Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to prepare rations for racing greyhounds and assess the range of feed, additives and supplements in relation to quality industry regulations.

This unit also requires the ability to apply nutritional principles, formulate basic rations, assess and select feed, monitor individual greyhound feeding programs and comply with the rules of racing.

This unit of competency operates in work environments of racing kennels, racecourses and public areas.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Check with your State Principal Racing Authority for current license or registration requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports supervisors, trainers and others in the greyhound racing industry responsible for determining nutritional requirements for racing greyhounds.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

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

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Prepare rations for racing greyhounds.

1. Nutritional principles  to be applied to formulation of individual rations for a range of greyhounds in care are established.

2. Individual rations  appropriate to greyhound's condition, workload and stage of training  are formulated.

Assess range of feed, additives and supplements for greyhounds.

3. Feed is selected for a particular animal on the basis of quality , and nutritional and economic value  .

4. Supplements and feed additives  are assessed on the basis of active ingredients, price and nutritional needs of specific greyhounds.

5. Supplements andfeed additives selected are checked  for rules of racing and animal welfare compliance.

Monitor kennel feeding practices.

6. Individual greyhounds are assessed for condition and nutritional needs.

7. Individual greyhound's eating behaviour, feed intake and work level are monitored and recorded  .

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

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

Required skills 

• applying safe work practices when determining nutritional requirements of greyhounds
• applying nutritional principles
• assessing quality feed
• communicating with employer, supervisor, co-workers, feed merchants and others using assertive communication techniques to gather and relay information related to nutritional requirements of racing greyhounds
• completing duties in accordance with safe operating procedures and nominated time frame
• complying with animal welfare policies in the care, management and feeding of greyhounds
• following instructions
• identifying and correctly using different feed components and feed supplements
• identifying behaviour traits and eating patterns of individual greyhounds
• identifying changes to greyhound behaviour
• identifying individual greyhounds
• identifying quality, type and value of feed
• identifying spoiled or contaminated feed
• monitoring and maintaining feed records
• preparing feed rations
• reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including relevant rules of racing
• recognising changes in greyhounds' condition
• relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• reporting problems promptly
• supporting others in handling and providing rations to greyhounds in the appropriate manner
• weighing feed items and greyhounds
• written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge 

• greyhound digestive system
• communication procedures within kennel and wider racing industry
• common greyhound behaviour, social traits and vices
• economic value of various feeds
• feed and feed supplements
• industry terminology related to handling, caring and feeding greyhounds
• interaction between feed and supplements that may result in contravention of industry regulations
• methods used to measure feed value, including weighing feeds
• methods used to measure greyhound weight and condition
• monitoring systems
• nutritional principles in respect to greyhounds' age, condition and needs while in training and racing
• nutritional value of various feeds
• quality of feed
• racing industry animal welfare requirements
• racing industry safety requirements, including safe operating procedures
• relevant rules of racing
• sources and importance of energy, protein, fibre, minerals, trace elements and vitamins in a feed ration.

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.

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 all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that apply to determine nutritional requirements for racing greyhounds
• implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient application and monitoring of greyhound nutritional requirements
• working with others to undertake and complete feeding regime procedures that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time using a range of greyhounds of different ages, sexes and temperaments, and at different stages of preparation in racing kennel and track environments.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to the required resources or simulated environment approved by the relevant State Principal Racing Authority. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

• a variety of greyhounds
• materials and equipment relevant to assessing candidate's ability to determine and monitor nutritional requirements of racing greyhounds
• safe handling areas, such as commercial kennels, and training and racetracks
• work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• simulation exercises conducted in a State Principal Racing Authority approved simulated environment.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role, for example:

• RGRPSG401A Relate anatomical and physiological features to the care and treatment of greyhounds
• RGRPSG402A Manage greyhound health and welfare
• RGRPSG403A Plan and implement education and training of greyhounds for racing.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

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 in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to determine nutritional requirements for racing greyhounds. Workplaces include greyhound kennels and racecourses, training tracks and public areas.

Nutritional principles  may include:

• digestive system features:

• mouth and teeth
• stomach
• small intestine
• large intestine

• digestive problems
• feeding habits:

• effect of temperature
• normal eating patterns
• kennel eating patterns
• social influences

• nutrients:

• carbohydrates
• fat
• fibre
• minerals
• protein
• vitamins
• water

• weight of feeds.

Rations  may include:

• bones
• fresh meat
• kibble
• pre-packaged food or bulk base food
• variety of grains and energy sources
• vegetables.

Workload and stage of training  may include:

• age and gender of greyhound
• body condition
• exercise schedule
• trial and racing schedule
• weight.

Quality , and nutritional and economic value  may include:

• age of material
• alternative feed options
• contaminants, for example:

• presence or absence of mould or rot
• rodent or other spoilage

• cost compared to benefit gained
• food value.

Supplements and feed additives  may include:

• appetite stimulants
• electrolytes
• minerals
• oils
• trace elements
• vitamins.

Supplements and feed additives  are selected and checked to avoid:

• accidental introduction of banned substances that contravene the rules of racing.

Greyhound feeding behaviour  may be monitored and recorded to include:

• age, gender, weight and body condition of greyhound
• feeding regime plan, including:

• individual greyhound's changes in feeding due to training, racing or distractions
• individual greyhound taste and eating pattern
• ingredients of the ration and alternatives
• quantity of each ingredient
• supplements to be included
• when variation to ration may be offered

• recording and monitoring feeding patterns and body condition to identify:

• circumstances that may require adjustments to daily rations
• dietary disturbances that require appropriate treatment
• injuries that may be aggravated or caused by feeding regime

• training program and racing schedule.

Unit Sector 

Greyhound racing code

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing performance services