Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.
Alternative strategies to manage flystrike susceptibility may include:
flock husbandry practices, for example:
timing of lambing, crutching and shearing
good worm control
breech clips
culling sheep with high wrinkle scores
culling of previously struck sheep
tail docking at an appropriate length
management of dag and stain on lambs
chemical and non-chemical pest management
paddock grazing management
enhanced breeding for flystrike resistance
selection for resistant conformation
selection of replacement sheep with tail length and/or breech modification which will minimise susceptibility to flystrike
consider removing skin from the tail and not the breach of the sheep where conformation of the sheep means that this would achieve sufficient protection from flystrike
Key indicators for use of mulesing may include:
property where stock are farmed is regularly subject to a high risk of breech flystrike
sheep have significant wrinkle (BRWR) or wool cover (BCOV) in breech area
risk of dags
lambs to be mulesed are intended to be farmed as adult sheep and satisfy the above criteria
Pre-operative evaluation of sheep may include:
optimal seasonal conditions and age when lambs should be mulesed
ensuring sheep are healthy and in the best condition possible, for example:
showing sound BCS (weak lambs or lambs suffering from severe disease should not be mulesed)
free from diarrhoea, dags and grass seeds
availability of good nutritional feed
considering past experience on the individual property
Risks associated with mulesing procedures may include:
animals with poor BCS
risk of post-operative tetanus
extreme environmental conditions, for example: heat, cold, rain
operator limitations for example: fatigue, lack of experience
poor equipment, yards and other necessary infrastructure
Where such risks exist, it is recommended that the overall risks be assessed and risk mitigation put in place in the interests of animal welfare. In some cases the situation will be significant enough to be unmanageable and require deferral of the procedure.
Weather conditions
Weather conditions for operations should be a fine, mild day.
Weather conditions to be avoided include:
cold weather conditions which place additional stress on lambs
wet or dusty conditions which increase the risk of wound contamination
windy conditions that increase the chill factor and may interfere with mothering up
excessively hot conditions which can increase bleeding and stress on lambs
warm, humid and showery conditions which are ideal for sheep blowfly activity
Consideration of ongoing weather conditions during the recovery phase is required.
Yards, paddocks and pastures considerations may include:
using temporary yards to reduce the distance sheep have to travel before and after mulesing
setting up yards on clean, well-drained areas in the paddock
avoiding muddy, manure-laden and dry, dusty areas
arranging yards to include pre-operative holding and work areas
ensuring holding paddock is free of contamination hazards, has sufficient water and provides adequate shelter
property has a well-planned animal health and vaccination program
Equipment may include:
cradles
mulesing shears
containers for wash-down, soaking and disinfecting (stainless steel recommended)
registered disinfectant solutions
sharpening equipment, jigs and stones
chemical application equipment
chemical treatments including pain relief product stored appropriately and use by dates adhered to
back up systems and equipment
Cradles may include:
a single cradle
sets of cradles mounted on a steel yard panel
sets of cradles mounted on a rotating frame
Cradles must be well-maintained to prevent injury to sheep and operator and must be designed to:
hold the lamb securely in a symmetrical position
position the hind legs close enough together so that folds of skin can easily be picked up
expose the rear end of the lamb in a more horizontal than vertical position
release the lamb on its feet to prevent contact of the wound with the ground to prevent contamination
enable effective cleaning and disinfection
workplace health and safety standards may include:
applying appropriate manual handling techniques when handling loads, including livestock and equipment
following safe operating procedures for:
cleaning, disinfecting and sharpening instruments
following personal and workplace hygiene procedures
hazard identification and risk minimisation:
handling, use, storage, transport and disposal of chemicals
handling and disposal of biological wastes
livestock catching, handling, controlling and restraining methods
avoiding risk of self injection with Gudair vaccine
using materials and equipment in accordance with manufacturers’ instructions
using infection control procedures to minimise risks associated with:
infectious and zoonotic diseases
release of infective agents (both animal and human)
chemical spillage
using personal protective equipment (PPE) including:
clothing of a protective nature
eye and ear protection
masks for the protection of the respiratory system
gloves
items for sun and other protection
safety footwear and leg protection
Animal welfareconsiderations may include:
providing pain relief
complying with current relevant legislation, regulations concerned with:
animal welfare (eg. the most recent Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines)
the prevention of cruelty to animals
adopting best practice recommendations as relevant in the most recent Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines and in industry documents such as:
