Elements and Performance Criteria

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

What does crutching involve?
Full crutching covers shearing the inside parts of the legs and around the tail. In addition, when required it includes:
wigging
ringing
blow above teats
removing wool that has been struck by blow-fly; and/or
lifting the bottom leg and shearing that leg prior to turning the sheep around and above the tail; and/or
giving up to two blows above the tail.
'Sale Crutch' or 'Bung Hole' crutching requires a minimum amount of wool to be removed from the backside, being careful not to shear above the tail.
(Note: Some owners prefer shearers not to go out to the extreme ends of the legs, as the 'hair' on the hocks is of no value.)

What may be included in equipment?
Equipment may include friction cone, downtube assembly and shearing handpiece.

What sheep might be subject to the crutching operations?
All ages and genders of sheep, including rams, ewes, wethers, lambs, hoggets, and stags.

What processes might be involved in moving sheep?
Sheep may be caught and moved from the catching pen to the board using safe handling techniques.

What organisational, industry and animal welfare standards might apply to sheep crutching?
Organisation may include: Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS), industry standards, production schedules, work notes, work plans, manufacturers specifications, supervisors instructions, and workplace policies and procedures (including recycling, environmental and land management).
Industry and animal welfare standards/requirements might include: National Codes of Practice for the Shearing Industry (health, safety and welfare standards), Environmental Protection Act, and Animal Welfare Act.

What OHS requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
safe operation and maintenance of machinery and equipment including guarding of exposed moving parts
the operation and maintenance of hazard-free facilities and equipment
the maintenance of accommodation facilities
handling livestock
safe manual handling, including lifting and carrying
safe fleece/wool harvesting
the protection from electrical hazards, hazardous noise and organic and other dusts
the health and safety of shearing personnel
outdoor work including protection from solar radiation
the appropriate use of personal protective clothing and equipment
animal welfare considerations including disease control.

What adverse crutching conditions may be applicable to this standard?
These may be extreme temperatures, wet or contaminated wool.

How might sheep be positioned for crutching?
For across the board crutching, sheep are initially positioned as for shearing in the last side position relative to the downtube so the crutcher can remove facewool, ring pizzles and wool from the crutch.
For cradle crutching, sheep are positioned according to the specifications of the particular type of cradle being used.
For race crutching, sheep are positioned in the standing position, according to the particular race type.

What potential and existing hazards may be encountered in the workplace?
Sheep movement and handling, loose boards, obstacles, veterinary chemicals, damaged pens, uneven flooring uncovered belts, poor drag, and unsafe machinery.

What may be included in personal protective equipment?
Clothing and footwear that prevents feet crushing, skin abrasions, and tangles in machinery.

What methods of crutching might be used?
They may be across the board, race crutching, or crutching cradles.

What injury to sheep and damage to wool needs to be avoided?
Injury to the vulnerable areas of the sheep such as teats, pizzles, ears, vulva, wrinkle and skin, eyes, hamstrings, joints, blood vessels and sinewy parts close to the surface. Damage to horns, eartags, second cuts and skin pieces should also be avoided.

What safe handling techniques need to be applied?
Techniques for catching, dragging, positioning and releasing sheep.

What contamination might need to be identified?
Amongst the contaminants are lamb pouches, maggot affected wool, urine stains, dung stains, skin pieces, black fibres, loose woolpack fibres, baling twines, man-made fibres and clothing, dermatitis, branding dyes, dags, grease locks, burrs and vegetable matter, shed debris, wet fibre or water stains, cigarette butts, and towels.

How might cuts be treated?
They may be sutured in line with industry standards and animal welfare requirements.

How might flyblown sheep be treated?
Treatment of flyblown sheep would involve shearing of flyblown wool to skin, marking sheep and informing the owner/classer.

What types of problem sheep might be identified?
Wet sheep, those with diseases, those affected by prickly pear, those chemically treated prior to crutching and other problems as listed in the various pastoral awards.

What grievances and difficulties might occur?
Grievances and difficulties might relate to responsibilities of owners, overseers and shearers, and just causes and procedures for stopping work as specified within relevant awards.

