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 livestock may be relevant to this standard?
Livestock may include beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

What may be involved in preparing and maintaining livestock handling areas?
This may involve ensuring yards/pens are kept in good repair, contaminants are removed, dust is settled by watering down, feed and water troughs are maintained to industry standards, and gates and access routes are clear of any obstructions that may cause injury to livestock or handlers.

What enterprise requirements may be applicable to this standard?
SOP, industry standards, production schedules, MSDS, 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.

How might livestock be identified for handling?
Livestock may be identified by ear tags or ear marks, raddle, sprays, silicon chip implants, tattoos, numbering, tail or collar tags, freeze or paint branding, leg bands, computerised collars/anklets, or colour, breed and sex.

What type of behavioural characteristics might be observed?
This may include characteristics of dominance, the composition of mob, effect of weather conditions, and fear of handlers.

What types of handling equipment may be used?
This may include crush/bail or crutching cradles, mulesing and marking cradles, jetting, drenching and dipping equipment, gates, pens, races, loading ramps, tag applicators, branding equipment, dehorners, inoculating equipment, leg ropes, nose rings, scales, foot baths, and feet trimming equipment. It may also include the use of pig boards and snares.

What existing and potential hazards may be encountered in the workplace?
Livestock movement and handling, solar radiation, organic and other dusts, hazardous noise, moving machinery, and vehicles.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
handling livestock including zoonoses control (Q Fever, Orf, Hydatid disease)
operating handling equipment
hazard and risk control
manual handling
handling, application and storage of hazardous substances
horse and working dog handling
the operation of motorcycles and other vehicles
outdoor work including protection from solar radiation, dust and noise
the appropriate use and maintenance of personal protective equipment.

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

What procedures may be implemented to control, draft and sort livestock?
Procedures may include the appropriate use of handling equipment with minimum force, a reasonable amount of time for livestock to complete movement, and the use of positive and calming techniques to foster the physical and mental wellbeing of livestock. Dogs may also be used to assist in the controlling and directing of livestock.

What might be involved in livestock restraint procedures?
Procedures may involve the use of industry accepted livestock restraint equipment in conjunction with safe and humane handling techniques.

What environmental implications may be associated with livestock production?
Negative environmental impacts may result from high density livestock activity, particularly in holding or confined areas, causing odour, increased run-off flows, loss of ground cover, soil disturbance, pugging, dust problems, weed seeds in animal manure, and contamination of ground and surface water supplies.

What range of livestock handling operations may be carried out?
This may include marking, weighing and condition scoring, disbudding procedures, flystrike and jetting treatments.

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

What relevant information might be recorded and reported?
Livestock numbers, details of administered preventative health treatments and outcomes, weight and condition scoring, and any observed abnormalities.

What livestock may be relevant to this standard?
Livestock may include beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

What may be involved in preparing and maintaining livestock handling areas?
This may involve ensuring yards/pens are kept in good repair, contaminants are removed, dust is settled by watering down, feed and water troughs are maintained to industry standards, and gates and access routes are clear of any obstructions that may cause injury to livestock or handlers.

What enterprise requirements may be applicable to this standard?
SOP, industry standards, production schedules, MSDS, 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.

How might livestock be identified for handling?
Livestock may be identified by ear tags or ear marks, raddle, sprays, silicon chip implants, tattoos, numbering, tail or collar tags, freeze or paint branding, leg bands, computerised collars/anklets, or colour, breed and sex.

What type of behavioural characteristics might be observed?
This may include characteristics of dominance, the composition of mob, effect of weather conditions, and fear of handlers.

What types of handling equipment may be used?
This may include crush/bail or crutching cradles, mulesing and marking cradles, jetting, drenching and dipping equipment, gates, pens, races, loading ramps, tag applicators, branding equipment, dehorners, inoculating equipment, leg ropes, nose rings, scales, foot baths, and feet trimming equipment. It may also include the use of pig boards and snares.

What existing and potential hazards may be encountered in the workplace?
Livestock movement and handling, solar radiation, organic and other dusts, hazardous noise, moving machinery, and vehicles.

What OHS requirements may be relevant to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
handling livestock including zoonoses control (Q Fever, Orf, Hydatid disease)
operating handling equipment
hazard and risk control
manual handling
handling, application and storage of hazardous substances
horse and working dog handling
the operation of motorcycles and other vehicles
outdoor work including protection from solar radiation, dust and noise
the appropriate use and maintenance of personal protective equipment.

