Elements and Performance Criteria

The Range of Variables explains the range of contexts within which the performance and knowledge requirements of this standard may be assessed. The scope of variables chosen in training and assessment may depend on the work situations available.

What activities do identifying and marking in this unit cover?
Identifying and marking includes tagging, tailing, mulesing, pizzle dropping, notching, tattooing, micro-chipping, branding, dehorning, and trimming eye teeth. It may also include identifying abnormalities or faults and identifying and marking animals for culling.
NOTE: All castrating is covered in unit

What equipment and materials may be used for identifying and marking animals?
This may include marking cradles, mulesing shears, portable gates and yards, eartags, tag guns and gas guns, grinding stones, ear marking pliers, wire, methylated spirits, first aid kit, tattoo brands, freeze brands, dehorners, microchips, and branding irons.

What animals may be covered by this standard?
Animals may include cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, camels, alpacas, deer, donkeys and goats.

What enterprise requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Standard operating procedures (SOPs), industry standards, production schedules, MSDSs, work notes and plans, product labels, manufacturers specifications, operators manuals, enterprise policies and procedures (including waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines), and supervisors oral or written instructions.

What features may be considered in determining a suitable marking site for animals?
This may include the disease status of site, vegetation status and drainage, proximity to animals, hygienic nature of site, and available weather protection for animals.

What might be involved in preparing facilities for identifying and marking operations?
Preparation may involve the erection of yards and marking cradles, the removal of rubbish and settling of dust, and the disinfection of operating areas.

What preventative health treatments may be prepared for livestock?
This may include the preparation of disinfectants, antiseptics (liquid and powder) and blowfly powders. Antibiotics and vaccines may be prepared and administered at the same time as marking is carried out.

What hazards to health and safety may be identified in the workplace?
Animal movement and handling, solar radiation, dust, hazardous substances (veterinary chemicals) and moving machinery.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
animal handling including zoonoses control (Q Fever)
hazard and risk control
manual handling
handling, application and storage of hazardous substances
outdoor work including protection from solar radiation, dust and noise
the appropriate use and maintenance of personal protective clothing and equipment.

What PPE may be relevant to this standard?
This may include boots, overalls, gloves, protective eyewear, hearing protection, respirator or face mask, and sun protection (sun hat, sunscreen).

How might the safe mustering of animals be carried out?
In the application of controlled and calming techniques (including the restraint of working dogs where used) to minimise stress to animals and prevent risks of smothering young animals.

What environmental implications may be associated with identifying and marking operations?
Negative environmental impacts may result from the unsafe use and disposal of veterinarian chemicals and any consequent residual chemicals. Impacts may also result from high concentrations of animals in confined areas causing loss of ground cover, increased run-off flows, pugging, dust problems, weed seeds in animal manure, contamination of ground and surface water supplies.

What may be involved in carrying out an animal count?
An animal count may include both adult and young animals, male and female, and will generally be conducted as animals are moved after identifying and marking operations.

What may be involved in preparing animals for movement post-marking?
This may involve allowing animals adequate time to settle and mother-up prior to moving animals in a controlled and calm manner along a planned route.

What animal residues may be disposed of?
Residues may include skin, testes, and carcasses, and may be disposed of by burning, burying or removal to a safe site.

What activities do identifying and marking in this unit cover?
Identifying and marking includes tagging, tailing, mulesing, pizzle dropping, notching, tattooing, micro-chipping, branding, dehorning, and trimming eye teeth. It may also include identifying abnormalities or faults and identifying and marking animals for culling.
NOTE: All castrating is covered in unit

What equipment and materials may be used for identifying and marking animals?
This may include marking cradles, mulesing shears, portable gates and yards, eartags, tag guns and gas guns, grinding stones, ear marking pliers, wire, methylated spirits, first aid kit, tattoo brands, freeze brands, dehorners, microchips, and branding irons.

What animals may be covered by this standard?
Animals may include cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, camels, alpacas, deer, donkeys and goats.

What enterprise requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Standard operating procedures (SOPs), industry standards, production schedules, MSDSs, work notes and plans, product labels, manufacturers specifications, operators manuals, enterprise policies and procedures (including waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines), and supervisors oral or written instructions.

What features may be considered in determining a suitable marking site for animals?
This may include the disease status of site, vegetation status and drainage, proximity to animals, hygienic nature of site, and available weather protection for animals.

What might be involved in preparing facilities for identifying and marking operations?
Preparation may involve the erection of yards and marking cradles, the removal of rubbish and settling of dust, and the disinfection of operating areas.

What preventative health treatments may be prepared for livestock?
This may include the preparation of disinfectants, antiseptics (liquid and powder) and blowfly powders. Antibiotics and vaccines may be prepared and administered at the same time as marking is carried out.

What hazards to health and safety may be identified in the workplace?
Animal movement and handling, solar radiation, dust, hazardous substances (veterinary chemicals) and moving machinery.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
animal handling including zoonoses control (Q Fever)
hazard and risk control
manual handling
handling, application and storage of hazardous substances
outdoor work including protection from solar radiation, dust and noise
the appropriate use and maintenance of personal protective clothing and equipment.

