Elements and Performance Criteria

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.

What
Facilities: shelter of correct size and requirements to suit type of animals, appropriate ventilation and temperature controls (blinds, shutters, registers, poly socks), provision of a clean, dry, warm and draught free environment, suitable shedding, pens, slatted wire/flooring, deep litter, washable troughs, teat feeding equipment, water supply for washing up and drinking, hoppers or troughs for pellets and grain, hay feeders, vermin and damp proof feed storage facilities, air quality, sick bay, adequate exposure to sunshine for calf pens, and drainage systems.
Equipment: feed and water buckets, bails, teats, troughs, drums, racks or rings for roughage, troughs or bins for concentrates, milk transporting systems, water troughs or drinkers. Natural or additional shelters in paddock. Hygiene and cleaning materials, house rearing facilities, paddock rearing facilities, weaning equipment and facilities, weighing equipment/scales and facilities, adequate effluent treatment and disposal facilities, cleaning equipment. Halters, leads, bridles, bits and horse rugs.
Veterinary and related supplies: such as electrolyte solutions, anti-bloat, anti-scour, vaccine, vitamins/ minerals, prescribed medications, antibiotics (for use with veterinary supervision), laxatives, nutrient drenches, tube feeding equipment, syringes, needles and spirit, drenching equipment, tattoo equipment, eartags, temporary or permanent collars, stored/ artificial colostrum.
Feed supplies: milk replacer, calf pellets, feed concentrates and additives, and feed roughage.

What
Fresh, clean and palatable feed and water. Suitable shelter, warmth, cleanliness, adequate ventilation, adequate nutrition, freedom from stress, disease prevention management, protection from hazards and predators.

What
Newborn and young animals covered by this unit of competency include lambs, calves, kids, pigs (suckers, weaners) poultry (birds), foals and weanlings and crias.

What might need to be considered when implementing and observing
monitoring feeding times and feed rates when restricted feeding in place
identifying and reporting malfunctions
observation of suckling and feeding, ensuring that calves, foals, piglets, lambs and crias get an early drink of colostrum, assisting with suckling/feeding as necessary
provision of milk, introduction and maintenance of solid feed (grain, pellets, roughage), feed supplements, checking for abnormalities in feeding and identifying poor or slow feeders
bottle feeding, foster feeding or donor dams
supplementary feeding.

What
disinfecting shelters
ensuring adequate ventilation and warmth
adequate effluent treatment and disposal facilities
clean water
clean feed troughs and areas
clean and hygienic facilities and equipment are maintained
disposal of carcasses.

How might newborn and young animals be
Use of eartags, notching, markings, sire and dam identification.

Why might newborn and young animals be
Young animals may need to be caught and restrained for routine health and husbandry procedures, such as tail docking, teeth clipping, iron injection, vaccination, hoof trimming, worming, weighing, etc. Young horses may also need to be accustomed to accepting leads, halters and other restraints.

Which
Standard operating procedures (SOPs), industry standards, production schedules, Material Safety Data Sheets, work notes, product labels, manufacturers specifications, operators manuals, enterprise policies and procedures (including waste disposal, recycling and re-use guidelines), OHS procedures, supervisors oral or written instructions, work and routine maintenance plans.

What
Those that relate to the needs of new born and young animals and may be identified from authoritative and reliable sources such as veterinarians, books, supervisors, other farmers, government departments, feed suppliers and breed societies.

What
Teaching newborn and young to drink/feed, ensuring access to colostrum where necessary, provision of alternative feed/milk source, identifying orphans and organising bottle-feeding and/or a foster mother.

For what reasons mightfeed watering and shelter need to be
Machinery or equipment breakdown or malfunction and repairs to shelter/housing/pens/yards.

What
Scours (of differing varieties), pneumonia and other respiratory diseases, milk or concentrates bloat, acidosis, navel-ill, joint-ill, noticing changes in behaviour and visual changes indicating stress, wounds and injuries, abnormalities and deformities, neonatal maladjustment syndrome. Checking for soundness in limbs, teeth and hooves, identifying small and less vigorous young for separation and specialist feeding routines or re-assignment, isolation of sick, injured or unhealthy young in sick bay.

What
observing and assessing performance of newborn and young animals
development of reflexes and sensory awareness
where appropriate ensuring colostrum intake
passing of meconium and urination
ensuring adequate supply of milk from mother
determining growth rates and condition scoring to check whether expected height and weight benchmarks for age are being met.

What type of
Separating out poor feeders and sick or injured stock for special treatment, humanely culling by selecting stock that are injured, malformed or not responding to treatment.

What type of appropriate
More experienced staff, supervisors, veterinarians.

What routine
Disbudding, tattooing, infection and parasite control, vaccination, hoof care, freeze/hot branding, conducting foal or cria imprinting and fitting of headstalls.

What

What are some of the key considerations in a
humane handling
grouping of young animals based on body weight and sex
weaning off milk according to any rearing programs
introduction of young to pasture and supplementary feed
where needed young are gradually weaned (e.g. horse) and allowed limited or reduced suckling opportunities using industry recognised and approved methods.

What
High quality pasture, roughage and/or concentrate and supplementary feeding are maintained as necessary.

Why might
To get animals used to human contact to facilitate future treatment and care.
For poultry: to sex and count the number of birds.
For horses: handling may include identification and mustering of mares and foals and separation, frequent catching and restraining, teaching to tie up and lead, teaching to load, teaching to pick up feet, exercise (behind treadmill/joggers, lunging, regular grooming and being prepared for future sales weanling and yearling sales.

What
Weaning date, weights, feed quantities, treatments and vaccinations, abnormalities and injuries.

What
Quality assurance and industry standards and Codes of Best Practice for rearing newborn and young animals.

What
Safe animal handling systems and procedures including zoonoses (including Q Fever), safe manual handling systems and procedures, application and storage of hazardous substances (drenches, vaccines), safe systems and procedures for outdoor work including protection from solar radiation, and the appropriate selection, use and maintenance of personal protective equipment.

What
Animal welfare legislation, withholding period and quarantine requirements, the welfare and husbandry of sheep or goats, and codes of practice for welfare of animals and specifications concerning animal health tests.

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.
What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this unit as a whole?
Competence in rearing newborn and young animals requires evidence of the ability to prepare and maintain facilities, equipment and supplies, feed and monitor health and condition of newborn and young animals according to enterprise, animal nutrition and animal welfare requirements. In addition it requires an ability to check and treat newborn and young animals as required and to wean and handle newborn and young animals.
The skills and knowledge required to rear newborn and young animals must be

What processes should be applied to this unit of competency?
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 unit of competency. 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.
How can communication of ideas and information (1) be applied?
To discuss concerns requirements and progress with property owner/supervisor and staff.
How can information be collected, analysed and organised (2)?
Information on feed regimes, nutrition requirements, health concerns may be collected and organised for analysis and organised by records and reports.
How are activities planned and organised (2)?
The coordination of regular feeding routines and hygiene, and cleaning routines and animal monitoring.
How can team work (2) be applied?
Team-work may be applied to ensure optimum nutritional requirements and growth/health.
How can the use of mathematical ideas and techniques (1) be applied?
Mathematics may be applied to calculate volumes and schedules.
How can problem-solving skills (1) be applied?
In the identification of infection, health and feeding and handling difficulties.
How can the use of technology (1) be applied?
To monitor health, growth and feeding patterns and to record data.

Are there other units of competency that could be assessed with this one?
This unit of competency could be assessed on its own or in combination with other competencies relevant to the job function.
There is essential information about