Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Livestock Husbandry)
(Level 3) (Dairy, and Meat and Fibre)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
3
Credits
70
NZSCED
050105
Agriculture, Environmental and Related Studies > Agriculture >
Animal Husbandry
Qualification developer
Primary ITO
Next review
December 2017
Approval date
November 2013
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the pastoral farming
sector with individuals who have the skills and knowledge to
carry out core livestock husbandry tasks in pastoral farming
enterprises.
Learners will benefit by having a qualification within a training
pathway that recognises progression through the industry, as
well as increased skills and knowledge acquisition to enable
improved job performance.
The livestock farming industry will benefit by having staff that are
able to carry out livestock husbandry tasks in a safe and
appropriate manner.
This qualification is targeted at people with some experience in
the pastoral farming sector who want to develop their livestock
husbandry skills and knowledge.
To achieve this qualification graduates will be able to carry out
livestock husbandry relevant to either a dairy or meat/fibre
context to meet the outcomes.
Graduates will be capable of working under limited supervision.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Qualification Reference 2214
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
Graduates of the qualification will be able:

assist with mating and parturition

assist with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of
livestock health problems

assist with the rearing of young stock.
Dairy context:
To achieve the New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Livestock
Husbandry) (Level 3) (Dairy) graduates must be able to apply the
skills and knowledge of livestock husbandry in a dairy context to
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meet the outcomes.
Meat and Fibre context:
To achieve the New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Livestock
Husbandry) (Level 3) (Meat and Fibre) graduates must be able to
apply the skills and knowledge of livestock husbandry in a
specific meat and fibre context to meet the outcomes.
Education pathway
This qualification may build on the National Certificate of
Educational Achievement (Level 2) with Primary Industries
Vocational Pathways endorsement and may lead on to the New
Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4) with strands in Arable
Farming, Dairy Farming, and Livestock Farming [Ref: 2212].
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification are likely to be employed within
the livestock sector as farm assistants or shepherds. They may
be employed full-time in a husbandry role or perform the work as
part of a wider on-farm role.
Qualification specifications
Qualification award
This qualification may be awarded by the Primary ITO as the
qualification developer and the industry training organisation
arranging training leading to the qualification under section 5
of the Industry Training Act 1992.
This qualification may also be awarded by an education
organisation accredited under section 250 of the Education
Act 1989 to deliver an approved programme leading to this
qualification.
The formal document certifying the award of this qualification
will display the NZQF logo and may also include the name
and/or logo of the awarding education organisation.
Evidence requirements for managing
consistency
All education organisations offering programmes leading to
the qualification must engage with arrangements for
managing consistency, including covering actual and
reasonable related costs.
Each education organisation is responsible for deciding what
specific evidence it will provide to demonstrate how well its
graduates meet the graduate profile outcomes of the
qualification.
Evidence of the following must be provided:
• Student feedback on course delivery and qualification
achievement, their perception of the value of the training,
and suggestions for improvements
• Feedback from employers on the level of skills, knowledge
and behaviour demonstrated by graduates of the
qualification
• Evidence of effective internal quality assurance systems
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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• Portfolios of work and/or assessment samples
demonstrating the range of student performance within a
programme
TEOs can also provide any other relevant evidence that
supports the consistency review.
Arrangements for managing
consistency
All education organisations offering programmes leading to
the qualification must engage with arrangements for
managing consistency, including covering actual and
reasonable related costs.
The qualification developer will each year outline the focus
of arrangements for managing consistency.
Education organisations delivering programmes leading to
the qualification will be required to:

submit to the qualification developer a statement
outlining their intended delivery for the coming year

provide evidence demonstrating learners’ achievement
of the qualification in the previous year.
Evidence will be reviewed by one of a group of
appropriately skilled and experienced Evaluator(s)
appointed by the qualification developer. The review
process may include:

comparison of similar evidence across providers

consultation with graduates and employers (including
visits)

consideration of internal quality assurance processes
and external reviews.
Evaluators will meet at least once yearly to calibrate
acceptable standards of achievement across education
organisations, determine appropriate evidence, and identify
issues associated with outcome achievement and/or
consistency. This process may include consultation with
employers, industry bodies and education organisations.
A report on the outcomes of the evaluators’ meeting will be
published to:

provide transparency as to the evaluators’ review
process

inform programme development and review

provide guidance as to acceptable evidence for
demonstrating graduates’ achievement of the
qualifications’ outcomes and best practice for evidence
collection