What does crutching involve?
Full crutching covers shearing the inside parts of the legs and around the tail. In addition, when required it includes:
wigging
ringing
blow above teats
removing wool that has been struck by blow-fly; and/or
lifting the bottom leg and shearing that leg prior to turning the sheep around and above the tail; and/or
giving up to two blows above the tail.
'Sale Crutch' or 'Bung Hole' crutching requires a minimum amount of wool to be removed from the backside, being careful not to shear above the tail.
(Note: Some owners prefer shearers not to go out to the extreme ends of the legs, as the 'hair' on the hocks is of no value.)

What may be included in equipment?
Equipment may include friction cone, downtube assembly and shearing handpiece.

What sheep might be subject to the crutching operations?
All ages and genders of sheep, including rams, ewes, wethers, lambs, hoggets, and stags.

What processes might be involved in moving sheep?
Sheep may be caught and moved from the catching pen to the board using safe handling techniques.

What organisational, industry and animal welfare standards might apply to sheep crutching?
Organisation may include: Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS), industry standards, production schedules, work notes, work plans, manufacturers specifications, supervisors instructions, and workplace policies and procedures (including recycling, environmental and land management).
Industry and animal welfare standards/requirements might include: National Codes of Practice for the Shearing Industry (health, safety and welfare standards), Environmental Protection Act, and Animal Welfare Act.

What OHS requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Safe systems and procedures for:
safe operation and maintenance of machinery and equipment including guarding of exposed moving parts
the operation and maintenance of hazard-free facilities and equipment
the maintenance of accommodation facilities
handling livestock
safe manual handling, including lifting and carrying
safe fleece/wool harvesting
the protection from electrical hazards, hazardous noise and organic and other dusts
the health and safety of shearing personnel
outdoor work including protection from solar radiation
the appropriate use of personal protective clothing and equipment
animal welfare considerations including disease control.

What adverse crutching conditions may be applicable to this standard?
These may be extreme temperatures, wet or contaminated wool.

How might sheep be positioned for crutching?
For across the board crutching, sheep are initially positioned as for shearing in the last side position relative to the downtube so the crutcher can remove facewool, ring pizzles and wool from the crutch.
For cradle crutching, sheep are positioned according to the specifications of the particular type of cradle being used.
For race crutching, sheep are positioned in the standing position, according to the particular race type.

What potential and existing hazards may be encountered in the workplace?
Sheep movement and handling, loose boards, obstacles, veterinary chemicals, damaged pens, uneven flooring uncovered belts, poor drag, and unsafe machinery.

What may be included in personal protective equipment?
Clothing and footwear that prevents feet crushing, skin abrasions, and tangles in machinery.

What methods of crutching might be used?
They may be across the board, race crutching, or crutching cradles.

What injury to sheep and damage to wool needs to be avoided?
Injury to the vulnerable areas of the sheep such as teats, pizzles, ears, vulva, wrinkle and skin, eyes, hamstrings, joints, blood vessels and sinewy parts close to the surface. Damage to horns, eartags, second cuts and skin pieces should also be avoided.

What safe handling techniques need to be applied?
Techniques for catching, dragging, positioning and releasing sheep.

What contamination might need to be identified?
Amongst the contaminants are lamb pouches, maggot affected wool, urine stains, dung stains, skin pieces, black fibres, loose woolpack fibres, baling twines, man-made fibres and clothing, dermatitis, branding dyes, dags, grease locks, burrs and vegetable matter, shed debris, wet fibre or water stains, cigarette butts, and towels.

How might cuts be treated?
They may be sutured in line with industry standards and animal welfare requirements.

How might flyblown sheep be treated?
Treatment of flyblown sheep would involve shearing of flyblown wool to skin, marking sheep and informing the owner/classer.

What types of problem sheep might be identified?
Wet sheep, those with diseases, those affected by prickly pear, those chemically treated prior to crutching and other problems as listed in the various pastoral awards.