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

What procedures may be implemented to control, draft and sort livestock?
Procedures may include the appropriate use of handling equipment with minimum force, a reasonable amount of time for livestock to complete movement, and the use of positive and calming techniques to foster the physical and mental wellbeing of livestock. Dogs may also be used to assist in the controlling and directing of livestock.

What might be involved in livestock restraint procedures?
Procedures may involve the use of industry accepted livestock restraint equipment in conjunction with safe and humane handling techniques.

What environmental implications may be associated with livestock production?
Negative environmental impacts may result from high density livestock activity, particularly in holding or confined areas, causing odour, increased run-off flows, loss of ground cover, soil disturbance, pugging, dust problems, weed seeds in animal manure, and contamination of ground and surface water supplies.

What range of livestock handling operations may be carried out?
This may include marking, weighing and condition scoring, disbudding procedures, flystrike and jetting treatments.

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

What relevant information might be recorded and reported?
Livestock numbers, details of administered preventative health treatments and outcomes, weight and condition scoring, and any observed abnormalities.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in this standard requires evidence of the ability to identify and draft livestock for handling operations using equipment, and calm and humane methods to minimise undue stress and risk to livestock or handlers. It requires the ability to follow, interpret and apply task instructions, prepare handling areas, gates and access routes for livestock movement, move and control livestock, monitor and anticipate livestock behaviour, and recognise and report hazards or movement problems for remedial action. Evidence must also be demonstrated in the employment of safe workplace and positive environmental practices.

The skills and knowledge required to handle livestock using basic techniques must be transferable to another rural environment. For example, if competence is evident in the drafting and movement of sheep, it must also be evident in the conduct of handling operations for beef and dairy cattle.
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:

livestock breeds and basic nutritional and welfare requirements
livestock behavioural characteristics and movement in handling areas
components and functions of handling equipment
handling techniques and restraint methods
enterprise livestock identification systems
environmental codes of practice with regard to livestock production
OHS and animal welfare legislative requirements
regulatory controls with regard to handling livestock on public roads.

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:

provide due care in the handling of livestock
recognise enterprise livestock identification systems
safely drive vehicles, and ride horses and motorbikes without damage to person, property or environment
recognise livestock abnormalities
control environmental impacts associated with livestock production
apply contingency measures for handling livestock in the event of adverse weather conditions
observe and describe the behaviour of livestock
read and comprehend oral and written information and instructions, write basic statements and maintain livestock handling records
assess and calculate livestock numbers.

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

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:

livestock breeds and basic nutritional and welfare requirements
livestock behavioural characteristics and movement in handling areas
components and functions of handling equipment
handling techniques and restraint methods
enterprise livestock identification systems
environmental codes of practice with regard to livestock production
OHS and animal welfare legislative requirements
regulatory controls with regard to handling livestock on public roads.

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:

provide due care in the handling of livestock
recognise enterprise livestock identification systems
safely drive vehicles, and ride horses and motorbikes without damage to person, property or environment
recognise livestock abnormalities
control environmental impacts associated with livestock production
apply contingency measures for handling livestock in the event of adverse weather conditions
observe and describe the behaviour of livestock
read and comprehend oral and written information and instructions, write basic statements and maintain livestock handling records
assess and calculate livestock numbers.

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

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 hazards in the handling area or maintenance requirements may be reported to the supervisor. (2)

Communicating ideas and information
Information with regard to hazards in the handling area or maintenance requirements may be reported to the supervisor. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information with regard to the handling operations and their outcomes may be observed and detailed for analysis, and organised by enterprise records. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information with regard to the handling operations and their outcomes may be observed and detailed for analysis, and organised by enterprise records. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Preparing handling areas and equipment and ensuring access routes are clear and free of obstacles, may be planned and organised prior to livestock movement. (2)

Planning and organising activities
Preparing handling areas and equipment and ensuring access routes are clear and free of obstacles, may be planned and organised prior to livestock movement. (2)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in methods and procedures to move, draft and conduct livestock count to complete handling operations. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in methods and procedures to move, draft and conduct livestock count to complete handling operations. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the calculation of average weights and condition scores, and the calculation of livestock numbers prior to and post livestock handling operations. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the calculation of average weights and condition scores, and the calculation of livestock numbers prior to and post livestock handling operations. (2)

Solving problems
Contingencies in the event of adverse weather or unsafe access route conditions may require alternative arrangements to be prepared to minimise disruption to work schedules. (2)

Solving problems
Contingencies in the event of adverse weather or unsafe access route conditions may require alternative arrangements to be prepared to minimise disruption to work schedules. (2)

Using technology
To communicate, record livestock numbers and data, and weigh livestock. (1)

Using technology
To communicate, record livestock numbers and data, and weigh livestock. (1)