NZQA registered unit standard
27751 version 2
Page 1 of 7
Title
Demonstrate knowledge of post-mortem animal product examination
Level
4
Purpose
Credits
40
This unit standard is for people who are employed in a meat
processing operation to carry out post-mortem examinations of
animal products.
People credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate
knowledge of: animal blood and lymph circulatory systems;
anatomical features of carcasses, heads and viscera; the
purpose of animal products post-mortem examination and the
examination techniques and presentation standards used in
post-mortem examination; the causes and the spread of
disease within the body of an animal; the disease states and
their effect on the fitness for intended purpose of animal
products; the post-mortem appearance and the judgement and
dispositions for diseases and defects generic to animals; and
the powers and obligations of examiners in terms of carrying
out animal material and animal product examinations.
Classification
Meat Processing > Animal Product Examination
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to – Animal
Products Act 1999, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
2
Industry standard includes but is not limited to – Ministry for Primary Industries
Manual 16 Post-Mortem Inspection Procedures, available at
http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/industry/sectors/meat-ostrich-emugame/meatman/index.htm.
3
Definitions
Animal material – any live or dead animal.
Animal products – animals slaughtered for human consumption.
Dispositions – the action of ensuring that examined animal material or animal product
with abnormalities is managed in accordance with legislative requirements.
Examiners – ante-mortem examiners and post-mortem examiners.
Fitness for intended purpose – animal product that has been processed such that
relevant risk factors have been managed.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27751 version 2
Page 2 of 7
Official Assessors – ante-mortem examiners and post-mortem examiners appointed
under Section 79 of the Animal Products Act 1999 to carry out animal material and
animal product examinations.
Organisational requirements – instructions to staff on policies and procedures that
are documented in memo, electronic or manual format and available in the
workplace.
4
Range
Carcasses may include but are not limited to – deer, possums, rabbits and hares,
cattle, horses, pigs, bobby calves, feral mammals, sheep, goats, lambs, camelids.
5
Diseases requiring report in this unit standard are those listed in the Biosecurity New
Zealand’s Notifiable Organisms list, available at
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pests/registers/no.
6
Knowledge requirements for outcome 1 may be demonstrated off the job using
diagrams of animal carcasses and their parts.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of animal blood and lymph circulatory systems.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Components of the blood vascular system are described in terms of their
function.
Range
1.2
The structure of the heart is described in terms of its operation.
Range
1.3
components include but are not limited to – heart, arteries,
arterioles, capillaries, venules, veins, blood.
structure includes nut is not limited to – pericardium, epicardium,
endocardium, myocardium, left and right atriums, left and right
ventricles, interventricular septum, chordae tendineae,
atrioventricular valves, aorta, semilunar valve, pulmonary artery,
pulmonary semilunar valve, pulmonary vein, vena cava.
The constituents of blood are described in terms of their functions.
Range
constituents include but are not limited to – plasma, red blood
cells, white blood cells, proteins.
1.4
Blood circulatory systems and their main functions are described in terms of the
general systemic circulation and the purpose of the pulmonary and portal
circulations.
1.5
Components of the lymphatic system are described in terms of their functions.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Range
27751 version 2
Page 3 of 7
components include but are not limited to – lymph vessels, lymph,
lymph nodes, lymphoid tissue, lymph ducts.
1.6
Lymph system is described in terms of the relationship between lymph nodes
and lymph ducts.
1.7
Terminal lymph nodes are described in terms of their significance to meat
inspection.
Range
1.8
Functions of the lymphatic system are explained.
Range
1.9
terminal lymph nodes include but are not limited to – internal iliac,
renal, left bronchial, superficial cervical, prepectoral, lumbar chain,
hepatics, mediastinals, mesenteric, atlantal.
functions include but are not limited to – disease control, control of
body fluid levels, transporting of waste materials.
Effluent and affluent drainage areas are described in terms of specific lymph
nodes.
Range
specific lymph nodes include but are not limited to – submaxillary
(mandibular) retropharyngeal, parotid, atlantal (lateral
retropharyngeal), anterior mediastinal, middle mediastinal,
posterior mediastinal, superficial cervical, prepectoral, left
bronchial, right bronchial, right apical, hepatics, renal, lumbar
chain, ischiatic, internal iliac, subiliac, popliteal, supramammary or
superficial inguinal, mesenteric.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of anatomical features of carcasses, heads and viscera.
Range
evidence of a minimum of three different carcasses is required.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Anatomical parts of the liver are located and named.
Range
2.2
Anatomical parts of the kidneys are located and named.
Range
2.3
liver includes but is not limited to – visceral surface, parietal
surface, caudate, dorsal and ventral lobes, hepatic lymph nodes,
cystic, common and hepatic bile ducts, gall bladder, umbilical
fissure, renal impression.
kidneys include but are not limited to – renal lymph node, capsule,
renal pelvis, cortex, medulla.
Anatomical parts of the lungs are located and named.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Range
2.4
dressed carcass includes but is not limited to – external surfaces
of carcass, hocks, stifle joints, tail, diaphragm, ribs, sternum, axilla,
neck, rectal, pelvic, abdominal and thoracic cavities, pleura,
peritoneum, internal iliac, lumbar, popliteal, subiliac, ischiatic,
superficial inguinal, supramammary, prepectoral, superficial
cervical, axillae lymph nodes, testes, mammary glands.