What grievances and difficulties might occur?
Grievances and difficulties might relate to responsibilities of owners, overseers and shearers, and just causes and procedures for stopping work as specified within relevant awards.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in crutching sheep requires evidence that all of the required wool is removed cleanly and safely according to the requirements of the organisation and the standards of the industry.
The skills and knowledge required to crutch sheep must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, across a range of shed types and sizes and breeds of sheep.
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:


A basic working knowledge of:

types of shearing sheds, boards and catching pens
shearing machinery required and their relative functions
industry agreed crutching techniques, positions and methods of crutching
safe handling techniques for catching, dragging, crutching and releasing sheep
anatomy of all types of sheep
sheep diseases
animal welfare requirements in relation to sheep
sheep behaviour
personal protective clothing and equipment, and when and how it should be used
Federal Pastoral Industry Award and/or State Shearing Award of Queensland or Western Australian Shearing Contractors Award
relevant State/Territory legislation and awards, regulations and codes of practice with regard to workplace OHS and animal welfare.

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:

select and use equipment and materials appropriate for crutching sheep
avoid contamination, second cuts and damage to wool, animals and people
catch and release sheep safely
demonstrate safe and responsible workplace practices
provide due care and handle sheep humanely
clean and maintain crutching equipment, site and facilities
read and interpret manufacturers specifications, work and maintenance plans
work in a team as a team member
communicate problems, faults and workplace hazards, and to comprehend instructions provided by the owner or overseer
tally crutched sheep count.

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:


A basic working knowledge of:

types of shearing sheds, boards and catching pens
shearing machinery required and their relative functions
industry agreed crutching techniques, positions and methods of crutching
safe handling techniques for catching, dragging, crutching and releasing sheep
anatomy of all types of sheep
sheep diseases
animal welfare requirements in relation to sheep
sheep behaviour
personal protective clothing and equipment, and when and how it should be used
Federal Pastoral Industry Award and/or State Shearing Award of Queensland or Western Australian Shearing Contractors Award
relevant State/Territory legislation and awards, regulations and codes of practice with regard to workplace OHS and animal welfare.

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:

select and use equipment and materials appropriate for crutching sheep
avoid contamination, second cuts and damage to wool, animals and people
catch and release sheep safely
demonstrate safe and responsible workplace practices
provide due care and handle sheep humanely
clean and maintain crutching equipment, site and facilities
read and interpret manufacturers specifications, work and maintenance plans
work in a team as a team member
communicate problems, faults and workplace hazards, and to comprehend instructions provided by the owner or overseer
tally crutched sheep count.

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 and ideas with regard to crutching procedures, identification of problem sheep and contaminated wool may be discussed with colleagues and the classer and/or overseer /supervisor. (1)

Communicating ideas and information
Information and ideas with regard to crutching procedures, identification of problem sheep and contaminated wool may be discussed with colleagues and the classer and/or overseer /supervisor. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information with regard to crutched sheep; problem sheep and contaminated wool may be recorded and/or tallied. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information with regard to crutched sheep; problem sheep and contaminated wool may be recorded and/or tallied. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Activities involving crutching sheep may be planned and co-ordinated around time schedules or sequenced as required. (1)

Planning and organising activities
Activities involving crutching sheep may be planned and co-ordinated around time schedules or sequenced as required. (1)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in reporting problem sheep and contaminated wool. It may also apply in arranging for the collection of shorn fleece. (2)

Working with others and in teams
Team work may be applied in reporting problem sheep and contaminated wool. It may also apply in arranging for the collection of shorn fleece. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the tallying of shorn sheep, mob breaks or cut-outs. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied in the tallying of shorn sheep, mob breaks or cut-outs. (1)

Solving problems
Contingencies for dealing with problem sheep and contaminated wool may be planned and prepared to minimise disruption to shearing schedules. Alternative planning may also be needed if complications occur when catching or crutching sheep. (1)

Solving problems
Contingencies for dealing with problem sheep and contaminated wool may be planned and prepared to minimise disruption to shearing schedules. Alternative planning may also be needed if complications occur when catching or crutching sheep. (1)

Using technology
To communicate, record and calculate crutching outcomes and tallies, in using handpieces and crutching equipment, and advances in manufacturing machinery and equipment. (1)

Using technology
To communicate, record and calculate crutching outcomes and tallies, in using handpieces and crutching equipment, and advances in manufacturing machinery and equipment. (1)