Elements and Performance Criteria

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

For what reasons might livestock be slaughtered?
Need to destroy animals due to disease or other animal health factors. Need to supply meat for human or animal consumption.

What equipment might be used?
Knives (boning and skinning), rifle, carcass hoist, plastic bags and labels, brooms and mops, water, hooks, cover for carcass, meat saw, table, and meat containers.

What livestock are covered by this standard?
Sheep, cattle and goats.

What criteria might be used to select livestock for slaughter?
Selected for human consumption on basis of age, body weight, health of livestock, fat cover, length of fleece, coat condition, and sex. Also economic viability, necessity to cull kids, lambs or calves, or the inability of the farm enterprise to economically restore the animal back to full health. Disease status and disease control measures.

What preparation might be required?
Shearing, emptying out, drafting and separation.

What enterprise regulatory and animal welfare requirements might need to be considered?
Meat industry health and safety guidelines, Australian standard for hygienic production of meat for human consumption, ANZFA food standards code, and State and Territory regulation regarding meat slaughter handling and consumption. Industry and enterprise quality assurance standards, codes of practice for selecting livestock, and industry standards on marketing livestock. Withholding periods, minimum residue levels, animal welfare legislation and codes of practice for welfare and humane slaughter of cattle, sheep and goats, requirements and specification of animal health tests, national residue tests, and AUSMEAT descriptions. Disease control legislation and requirements.

What slaughter method might be used?
Knife, rifle shot, bolt gun, or other humane methods that result in as the least possible pain being inflicted upon the livestock.
Note: Where firearms are used, appropriate licences must be held.

What killing facilities might be used?
Slaughter house, meat rooms, shade, concrete slab, and open pits.

What steps might be taken to minimise stress to the animal?
Restraint of farm animals, e.g. dogs, cats, pigs, or poultry. Quick and decisive action in making kill.

What OHS requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Safe livestock handling systems and procedures, safe use of rifles and other firearms used to kill or stun animals, knives, safe use of hoist equipment, safe slaughterhouse techniques, national meat industry safety guidelines, safe manual handling systems and procedures, safe systems and procedures for outdoor work including protection from solar radiation, and the appropriate selection, use and maintenance of personal protective equipment including chain mail gloves to reduce risk of laceration.

What is involved in dressing livestock?
Dressed to avoid cuts to carcass or pelt, skin is prepared for drying, storage or disposal. Post mortem is arranged as necessary.

What is involved in hanging livestock?
Carcass is given maximum exposure to air circulation, protected, and covered and hung to set.

What protection might be needed?
Cold room, gauzed in meat room, cotton cover and protection may be sought from heat, dogs, flies, and wild animals.

How might an investigation be carried out?
A post-mortem to check for worm burden, hydatid infection, and other diseases.

What health requirements are relevant to this standard?
Correct bleeding, climatic conditions, time of slaughter, cheesy glands, and other diseases. Requirements set down by the State, Territory/Commonwealth governments, the meat industry and the enterprise.

What equipment might need cleaning?
Knives (boning and skinning), rifle, carcass hoist, plastic bags and labels, brooms and mops, water, hooks, cover for the carcass, neat saw, table, and meat containers.

What end-uses might there be for the meat?
Edible for human consumption or culled due to disease, instructions or economic viability. If end-use is for human consumption then carcass may be cut to maximise chops, boned out, or to provide large legs and shoulders for roasting.

For what reasons might livestock be slaughtered?
Need to destroy animals due to disease or other animal health factors. Need to supply meat for human or animal consumption.

What equipment might be used?
Knives (boning and skinning), rifle, carcass hoist, plastic bags and labels, brooms and mops, water, hooks, cover for carcass, meat saw, table, and meat containers.

What livestock are covered by this standard?
Sheep, cattle and goats.

What criteria might be used to select livestock for slaughter?
Selected for human consumption on basis of age, body weight, health of livestock, fat cover, length of fleece, coat condition, and sex. Also economic viability, necessity to cull kids, lambs or calves, or the inability of the farm enterprise to economically restore the animal back to full health. Disease status and disease control measures.

What preparation might be required?
Shearing, emptying out, drafting and separation.

What enterprise regulatory and animal welfare requirements might need to be considered?
Meat industry health and safety guidelines, Australian standard for hygienic production of meat for human consumption, ANZFA food standards code, and State and Territory regulation regarding meat slaughter handling and consumption. Industry and enterprise quality assurance standards, codes of practice for selecting livestock, and industry standards on marketing livestock. Withholding periods, minimum residue levels, animal welfare legislation and codes of practice for welfare and humane slaughter of cattle, sheep and goats, requirements and specification of animal health tests, national residue tests, and AUSMEAT descriptions. Disease control legislation and requirements.

What slaughter method might be used?
Knife, rifle shot, bolt gun, or other humane methods that result in as the least possible pain being inflicted upon the livestock.
Note: Where firearms are used, appropriate licences must be held.