Meat carcasses are identified according to type.
Range
2.9
gastro-intestinal, reproductive and urinary tracts include but are
not limited to – oesophagus, rumen, reticulum, rumino-reticular
junction, omasum, abomasums, omentum, peritoneum, small
intestine, mesentry, mesenteric lymph nodes, caecum, large
intestine, rectum, anus;
spleen and attachments include but are not limited to – penis,
testicles, pancreas, bladder, uterus;
trade names include but are not limited to – weasand, paunch,
caul fat, runners, bung.
Anatomical parts of a meat carcass are located and named.
Range
2.8
heart includes but is not limited to – pericardium, epicardum,
myocardium, endocardium, artioventricular valves, ventricles,
atria, interventricular septum.
Anatomical parts of the gastro-intestinal, reproductive and urinary tracts, spleen
and attachments are located and named in terms of trade names.
Range
2.7
head and tongue includes but are not limited to – eyes, ears,
parotid, atlantal, submaxillary, retropharyngeal lymph nodes,
external and internal masseter muscles, mandible, maxillae,
mouth, oral, pharyngeal and nasal cavities, tonsils, mucous
membranes of mouth, milk teeth, permanent incisor teeth, tongue.
Anatomical parts of the heart are located and named.
Range
2.6
lungs include but are not limited to – trachea, bronchial bifurcation,
bronchioles, pleura, diaphragmatic, apical, cardiac and
intermediate lobes, left and right bronchial, apical and anterior,
middle and posterior mediastinal lymph nodes, mediastinum,
thymus.
Anatomical parts of the head and tongue are located and named.
Range
2.5
27751 version 2
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type includes but is not limited to – sex, adult, juvenile, breeding
stock, prime.
Meat carcass age is identified in terms of teeth eruption and maturity state of
visible cartilage.
Outcome 3
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27751 version 2
Page 5 of 7
Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose of animal products post-mortem examination and
the examination techniques used in post-mortem examination.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Purpose of post-mortem animal product examination is described in terms of
the industry standard.
3.2
Animal product post-mortem examination techniques are described in terms of
the industry standard.
Range
3.3
techniques include but are not limited to – view, palpate, incise,
smell.
Presentation standards for animal products presented for post-mortem
examination are described in accordance with the industry standard.
Range
animal products may include but are not limited to – liver, kidneys,
heart and lungs, head and tongue, gastro-intestinal, reproductive
and urinary tracts, spleen and attachments.
Outcome 4
Demonstrate knowledge of the causes and the spread of disease within the body of an
animal.
Evidence requirements
4.1
Causes of disease are identified in terms of physical, biological and chemical
causes.
4.2
Causes of disease are identified in terms of the ways in which pathogens invade
the body.
Range
ways include but are not limited to – inhalation, ingestion injury,
copulation.
4.3
Spread of disease in an animal is explained.
4.4
Disease indicator systems are described in accordance with organisational
requirements.
Outcome 5
Demonstrate knowledge of the disease states and their effect on the fitness for intended
purpose of animal products.
Evidence requirements
5.1
Disease states are described.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
Range
5.2
27751 version 2
Page 6 of 7
disease states include but are not limited to – localised,
generalised, actively progressive, systemic, acute, chronic,
resolution.
The effects of a range of disease states on the fitness for intended purpose of
animal products are explained.
Range
evidence of a minimum of three different disease states is
required.
Outcome 6
Demonstrate knowledge of the post-mortem appearance and the judgement and
dispositions for diseases and defects generic to animals.
Range
diseases and defects of all classes of animals listed as general diseases in
Manual 16.
Evidence requirements
6.1
Normal appearances of dressed carcasses are identified and described.
6.2
Post-mortem appearances of all generic diseases are described.
Range
6.3
appearances include but are not limited to the following disease
states – acute, actively progressive, chronic, localised, systemic,
generalised, resolved.
Judgements and dispositions for listed diseases and defects are described.
Outcome 7
Demonstrate knowledge of the powers and obligations of examiners in terms of carrying
out animal material and animal product examinations.
Range
examiners may include but are not limited to – Official Assessors, ante-mortem
examiners and post-mortem examiners.
Evidence requirements
7.1
Powers of examiners are described in terms of carrying out animal material and
animal product examinations.
7.2
Obligations of examiners appointed under the Animal Products Act 1999 for the
purpose of carrying out animal material and product examinations are described
in terms of exercising regulatory powers.
7.3
The relationship between a RMP and the functions of examiners is explained in
terms of the effect on animal product examinations.
Range
relationships include but are not limited to those between – New
Zealand Food Safety Authority, New Zealand Food Safety
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27751 version 2
Page 7 of 7
Authority Verification Agency, Animal Products Act 1999, Animal
Product Regulations, Notices, Codes of Practice.
Replacement information
Planned review date
This unit standard replaced unit standard 13497, unit
standard 13498, unit standard 13499, unit standard
24501 and unit standard.
31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
19 July 2012
31 December 2016
Review
2
27 January 2015
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0033
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation standards@primaryito.ac.nz if
you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016