assist the qualification developer to determine the
focus of arrangements for managing consistency for the
following year, including guidance for acceptable
evidence.
Each participating organisation will also be provided with a
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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report on the review and assessment of evidence including
any recommendations for improving consistency or
evidence collection.
Significant inconsistency issues will be followed up by the
qualification developer with the education organisation and
if necessary, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
Detailed information regarding arrangements for managing
consistency will be published and updated via the
qualification developer’s website. Please visit:
www.primaryito.ac.nz/.
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements
Education organisations must have policies and procedures
in place for managing credit transfer, and assessing
recognition of prior learning and recognition of current
competency. These policies and procedures, and
information about associated fees, must be available to the
candidate prior to enrolment.
To facilitate credit transfer, education organisations must
clearly demonstrate the equivalency or comparability
between each of the outcomes in the graduate profile, and
the assessment components of their programmes.
Minimum standard of achievement
and standards for grade
endorsements
The minimum standard of achievement required for award of
the qualification will be the achievement of all graduate
outcomes in the graduate profile through successful
completion of an NZQA approved programme.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory body
or legislative requirements)
There are no mandatory prerequisites to meet regulatory
body, or legislative requirements for this qualification.
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
None.
Conditions for programme
context
Competency for this qualification will typically be demonstrated in a
workplace environment.
Dairy context includes any mammal that is being farmed for the
production of milk and includes, but is not limited to, dairy cattle and
dairy goats.
Meat and Fibre specific contexts include any animal that is being
farmed for the production of meat and/or fibre and includes, but is not
limited to, beef cattle, deer, goats and sheep.
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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Other conditions
All outcomes in this qualification require aspects of record keeping
and communication which should be considered as part of the
assessment process.
Compliance with workplace health and safety requirements,
sustainable practices and animal welfare standards applies across all
outcomes.
Specific conditions relating to the Graduate profile
Qualification outcomes
Indicative
Credits
Conditions
Mandatory
or Optional
1
30
It is expected that learners will
assist over a mating season
and a parturition season.
Optional
Assist with mating and parturition
Programmes should include the
following topics, in the
appropriate context:

Livestock reproductive
processes and practices

Selection and culling of
livestock

Introduction to livestock
traits and genetics

Livestock handling
 Livestock behaviour.
2
Assist with the prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of
livestock health problems
30
Programmes should include the
following topics, in the
appropriate context:

Livestock anatomy and
physiology

Recognition and treatment
of relevant livestock health
issues

Prevention programmes for
livestock health

Biosecurity issues relating
to livestock

Livestock behaviour
Optional
 Livestock handling.
3
Assist with the rearing of young
stock
Qualification Reference 2214
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
10
Dairy context – must involve
care of calves from birth to
weaning.
Mandatory
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Programmes should include the
following topics, in the
appropriate context:

Rearing and management
of young livestock from
birth until first mating,
weaning or slaughter

Livestock handling
Optional
 Livestock behaviour.
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced the National Certificate in Agriculture (Cattle
Breeding) (Level 3) with strands in Beef Cattle Farming, and Dairy Cattle
Farming [Ref: 1436] ,the National Certificate in Agriculture (Stockmanship)
(Level 3) [Ref: 1437], the National Certificate in Agriculture (Animal Health
and Husbandry) (Level 3) with strands in Cattle Farming, and Sheep
Farming [Ref: 1438], the National Certificate in Dairy Farming (Animal
Health and Husbandry) (Level 3) [Ref: 1441], the National Certificate in
Deer Farming (Level 3) [Ref: 1442], and the National Certificate in Sheep
Farming (Sheep Breeding) (Level 3) [Ref: 1443].
Trainees currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualifications may either complete the
requirements as specified below, or transfer their results to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the National Certificate in Sheep Farming (Sheep
Breeding) (Level 3) [Ref: 1443] is 31 December 2015. The last date for award of the National Certificate
in Sheep Farming (Sheep Breeding) (Level 3) [Ref: 1443] is 31 December 2016, at which time it will be
designated as discontinued.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to all other replaced qualifications is 31 December 2016.
The last date for award of all other replaced qualifications is 31 December 2017, at which time they will
be designated as discontinued.
It is the intention of Primary ITO that no existing trainee should be disadvantaged by these transition
arrangements. Any person who considers they have been disadvantaged may appeal to the Primary ITO.
Republication information
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in January 2015 to update the Evidence requirements for
managing consistency
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in June 2015 to extend the last date for entry into
programmes leading to the replaced qualifications, other than the National Certificate in Sheep Farming
(Sheep Breeding) (Level 3) [Ref: 1443], from 31 December 2015 to 31 December 2016 and the last date
for award of the replaced qualifications, other than National Certificate in Sheep Farming (Sheep
Breeding) (Level 3) [Ref: 1443], from 31 December 2016 to 31 December 2017.
Qualification Reference 2214
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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