Application
This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to maintain poultry health and welfare.
All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures, work health and safety, animal welfare and biosecurity legislation and codes of practice and sustainability practices.
This unit applies to individuals who work under general supervision and exercise limited autonomy with some accountability for own work. They undertake defined activities and work in a structured context.
No occupational licensing, legislative or certification requirements are known to apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Element | Performance criteria |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Monitor and assess poultry health and welfare | 1.1 Maintain biosecurity protocols and quarantine procedures at all times 1.2 Follow enterprise work health and safety policies 1.3 Check poultry health and welfare regularly 1.4 Recognise and report signs of ill health, common diseases, parasite infestations and physical abnormalities 1.5 Identify cull birds using criteria established by the enterprise or industry quality assurance program 1.6 Record flock health status |
2. Provide an optimal environment for poultry | 2.1 Check bird housing conditions to ensure that protection is provided from external factors that compromise poultry health and welfare 2.2 Monitor, maintain and operate temperature and humidity control equipment 2.3 Install equipment and housing infrastructure appropriately 2.4 Monitor welfare of poultry and report non-compliance with animal welfare codes promptly 2.5 Record information which is relevant to the welfare and health of stock |
3. Administer medicines or other chemicals | 3.1 Store labelled veterinary chemicals or other medicines appropriately 3.2 Carry out routine prevention procedures for disease agents and parasites 3.3 Handle and measure medicines and chemicals safely and appropriately for administration 3.4 Medicate poultry appropriately as instructed or under supervision where required 3.5 Complete required documentation and records for administration of medicines and chemicals |
4. Collect samples for analysis | 4.1 Take swabs from surfaces and work areas regularly and prepare swabs for laboratory testing 4.2 Label and pack swabs and samples for dispatch appropriately |
5. Remove non-viable poultry | 5.1 Identify and remove sick, injured or unthrifty poultry in line with enterprise animal welfare policies 5.2 Treat sick poultry 5.3 Provide post-mortem assistance where necessary |
6. Report and complete records | 6.1 Report individual bird and flock health status promptly so that prevention strategies can be planned and implemented 6.2 Complete all required documentation and records clearly, promptly and accurately, and store appropriately |
Evidence of Performance
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:
monitor and assess poultry health and welfare
provide an optimal environment for poultry
administer medicines or other chemicals
collect samples for analysis
remove non-viable poultry
report and complete records
follow enterprise work health and safety policies
follow biosecurity protocols
follow enterprise animal welfare polices
Evidence of Knowledge
The candidate must demonstrate knowledge of:
relevant regulatory requirements, codes of practice, industry standards and enterprise procedures for biosecurity and quarantine
relevant regulatory requirements, codes of practice, industry standards and enterprise procedures for animal welfare of poultry
signs of health, signs of ill health, and methods for assessing poultry health and welfare
common diseases of poultry, treatment regimes, prevention and management strategies
criteria for determining birds to be culled
relevant documentation, records and reports that are required
types, functions and characteristics of housing, housing infrastructure and housing equipment for poultry, and the criteria and methods for determining that they are in working condition
types, uses, handling, storage and routes of administration of commonly used veterinary medicines and chemicals
procedures for taking, handling, labelling, packing and transporting swab samples
procedures for assisting a post-mortem examination
effects and impacts of individual bird health and welfare on flock health status and vice versa
relevant work health and safety requirements and environmental policies
Assessment Conditions
Competency is to be assessed in the workplace or workplace and simulated environment that accurately reflects performance in a real workplace setting.
Assessors must satisfy current standards for RTOs.
Foundation Skills
Foundation Skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.
Range Statement
Sectors
Poultry (PLY)