What PPE may be relevant to this standard?
This may include boots, overalls, gloves, protective eyewear, hearing protection, respirator or face mask, and sun protection (sun hat, sunscreen).

How might the safe mustering of animals be carried out?
In the application of controlled and calming techniques (including the restraint of working dogs where used) to minimise stress to animals and prevent risks of smothering young animals.

What environmental implications may be associated with identifying and marking operations?
Negative environmental impacts may result from the unsafe use and disposal of veterinarian chemicals and any consequent residual chemicals. Impacts may also result from high concentrations of animals in confined areas causing loss of ground cover, increased run-off flows, pugging, dust problems, weed seeds in animal manure, contamination of ground and surface water supplies.

What may be involved in carrying out an animal count?
An animal count may include both adult and young animals, male and female, and will generally be conducted as animals are moved after identifying and marking operations.

What may be involved in preparing animals for movement post-marking?
This may involve allowing animals adequate time to settle and mother-up prior to moving animals in a controlled and calm manner along a planned route.

What animal residues may be disposed of?
Residues may include skin, testes, and carcasses, and may be disposed of by burning, burying or removal to a safe site.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in this standard requires evidence of the ability to muster animals, draft young animals and carry out identifying and marking operations safely and humanely. It also requires the ability to prepare appropriate identifying and marking sites and facilities to industry standards, operate and maintain equipment, determine identifying and marking methods, prepare and administer preventative health treatments and monitor animals behaviour post-marking for health and well-being. Evidence must also be demonstrated' in the employment of safe workplace and positive environmental practices.
The skills and knowledge required to identify and mark animals must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, if competence is evident in carrying out identifying and marking operations in the goat production industry, it must also be evident in the adaptation of those skills and knowledge to other animal industries.
What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

components and functions of identifying and marking equipment and materials
identifying and marking methods and techniques
animal identification systems
animal preventative health requirements and procedures
animal behaviour and basic health and nutritional requirements
environmental codes of practice with regard to animal production
relevant provisions of OHS and animal welfare legislation.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

handle animals in a safe and humane manner
monitor animal behaviour and recognise abnormalities
mother-up animals and their young
demonstrate safe and environmentally responsible workplace practices
apply contingency measures in the event of adverse weather conditions
maintain identifying and marking sites, facilities and equipment to industry standards
read and interpret manufacturers specifications, work plans and MSDSs
communicate effectively and maintain accurate reports and records
calculate and record animal numbers and measure dosage and quantities of preventative health treatments.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard
RTE2127A Castrate livestock

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this standard in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts, and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this competency standard are listed below:

components and functions of identifying and marking equipment and materials
identifying and marking methods and techniques
animal identification systems
animal preventative health requirements and procedures
animal behaviour and basic health and nutritional requirements
environmental codes of practice with regard to animal production
relevant provisions of OHS and animal welfare legislation.

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, appropriate literacy and numeracy levels as well as some complementary skills are required. These include the ability to:

handle animals in a safe and humane manner
monitor animal behaviour and recognise abnormalities
mother-up animals and their young
demonstrate safe and environmentally responsible workplace practices
apply contingency measures in the event of adverse weather conditions
maintain identifying and marking sites, facilities and equipment to industry standards
read and interpret manufacturers specifications, work plans and MSDSs
communicate effectively and maintain accurate reports and records
calculate and record animal numbers and measure dosage and quantities of preventative health treatments.

Are there other competency standards that could be assessed with this one?
This competency standard
RTE2127A Castrate livestock

Essential Assessment Information
There is essential information about

There are a number of processes that are learnt throughout work and life, which are required in all jobs. They are fundamental processes and generally transferable to other work functions. Some of these are covered by the key competencies, although others may be added. The questions below highlight how these processes are applied in this competency standard. Following each question a number in brackets indicates the level to which the key competency needs to be demonstrated where 0 = not required, 1 = perform the process, 2 = perform and administer the process and 3 = perform, administer and design the process.
Communicating ideas and information
Information with regard to the preparation and application of preventative health treatments to animals may be checked and confirmed with the supervisor. (1)

Communicating ideas and information
Information with regard to the preparation and application of preventative health treatments to animals may be checked and confirmed with the supervisor. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information with regard to animal identifying and marking processes and outcomes may be monitored and detailed for analysis and organised by records and reports. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information with regard to animal identifying and marking processes and outcomes may be monitored and detailed for analysis and organised by records and reports. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Activities involving administering preventative health treatments may be planned and co-ordinated with identifying and marking schedules or sequenced as required. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Activities involving administering preventative health treatments may be planned and co-ordinated with identifying and marking schedules or sequenced as required. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in the muster, draft and movement of animals. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in the muster, draft and movement of animals. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the calculation and measurement of preventative health treatments, and the conduct of animal counts. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the calculation and measurement of preventative health treatments, and the conduct of animal counts. (1)

Solving problems
Contingency procedures in the event of adverse weather conditions may be planned and followed to minimise disruption to identifying and marking schedules. (1)

Solving problems
Contingency procedures in the event of adverse weather conditions may be planned and followed to minimise disruption to identifying and marking schedules. (1)

Using technology
To communicate, calculate and record information. (1)

Using technology
To communicate, calculate and record information. (1)