industry codes of practice
industry standards and protocols
A high standard of hygiene will require:
equipment to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before initial use and each time they are changed for cleaning and sharpening
registered disinfectant to be used in accordance to label instructions (MSDS)
disinfecting mulesing shears between each animal procedure
appropriate reprocessing of reusable equipment
personal hygiene practices especially washing and drying hands (e.g. before and after animal contact)
avoidance of wound contact by the operator and with applicators when applying pain relief and fly prevention chemicals
appropriate application of fly prevention chemicals (wool areas only) and pain relief products (wound area only)
safe handling and disposal of clinical, related and general waste
surface cleaning and management of blood and bodily fluid spills
techniques to limit contamination
use of personal protective equipment
Mulesing techniques include:
knowledge of the type of sheep, the environment of the area and only removing the minimum required wool bearing skin
appropriate tail length in accordance with industry standard
not cutting through the selvage (muscle fascia) or underlying muscle or bone
not removing or cutting bare skin
symmetry
leaving a ‘V’ of wool-bearing skin between one-third to two-thirds of the length of the docked tail
ensuring the stretching and size of the resulting wrinkle-free bare area is proportional to the wound size
post-operative application of topical pain relief to entire wound plus insecticide to nearby wool-bearing skin as required
Post-mulesing management requirements include:
observing lambs for 24 hours to ensure all lambs well-mothered
recognising signs of post-mulesing complications including infection, septicaemia
ensuring lambs are not disturbed, mustered or handled for at least four weeks after mulesing unless urgent intervention is required to assist wound healing
observing lambs, without disturbance, at least every three days during the healing process to check for flystrike or other adverse reactions
providing immediate treatment to lambs that are abandoned and/or unable to stand up and walk
Documentation and records may include:
chemical usage data
vaccination history of the flock
evidence of the use of pain relief that can be provided to Wool Broker, Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX) for the National Wool Declaration (NWD) records (voluntary)
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs)
records of post-mulesing complications

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.
Overview of assessment
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
The evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit. Assessors should ensure that candidates can:
assess alternative strategies and confirm key indicators for the use of mulesing
understand optimal conditions for carrying out mulesing procedures
conduct pre-operative evaluation of lambs submitted for mulesing procedures and risk assessment in consultation with sheep manager
prepare appropriate sites, facilities and equipment in line with infection control, workplace health and safety and animal welfare standards including pain management in accordance with industry best standards and legislative requirements
follow low stress stock mustering, movement and handling procedures
carry out mulesing operations in accordance with industry recognised best practice mulesing techniques and hygiene standards
follow appropriate procedures and label directions to provide pain relief plus insecticide dressing as required
monitor animals' behaviour post-mulesing for health and well-being including the ability to recognise signs of post-mulesing complications
communicate post-mulesing management requirements to sheep manager
accurately document and maintain appropriate records
The skills and knowledge required to plan, prepare and conduct mulesing procedures must be transferable to a range of work environments and contexts and include the ability to deal with unplanned events.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment for this unit is to be practical in nature and must be assessed in an on-farm workplace situation with access to the appropriate stock, facilities and equipment to enable one to demonstrate competence consistently over time.
Method of assessment
To ensure consistency of performance, competency must be demonstrated, to industry recognised mulesing standards, covering a range of lambs with differing amounts of wrinkle whilst operating at commercial speed. Assessment must take into account the type of sheep, the acceptable mulesing method practiced in the local area and the environment of the area to tailor the degree of mulesing required and only remove minimum required wool-bearing skin. Competency must also be demonstrated in equipment preparation including assessment of setting and sharpness of mulesing shears and application of pain relief.
Assessment must take place over a period of time in order to cover a variety of circumstances, cases and responsibilities. The assessment strategies must include practical skills assessment. Suggested strategies for this unit are:
written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
portfolio records that provide evidence of practical skills
This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.
Guidance information for assessment
Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).