NZQA registered unit standard
27752 version 2
Page 1 of 6
Title
Demonstrate knowledge of ante-mortem animal examination
Level
4
Purpose
Credits
40
This unit standard is for people who are employed in a meat
processing operation to carry out ante-mortem examinations of
animals.
People credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate
knowledge of: the standards for ante-mortem examination
facilities; the purpose of ante-mortem examination and the
presentation standards for animals presented for ante-mortem
examination; the equipment, requirements, and procedures to
perform ante-mortem examination; the requirements for farmed
animals approved for slaughter; the anatomical features and
characteristics of healthy animals; and the Animal Products Act
as it applies to ante-mortem examination.
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, Animal Welfare Act 1999, Health and Safety in Employment Act
1992.
2
Industry standards include but are not limited to – Industry Standard 4 – Procurement
of Animals for Food, available at http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/industry/sectors/meatostrich-emu-game/meatman/index.htm.
3
Definitions
Animals – animals to be slaughtered for human consumption.
Dispositions – the action of ensuring that examined animal material that has
abnormalities is managed in accordance with legislative requirements.
Organisational requirements – instructions to staff on policies and procedures that
are documented in memo, electronic, or manual format and available in the
workplace.
RMP – risk management programme.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27752 version 2
Page 2 of 6
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of the standards for ante-mortem examination facilities.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The industry standards for animal examination facilities are described in terms
of stockyards and/or storage facilities.
Range
1.2
facilities include but are not limited to – veterinary examination
pens, condemned animal facilities, examination facilities, lighting,
systems for stock identification, emergency slaughter, suspect
animals, removal and disposal of dead and dying stock.
Ante-mortem examination facilities are described in terms of levels of lighting in
examination areas, hand wash and steriliser facilities, and provisions for
veterinary clinical examination areas in accordance with industry standards.
Outcome 2
Demonstrate knowledge of the purpose of ante-mortem examination and the presentation
standards for animals presented for ante-mortem examination.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Purpose of ante-mortem examination is explained in terms of industry
standards.
2.2
Presentation standards for animals presented for ante-mortem examination are
described in terms of industry standards.
Range
presentation standards include but are not limited to – injured
animals and animals with diseases or defects segregated, animals
identified and documented, reactors to tuberculosis tests
identified, residues suspect and semi-suspect animals identified.
Outcome 3
Demonstrate knowledge of the equipment, requirements, and procedures to perform antemortem examination.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Equipment required to carry out ante-mortem examination of nominated animals
is described in terms of its use.
Range
equipment may include but is not limited to – thermometer, passed
for slaughter stamp, stamp pad, identity tags (specified veterinary
disposition) marked NZFSA S.P.V.D., rejected label, Retain Label
(AgM74), green paint.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
3.2
27752 version 2
Page 3 of 6
Ante-mortem examination requirements are explained in terms of industry
standards.
Range
requirements include but are not limited to – animals eligible for
processing, criteria and disposition for food animals.
3.3
Ante-mortem examination procedures are explained in terms of organisational
requirements.
3.4
The procedure for reporting and recording defects identified during ante-mortem
examination is described in terms of organisational requirements and industry
standards.
Outcome 4
Demonstrate knowledge of the requirements for farmed animals approved for slaughter.
Evidence requirements
4.1
The conditions required for animals to be eligible for on-farm humane killing are
described in terms of supporting evidence.
Range
4.2
Farmed animals that do not meet the criteria for on-farm humane killing are
described in terms of the Animal Products (Specifications for Products Intended
for Animal Consumption) Notice 2006.
Range
4.3
criteria include but are not limited to – metabolic disease without
veterinary certificate, animals that can be humanely transported.
The abnormalities, disease, and defects in animals that must be excluded from
petfood are explained in terms of the Animal Products (Specifications for
Products Intended for Animal Consumption) Notice 2006.
Range
4.4
conditions include but are not limited to – calving paralysis,
traumatic injury, starvation or exposure, cancer eye, metabolic
disease with veterinary certificate, prolapse rectum or uterus
(pigs), unfloatable horses, general downer animals, unsuitable for
humane transport.
exclusions include but are not limited to – animals that have died,
are dying or are obviously generally ill; systemic illness;
salmonella-like symptoms; gangrene; metabolic diseases without
veterinary certificate; abnormalities likely to impact on the
processor’s ability to produce product fit for purpose.
The legality and hazards associated with the acceptance of animals that have
died in the field and signs for recognising this are explained.
Range
signs include but are not limited to – lack of functioning cardiovascular system, pooling of blood (sub-skin), dependent parts,
tissues.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27752 version 2
Page 4 of 6
Outcome 5
Demonstrate knowledge of the anatomical features and characteristics of healthy animals.
Range
evidence is required of the animals processed in the candidate’s workplace.
Evidence requirements
5.1
Anatomical features on the animal are described in terms of the characteristics
of healthy animals.
5.2
Signs of good health in animals are identified in terms of appearance and
behaviour.
Range
5.3
signs include but are not limited to – breathing, movements,
swellings, appetite, water consumption, droppings, noise levels.
Signs of poor health in animals are described in terms of appearance,
behaviour, production and growth and morbidity or mortality.
Outcome 6
Demonstrate knowledge of the Animal Products Act as it applies to ante-mortem
examination.
Evidence requirements
6.1
The object of the Animal Products Act is described in terms of ante-mortem
examination.
6.2
The role of RMPs in primary and secondary processing is explained in terms of
organisational requirements.
6.3
Risk factors relevant to ante-mortem examination are explained in terms of
impact on the ante-mortem process.
6.4
The duties of personnel under an RMP are described in terms of organisational
requirements.
Range
6.5
personnel includes but is not limited to – RMP operators, day-today managers of RMPs, external verifiers.
Subordinate legislation and industry standards relevant to ante-mortem
examination are described in terms of their impact on the examination process.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
6.6
Regulatory responses for non-compliance with the legislation are explained in
terms of organisational requirements.
responses include but are not limited to – product disposition and
recall, increased external verification, suspension of an RMP,
deregistration of an RMP, penalties.
Range
6.7
27752 version 2
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Export requirements that apply to ante-mortem examination are described in
terms of the impact on the examination process.
requirements include but are not limited to – overseas market
access requirements (OMARs), Official Assurances Programme
(OAP), external verification.
Range
Replacement information
Planned review date
This unit standard replaced unit standard 13474, unit
standard 20204, unit standard 22046, and unit standard
22048.
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 (CMR). 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.
Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27752 version 2
Page 6 of 6
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