Elements and Performance Criteria

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

Why may diets be modified?
Diets may be modified because of prenatal and post-natal requirements, poor nutrition, unavailability of natural food items, sickness and seasonal requirements.

What are artificial or alternative feeds?
Artificial or alternative feeds may include substitute foods when natural food is unavailable, additives, vitamins, minerals and other supplements.

What may be taken into account when presenting food?
Presentation may include feeding by hand, by using equipment to hold food, by slow release feeding mechanisms or by the use of browse, hiding food, broadcast and activity feeding.

What type of OHS issues would be relevant in this context?
Animal care for captive animals has a range of associated risks from bites, envenomation, kicks or scratches. All duties should reflect an awareness of and a respect for these risks.
The handling of chemicals requires extra care to ensure safe work practices are maintained.
Safe work practices are used in packaging and handling loads, including animals and equipment such as sharp knives and food processors. Appropriate safe handling techniques are used to reduce muscle load on exertion.
Some captive animal facilities may expose personnel to risks such as zoonoses, release of infective agents (both animal and human) and chemical spillage. Procedures to reduce the spread of disease may include incident reporting, cleaning, the removal of waste and spillage, the containment or elimination of risk, the use of personal protective equipment and clothing and seeking advice from supervisors.

What aspects of food quality may be included?
Food quality may include freshness, odour, temperature and appearance.

Who are relevant internal and external personnel?
Internal personnel may include staff within the section, staff in other sections, management, curators, team leaders, records managers, operations managers and veterinarians.
External personnel may include government bodies, other captive animal institutions, contractors, suppliers, professional associations and members of the public.

What are the critical aspects of evidence required for this unit of competency as a whole?
The critical requirements that are valuable for this unit of competency as a whole are listed below.

Assessment must confirm one's ability to:

manage the preparation of diets and feed regimes to meet specific animal requirements
work effectively with suppliers when ordering food
monitor the quality of food and communicate effectively with staff and management on all aspects of animal nutrition
maintain section nutrition records and write reports as required.

What specific knowledge is needed to achieve the performance criteria?

Knowledge and understanding are essential to apply this unit in the workplace, to transfer the skills to other contexts and to deal with unplanned events. The knowledge requirements for this unit of competency are listed below and include:

institutional policies and procedures, including OHS
relevant legislation
anatomy and physiology of each of the major animal groups relating to nutrition and digestive processes
principles of nutrition and the impact of poor nutrition on the health and condition of animals
natural animal diets
the importance of vitamin and mineral substitution in artificial diets
institutional master plan
dietary requirements of a broad range of animal groups
animal mangement software such as ARKS (Animal Record-Keeping System) and SPARKS (Single Population Analysis and Records Keeping System).

What specific skills are needed to achieve the performance criteria?

To achieve the performance criteria, some complementary skills are required. These skills include:

ability to implement institutional policies and procedures
ability to use a variety of feeding techniques in response to the behavioural needs of animals
research skills and techniques
ability to evaluate diets
ability to write food orders and prepare feed records
ability to write reports for management
literacy skills to read and implement institutional policies and procedures, including OHS; develop sequenced written instructions; record accurately and legibly information collected; and select and apply procedures to a range of defined tasks
oral communication skills / language competence to fulfil the job role as specified by the institution, including questioning techniques, active listening, training others and consulting with supervisors
numeracy skills to complete arithmetic calculations relating to formulating food regimes
interpersonal skills to work with and relate to people from a range of cultural, social and religious backgrounds
problem-solving skills to use available resources and develop well-balanced diets.

What are the specific resource implications for this unit of competency?
For valid assessment, one
an appropriate captive animal workplace
equipment and / or resources normally used in the workplace
institutional policies and procedures
relevant federal and state or territory legislation
animal diets
institutional master plan
animal management software
nutrition records.

What considerations should there be for consistency in performance?
To ensure consistency in one's performance, competency should be demonstrated on more than one occasion over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities and, where possible, over a number of assessment activities.
The skills and knowledge required to

What considerations should there be for context of assessment?
Assessment for this unit of competency is to be largely practical in nature and will be most appropriately assessed in a captive animal workplace.
There must be access in this situation to the appropriate equipment and / or resources to enable one to demonstrate competency.

Are there other units of competency that could be assessed with this one?
This unit of competency

There are a number of processes learnt throughout work and life that 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.
Communicating ideas and information
Through discussion with supervisors and team members on formulating feed regimes. (2)

Collecting analysing and organising information
By critically evaluating existing diets and revising them accordingly. (3)

Planning and organising activities
By organising information into diets and feeding routines. (3)

Working with others and in teams
By working with others on agreed tasks. (2)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
By calculating the amount of food required for particular animals. (2)

Solving problems
By examining the nutritional requirements of animals and formulating healthy, well-balanced diets. (2)

Using technology
By using electronic databases to maintain feed records. (2)