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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Manage routine maintenance
   • Plan maintenance schedules in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations and industry standards
   • Implement programmed replacement of consumables in line with recorded usage and replacement schedule
   • Identify and replace worn or unsafe components
   • Identify and rectify milking equipment maintenance problems
   • Engage specialist services for non-routine service and repairs
2. Manage shed milking routines
   • Determine milking shed routines and schedules with available labour and resources
   • Allocate and communicate staff responsibilities
   • Establish and implement milk production recording procedures
   • Implement industry or supplier quality assurance practices and procedures in programmed shed routines
   • Implement enterprise work health and safety policies
   • Implement enterprise animal welfare policies
3. Manage unsuitable milk from at risk cows
   • Establish shed procedures for the identification of cow herd health problems
   • Isolate milk from at risk cows to maintain overall milk quality
   • Select and administer appropriate treatments according to veterinary or expert advice
   • Determine strategies for the isolation or drying off of at risk or mastitis affected cows in accordance with appropriate advice
4. Maintain enterprise practices for milk quality
   • Develop in shed hygiene routines according to industry best practice and standards
   • Implement hygiene procedures to prevent cross infection and teat or udder damage
   • Monitor milk quality to comply with specified supplier standards
   • Monitor milk cooling equipment and storage to maximise milk quality
   • Identify environmental impacts of milking operations, assess likely outcomes and take action to minimise adverse effects in line with enterprise environmental policies

Range Statement

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Performance Evidence

The candidate must be assessed on their ability to integrate and apply the performance requirements of this unit in a workplace setting. Performance must be demonstrated consistently over time and in a suitable range of contexts.

The candidate must provide evidence that they can:

oversee the routine maintenance and service of milking equipment and replacement of consumables

oversee the conduct of milking operations

identify possible causes of decline in milk quality including animal infection and teat damage identify faults in milking equipment and rectify

oversee cleaning and disinfection of milk area and equipment after milking

maintain records of the milking operation

manage unsuitable milk from at risk cows

maintain enterprise practices for milk quality in co-operation with dairy factory personnel

implement enterprise work health and safety policies

implement enterprise animal welfare and environmental policies

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Knowledge Evidence

The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:

types, functions, cleaning, monitoring and maintenance of milking facilities, machinery, equipment and consumables

enterprise and industry requirements for milking operations such as production targets, finances, required resources, manpower and equipment

work routines, procedures and impacts of bad practices for milking operations

relevant industry standards, guidelines, codes of practice and programmes for milking operations, milk quality assurance and milking shed routines

types, characteristics, signs of ill health, prevention and treatment of relevant diseases in the livestock species and their impact on milking operations and milk quality

criteria, methods and industry standards for determining milk quality

factors affecting milk quality, and their effects and impacts on enterprise production targets and enterprise viability

anatomy, physiology, reproduction cycle, lactation and behaviour of the animal species applicable to milking operations

relevant hygiene and biosecurity practices and requirements for milking operations

relevant livestock testing, health treatment and preventive medicine applicable to milking operations

types, handling, use and disposal of detergents and cleaning agents, work health and safety and environmental practices for these agents

environmental impacts of milking operations and strategies to mitigate such impacts

relevant work health and safety requirements

relevant animal welfare practices and requirements

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