What killing facilities might be used?
Slaughter house, meat rooms, shade, concrete slab, and open pits.

What steps might be taken to minimise stress to the animal?
Restraint of farm animals, e.g. dogs, cats, pigs, or poultry. Quick and decisive action in making kill.

What OHS requirements may be applicable to this standard?
Safe livestock handling systems and procedures, safe use of rifles and other firearms used to kill or stun animals, knives, safe use of hoist equipment, safe slaughterhouse techniques, national meat industry safety guidelines, safe manual handling systems and procedures, safe systems and procedures for outdoor work including protection from solar radiation, and the appropriate selection, use and maintenance of personal protective equipment including chain mail gloves to reduce risk of laceration.

What is involved in dressing livestock?
Dressed to avoid cuts to carcass or pelt, skin is prepared for drying, storage or disposal. Post mortem is arranged as necessary.

What is involved in hanging livestock?
Carcass is given maximum exposure to air circulation, protected, and covered and hung to set.

What protection might be needed?
Cold room, gauzed in meat room, cotton cover and protection may be sought from heat, dogs, flies, and wild animals.

How might an investigation be carried out?
A post-mortem to check for worm burden, hydatid infection, and other diseases.

What health requirements are relevant to this standard?
Correct bleeding, climatic conditions, time of slaughter, cheesy glands, and other diseases. Requirements set down by the State, Territory/Commonwealth governments, the meat industry and the enterprise.

What equipment might need cleaning?
Knives (boning and skinning), rifle, carcass hoist, plastic bags and labels, brooms and mops, water, hooks, cover for the carcass, neat saw, table, and meat containers.

What end-uses might there be for the meat?
Edible for human consumption or culled due to disease, instructions or economic viability. If end-use is for human consumption then carcass may be cut to maximise chops, boned out, or to provide large legs and shoulders for roasting.

What evidence is required to demonstrate competence for this standard as a whole?
Competence in slaughtering livestock requires evidence of the ability to identify livestock for slaughter against instruction or set criteria, prepare for slaughter, and carry out humane slaughter safely according to occupational and health standards. In addition it requires an ability to dress hang and protect carcass, prepare it for end-use, and clean equipment and area after slaughter.
The skills and knowledge required to slaughter livestock must be transferable to a different work environment. For example, if competence is demonstrated in slaughtering sheep, it must also be evident in slaughtering cattle in both large and small enterprise operations.
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:

the health restrictions and laws applying to the slaughter of livestock for sale, i.e. by registered abattoirs, not by other avenues
relevant legislative health and OHS requirements, especially as they relate to livestock and slaughter, animal handling and safe livestock handling techniques
enterprise and industry policies and codes of practice with regard to livestock slaughter, licensing, and recording and reporting requirements
animal welfare legislation and withholding periods
offal disposal regulations
human health and hygiene
health issues affecting both humans and livestock
cattle diseases
carcase hanging methods
codes of practice for the welfare and husbandry of cattle, sheep and goats.

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:

kill and cut up livestock carcasses
use equipment in a slaughterhouse
clean and sterilise facilities and equipment
store meat
disposal of offal
package cuts
identify and select animals for slaughter.

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:

the health restrictions and laws applying to the slaughter of livestock for sale, i.e. by registered abattoirs, not by other avenues
relevant legislative health and OHS requirements, especially as they relate to livestock and slaughter, animal handling and safe livestock handling techniques
enterprise and industry policies and codes of practice with regard to livestock slaughter, licensing, and recording and reporting requirements
animal welfare legislation and withholding periods
offal disposal regulations
human health and hygiene
health issues affecting both humans and livestock
cattle diseases
carcase hanging methods
codes of practice for the welfare and husbandry of cattle, sheep and goats.

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:

kill and cut up livestock carcasses
use equipment in a slaughterhouse
clean and sterilise facilities and equipment
store meat
disposal of offal
package cuts
identify and select animals for slaughter.

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
Communication with other property personnel on selecting livestock and slaughter needs. (1)

Communicating ideas and information
Communication with other property personnel on selecting livestock and slaughter needs. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information on animals selected for slaughter might be organised for analysis, and organised by records and reports. (1)

Collecting analysing and organising information
Information on animals selected for slaughter might be organised for analysis, and organised by records and reports. (1)

Planning and organising activities
To ensure the safe and humane slaughter of livestock. (1)

Planning and organising activities
To ensure the safe and humane slaughter of livestock. (1)

Working with others and in teams
To complete destruction tasks. (1)

Working with others and in teams
To complete destruction tasks. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied to calculate weights and percentages. (1)

Using mathematical ideas and techniques
Mathematics may be applied to calculate weights and percentages. (1)

Solving problems
To ensure compliance with relevant legislation. (1)

Solving problems
To ensure compliance with relevant legislation. (1)

Using technology
To communicate and calculate slaughter and cuts. (1)

Using technology
To communicate and calculate slaughter and cuts. (1)