock husbandry practices are identified, assessed and relevant measures implemented.

3. Administer drenches, vaccines and prescribed medicines to livestock

3.1. Livestock treatment site and facilities are prepared to industry standards in line with enterprise requirements.

3.2. Livestock treatments are prepared and confirmed against work plan in line with manufacturer's specifications and work plan.

3.3. Livestock are mustered safely, yarded, controlled, inspected and identified for treatment in line with enterprise requirements.

3.4. Safe workplace practices with regard to livestock handling are observed and implemented in line with OHS and enterprise requirements.

3.5. Treatment is administered in accordance with manufacturer's specifications, enterprise and animal welfare legislative requirements.

4. Prepare, maintain and store animal health equipment

4.1. Equipment and materials for treating livestock are checked for safe and sound operation and confirmed against work plan.

4.2. Syringes, needles and other veterinary medicine containers are placed in allocated disposal containers, with tips removed from needles prior to disposal.

4.3. Equipment, materials and facilities used for treatments are cleaned, maintained and stored in line with manufacturer's specifications, OHS and enterprise requirements.

4.4. Livestock residues and waste are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner in line with OHS and enterprise requirements.

5. Monitor treated livestock and maintain records

5.1. Livestock are monitored post-treatment for signs of treatment effectiveness.

5.2. Livestock health and condition abnormalities are recognised and reported in accordance with enterprise requirements.

5.3. Disease information is reported to the manager so that prevention strategies can be planned and implemented.

5.4. Disease incidence, livestock losses, and treatments are recorded accurately according to organisation practice and relevant regulations.

5.5. All records made, kept and maintained are clear, accurate, and follow the guidelines laid down by industry and the organisation.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• identify hazards and follow safe work practices
• apply biosecurity procedures
• accurately count and record livestock numbers
• complete worksheets clearly and accurately
• detect possibility of disease through parameters such as behaviour and length of time required to eat food
• use veterinary medicines and chemicals according to label and legislative requirements
• dispose of unused prepared chemicals or medications, sharps and other contaminated items safely and in an environmentally correct manner
• observe, identify and react appropriately to environmental implications and OHS hazards
• recognise clinical symptoms (normal vs. abnormal)
• recognise fear and aggression
• recognise heat stress
• survey workplace for hygiene and OHS issues
• tag livestock of varying ages
• use computing technology to create, maintain and amend workplace records
• 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 numeracy skills to estimate, calculate and record routine workplace measures
• 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 

• environmental controls and codes of practice applicable to the enterprise
• livestock handling principles
• water quality and animal requirements
• feed requirements and quality
• enterprise biosecurity and euthanasia procedures
• safe handling of sick and dead livestock
• signs of fear and aggression
• signs of heat stress
• symptoms of ill-health in livestock
• the organisation's livestock production and management plans - sound management practices and processes to minimise noise, odours and debris from the livestock operations
• the range of diseases affecting the class and age of livestock
• vaccination programs, vaccines and mode of action in use in the organisation
• withholding periods for use of antibiotics
• zoonotic diseases and mode of transmission.
• relevant legislation and regulations relating to waste and environment management, livestock health, stock medicines and welfare
• relevant OHS legislation, regulations and codes of practice.

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:

• monitor and assess livestock health and welfare.
• select, use and maintain specialised animal health equipment
• prepare treatment site, facilities and equipment
• administer drenches, vaccines and medication to livestock.
• monitor the effectiveness of treatments and report issues
• keep and maintain records.

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:

• beef cattle
• dairy cattle
• sheep
• goats
• alpacas.

Unit sector 

Livestock

Co-requisite units 

Competency field