Elements and Performance Criteria

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Nutritional requirements may include:
carbohydrate
protein
fat
roughage
vitamin
mineral and trace elements
water.
Animals may include:
animals commonly encountered within the industry workplace and may cover both native and introduced species
animals from the six major animal groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates).
Nutrient sources may include:
carnivores:
insectivores
piscivores
herbivores:
folivores
frugivores
grainivores
mucivores
nectivores
palynivores
xylophages
omnivores.
Feeding strategies and methods may include:
locating food sources to ensure adequate supplies throughout the year
modifying diet for younger or special needs animals
providing food at suitable intervals for animal species
presenting food in ways that reflect natural habitat and encourage active foraging or hunting
preparation and distribution of food to:
minimise opportunities for theft by other animals or pests
encourage consumption before food deteriorates or loses nutritional quality
reflect ways that food would be available in the wild where possible
provide the best source of nutrients available within budget and seasonal availability
ensure all animals in enclosure get adequate access
removing stale, contaminated or decomposed food to discourage vermin.
Methods used to monitor nutritional uptake may include:
blood and faecal tests to check nutritional uptake
comparing food distributed and food not eaten
estimating condition scores
weighing animals.
Hazards to animal and human health from food sources may include:
animal movement and handling
contamination of foodstuffs from vermin, bacteria, fungus, virus and other sources
contamination from other animal diet materials that are potentially toxic to some species
manual handling and general food preparation, storage and distribution equipment
organic and other dusts
plants and other materials thrown into animal enclosures by the public
possibility of zoonotic infection
shelf life of foodstuffs.
Animal profiles may include:
species classifications:
age
sex
breeding status
other characteristics
seasonal requirements, including hibernating animals
climatic requirements
activity levels
Species requirements may include:
food presentation needs:
fresh grazing
fresh meat
live food
food sources:
catering for animals recovering from illness or injury
highly specific food sources for particular animals such as koalas
seasonal availability
food preparation:
dried or semi-dried foodstuffs
stage of decomposition of meat products
stage of development of plants or insects
vitamin, mineral and other supplements
whole items to allow opportunity for animal to prepare
water requirements:
running water
water from other food sources.
Abnormal feed intake or feeding behaviour may include:
demonstrating signs of stress during eating activities
disinterest in food
drinking excess water
gourging food
not drinking normal amounts of water
reluctance to eat when other animals are nearby
selectively eating.
Reasons for poor response to diet may include:
health problems:
digestive system disorder
metabolic disorder
parasite load
teeth condition
other underlying illness
food sources:
food presented in an inappropriate way for species
food quality
food quantity
food spoilage due to weather and climatic conditions or poor storage
inappropriate food sources for species
environmental and behavioural conditions:
dominant animals taking most of food
lack of space for individual animals to feed
distress caused by proximity of other animals nearby.

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 competence 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. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
develop diets for animals in consultation with others
prepare, store and distribute food according to animal needs, workplace protocols and procedures whilst maintaining quality control and hygiene practices
monitor response to feeding program and modify diets as required in consultation with supervisor.

The skills and knowledge required to plan for and provide nutritional requirements for animals must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.

Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment of this unit is to be practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in an animal care industry sector workplace in which candidates are working or in a situation that reproduces normal work conditions. Workplaces can include pet shops, breeding or boarding kennels and catteries, aviaries, companion animal training, grooming establishments, animal shelters, zoos, wildlife parks, mobile animal facilities and animal technology facilities.

There must be access in either situation to a range of animals as well as relevant information, equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.Assessment must be relevant to the industry sector in which candidates are working andmust cover a minimum of one species from at least two of the six major animal groups OR at least three breeds from within one of the six major animal groups (mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates.

Method of assessment
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated, to industry defined standards, on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances and over a number of assessment activities.

The assessment strategy must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:
written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
observed, documented and first-hand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
simulation exercises that reproduce normal work conditions
third-party evidence
workplace documentation
portfolio.

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

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).