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.
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).
Food supplements may include:
trace elements, vitamins, minerals and sources of specific-purpose nutrients that cannot be adequately provided in feedstuffs for specific dietary requirements.
Feeding plans may consider:
available food sources
feeding frequency and rates
feeding methods and procedures
how to introduce animals to dietary changes
nutrient requirements for particular animal status and condition
presentation of food that stimulates activity and allows animal to mimic normal wild activity
reporting and recording requirements
supervisor's instructions
target weights
weed and pest control strategy.
Hazards to animals and humans in food preparation and distribution may include:
animal movement and handling
contamination of foodstuffs from vermin, bacteria, fungus, virus and other sources
excessive noise
manual handling and general food preparation, storage and distribution equipment
organic and other dusts
possibility of zoonotic infection
shelf life of foodstuffs.
Eating and drinking abnormalities may include:
changes in feeding behaviours:
gorging
increased water intake
reluctance to eat
reluctance to eat previously accepted feedstuffs
general observation of sick animals, weight loss, scouring and ill thrift.

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:
follow feeding plan to meet the nutritional requirements of animals and report variations
handle and store feed to maintain nutritional value and safe-to-feed status
provide appropriately prepared and presented food and water to animal
document feed supplies usage and feeding habits of animals, including eating and drinking abnormalities, and report to supervisor.

The skills and knowledge required to feed and water 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 workplace 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, mobile animal facilities and veterinary practices.

There must be access to a range of animals as well as relevant information, equipment and/or resources to enable one to demonstrate competence.Assessment must cover a minimum of one species from at least two of the six major animal groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and 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 where possible, 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).