Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to sell livestock through the auction process. This includes arranging staff, conducting the auction, reconciling livestock records, completing sales documentation and arranging delivery of livestock to the buyer. Livestock auctions may be conducted through saleyards or on the seller's property.

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 and conducting livestock auctions through saleyards or on the seller's property. It includes arranging and conducting auctions, completing sales documentation and arranging after-sales transport in line with client instructions as well as checking and completing required documentation associated with the national livestock identification system (NLIS), national vendor declarations (NVD) and relevant federal and state or territory legislative and regulatory arrangements.

Prerequisite unit 

The following unit is a prerequisite requirement for this unit:

• CPPDSM4075A Select livestock for sale.

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 Prepare for livestock auction .

1.1 Auction documentation  is prepared in line with agency practice, ethical standards and relevant legislation.

1.2 Enquiries from interested parties  are answered or referred to informed sources .

1.3 Staff requirements  for auction are determined.

1.4 Adequate staff is engaged to facilitate the conduct of auction.

2 Conduct livestock auction .

2.1 Auction area preparations  are undertaken in line with agency practice and saleyard or property requirements.

2.2 Terms and conditions of sale  are prominently displayed and read out prior to the specified time of commencement of auction and according to agency practice and legislative requirements.

2.3 Auction is conducted under the terms and conditions of sale in line with agency practice, ethical standards and legislative requirements.

2.4 Livestock  is offered for sale based on description  advised to the public.

2.5 Bids are received and called according to accepted agency practice, ethical standards and legislative requirements.

2.6 Winning bid is knocked down and purchase name and sale details  are recorded immediately and accurately in the sales register in line with agency practice and legislative requirements.

2.7 Unsuccessful offers are recorded as non-sales in an accurate and timely manner in the sales register.

2.8 Interests of sellers and buyers are respected at all times according to agency practice, ethical standards and legislative requirements.

3 Reconcile livestock records .

3.1 Recorded transactions are delivered to organisation's office personnel to enable preparation of financial records and post-sales summary.

3.2 Buyers  are encouraged to visit the office at the yards at the conclusion of the sale to agree purchase details  prior to delivery.

3.3 Post -sales summary  is prepared based on recorded sales information and pre-sales catalogue, and provided to purchasers.

3.4 Numbers are balanced to total of inward delivered livestock.

3.5 Sales register is signed by the auctioneer within the prescribed period, where required under state or territory legislation.

3.6 NVDs are held by the agent or a central management body for the prescribed period to facilitate the answering of enquiries.

4 Complete sales documentation .

4.1 Sales documentation is completed in line with agency practice and legislative requirements.

4.2 Deposits are secured and appropriate arrangements are made to account for the deposit on subsequent settlement.

4.3 Arrangements for payment are completed in line with agency practice, ethical standards and legislative requirements.

5 Arrange delivery of livestock to buyer .

5.1 Assistance is given in the identification of livestock to facilitate delivery to buyer.

5.2 Delivery of livestock is arranged by the agent in line with seller or buyer instructions.

5.3 Documentation associated with the transportation of livestock to the buyer is completed in line with agency practice, ethical standards and relevant legislation.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills :

• application of procedures associated with the conduct of a livestock auction
• application of risk management strategies in the preparation and conduct of a livestock auction
• computing skills to access agency databases, send and receive emails and complete standard forms online
• negotiation skills to gain commitment to sell and purchase livestock
• numeracy skills, including the ability to perform and apply measurements and calculations
• planning, organising and scheduling skills to undertake work-related tasks, such as preparing for a livestock auction
• reading skills, including the ability to access and interpret federal and state or territory legislation, codes of practice and other industry documentation associated with livestock auctions
• verbal communication and presentation skills to conduct a livestock auction
• written communication skills to complete sales documentation.

