Elements and Performance Criteria

The range of variables places the competency in context and allows for differences between enterprises and workplaces, including practices, knowledge and requirements. The range of variables also provides a focus for assessment and relates to the unit as a whole. The following variables may be present.

Culture stock:
· finfish (including ornamentals)
· crustaceans
· molluscs
· reptiles
· amphibians
· invertebrates
· macro-algae
· micro-algae
· aquatic plants
· adults, larvae, seed, spat, hatchlings, broodstock, juveniles, fry, fingerlings, sporophytes, seedlings.

Stock condition:
· size
· weight
· meat yield
· fullness
· colour
· shape.

Range of conditions:
· weather
· seasonal influences
· water quality characteristics
· pest activity
· predator activity
· disease or parasite infestation
· time of day
· stock density
· feeding history
· water flow methods and scheduling
· water management practices.

Approaches:
· selection of sites for extensive (natural) feeding
· augmentation (fertilisation) of culture water to increase food levels
· provision of formulated or supplementary feeds
· feed delivery and feeding behaviour.

Water:
· open
· semi-closed
· closed (reticulation) systems.

Environment:
· wave size and direction
· activity of pests and predators
· natural foods
· contaminants
· water quality variables
· historic, cultural or other social issues
· stakeholder interests
· economic issues
· Indigenous issues, native title
· polyculture, aquaponics, hydroponics.

Stock testing:
· on-site or off-site
· growth rates
· food conversion ratios
· proximate analysis of carcass, meat, yield
· nutritional profile of carcass or meat
· condition factor
· dissections.

Remedial action may include adjustments to:
· feed scheduling
· stocking densities
· ingredients or formulations
· water management practices
· feed delivery.

Each unit of competency has an evidence guide that relates directly to the performance criteria and the range of variables. Its purpose is to guide assessment of the unit in the workplace and/or training program. The following components provide information to assist this purpose.

Underpinning knowledge
The essential knowledge and understanding a person needs to perform work to the required standard include:
· relationship between water characteristics and nutrient availability to stock
· macro and micro elements
· nutrient cycling
· sources of stock nutriments
· nutriment uptake by stock
· nutriment deficiency or toxicity symptoms
· nutritional requirements of specific stock
· feeding strategy
· feed delivery methods
· feeding behaviour
· feed preparation.

Practical skills
The essential skills a person needs to perform work to the required standards include:
· testing feeds, water and stock
· monitoring the stock nutrition program.

Literacy skills used for:
· reading and researching technical literature
· reading and interpreting enterprise production plan
· recording information.

Numeracy skills used for:
· analysing the cost effectiveness of the stock nutrition program
· statistics in nutrition or feeding trials.

Critical aspects of competence
Assessment must confirm the ability to:
· develop a cost effective stock nutrition program for a culture species, that takes into account the species nutritional requirements under a range of conditions, the enterprise production plan and ecologically sustainable development (ESD) principles.

Assessment must confirm knowledge of:
· relationship between water characteristics and nutrient availability to stock
· macro and micro elements
· nutrient cycling
· sources of stock nutriments
· nutriment uptake by stock
· nutriment deficiency or toxicity symptoms
· nutritional requirements of specific stock
· feeding strategy
· feed delivery methods
· feeding behaviour
· feed preparation.

Interdependent assessment of units
This unit may be assessed after/with:
· No recommendations.

Context of assessment
Assessment is to be conducted at the workplace or in a simulated work environment. To assess a stock nutrition program as cost effective and meeting species requirements under a range of conditions, the assessment period should be over at least one full production cycle.

Method of assessment
The following assessment methods are suggested:
· written or oral short-answer testing
· practical exercises
· project work based on an actual workplace or case study.

Resources required for assessment
Resources may include:
· case study or workplace scenario
· research material relating to stock nutrition.