Required knowledge and understanding :

• auctions, including:

• advantages and disadvantages of saleyard and on-property auctions
• auction procedures
• ethical standards
• legislative and regulatory requirements
• types

• 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
• food safety
• livestock sales and auctions
• livestock-specific legislation and regulations
• local government
• NLIS
• NVD
• OHS
• other legislation and regulations
• privacy
• public health
• public liability
• tagging
• water curfew
• waybills, including combined waybills

• livestock, including:

• ages
• breeds
• classes
• district of origin
• grades
• pregnancy status
• values
• varieties
• weights
• yields

• livestock transport, including:

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

• national saleyard quality assurance scheme
• pre and post-sale procedures, including:

• legislative requirements
• retention period
• summaries

• pre and post-sale weighing procedures
• risks and risk management strategies associated with the following aspects of livestock auctions:

• auction preparations
• auction procedures
• auction sale documentation
• care and handling of livestock
• chemical treatment and residues
• client misrepresentation
• conflict of interest
• health of livestock
• ownership of livestock and encumbrances
• saleyards
• staff supervision
• transport

• roles and responsibilities of auction staff, including:

• auctioneer
• bid takers
• booking clerks
• drovers
• office clerks

• sale price, including:

• live weight cents per kilo
• price per head

• sales register, including:

• auctioneer sign-off
• legislative requirements
• procedures

• timeframes.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed through the candidate demonstrating the process of arranging and conducting a livestock auction, completing the documentation associated with the auction and arranging the delivery of the livestock to the relevant buyer. Targeted written (including alternative formats where necessary) or verbal questioning to assess the candidate's underpinning knowledge would provide additional supporting evidence of competence. 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. This 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:

• arranging delivery of livestock to the appropriate buyer in line with buyer or seller instructions following an auction sale, including the preparation of relevant documentation associated with the transportation of livestock
• completing required documentation associated with livestock, including post-sale summaries and reconciliation of livestock records, in line with agency practice, ethical standards and relevant federal and state or territory legislation
• knowledge and practical application of relevant federal and state or territory legislative requirements for the auction of livestock
• knowledge and practical application of risk management strategies associated with all stages of the livestock auction process, including preparing for auction, conducting auction, completing relevant documentation, and facilitating delivery of livestock to buyer

• preparing and conducting a livestock auction in line with agency practice, ethical standards and relevant federal and state or territory legislation.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Resource implications for assessment include access to:

• computerised or manual systems for recording auction results, including the sales register
• federal and state or territory legislation and regulations relevant to livestock sales
• livestock
• normal agency documentation and requirements for sale of livestock by auction, for example agency policy and procedures relating to auctions and standard industry forms, contracts and agreements
• resources to conduct livestock auction, including saleyard or property venue, staff and equipment.

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.

Auction documentation  may include:

• auction rules
• contracts
• NVD
• pre-sale catalogue
• terms and conditions
• veterinary certificate pricing.

Interested parties  may include:

• government officials
• other sellers and producers
• potential buyers, including:

• agents
• feedlot operators
• individuals
• live exporters
• processors
• supermarket chains.

Informed sources  may include:

• government agencies
• producers
• professional sources of advice, including:

• accountants
• banks and finance companies
• exporters
• financial advisers
• veterinarians

• sellers
• stock and station agents.

Staff requirements  may include:

• number
• type.

Auction area preparations  may include:

• auction facilities and equipment
• distractions
• hazards
• security.

Terms and conditions of sale  may include:

• buying orders
• catalogues
• health
• inspections
• insurance
• payment
• registration delivery
• telephone bidding
• transport.

Livestock  may include:

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

Description  may include:

• age
• bloodlines
• breeding and fattening background
• district of origin
• pregnancy status
• sex
• weight.

Sale details  must include:

• description of livestock
• number sold
• name of seller
• name of buyer
• price
• sex of livestock
• weight.

Buyers  may include:

• agents
• exporters
• feedlot operators
• individuals
• processors
• supermarket chains.

Purchase details  may include:

• name of purchaser
• number purchased
• pen number
• price
• weight.

Post -sales summary  may include:

• accreditation information
• breed and where raised
• history of chemical treatment and exposure to chemicals
• names and addresses of sellers
• NLIS device
• period of ownership if not bred on seller's property
• stockfeeds used.

Unit sector 

Property development, sales and management

Competency field 

Stock and station agency