Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture (Pastoral Livestock
Production) (Level 3)
Version
1
Qualification type
Certificate
Level
3
Credits
40
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
assist in managing the factors which influence the quantity and
quality of pastoral livestock production.
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 pastoral livestock industry will benefit by having people who
can apply knowledge of pastoral livestock production to the
practical application of production plans and have gained the
foundation knowledge to pathway into production management
roles.
This qualification is targeted at people with some experience in
the pastoral farming sector who want to develop their skills and
knowledge in the operation of pastoral farming production
systems.
Graduates will be capable of working under limited supervision.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Graduates of the qualification will be able:

Education pathway
Qualification Reference 2217
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
assist with the management of feed supply and demand to
meet livestock production targets.
This qualification may build on the National Certificate of
Educational Achievement (Level 2) with Primary Industries
Vocational Pathway 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].
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Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification are likely to be employed at a
junior level within the livestock sector as farm assistants or
shepherds. They may be employed full-time in a production 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
• Portfolios of work and/or assessment
samplesdemonstrating the range of student performance
within a programme
TEOs can also provide any other relevant evidence that
supports the consistency review.
Credit transfer and recognition of
prior learning arrangements
Qualification Reference 2217
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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
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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.
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
40
Programmes should include the
following topics:
Optional
Assist with the management
of feed supply and demand to
meet livestock production
targets
Qualification Reference 2217
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013

Soils and fertilizer application

Pasture supply and demand

Irrigation and/or drainage

Weed and pest control

Feed value

Pasture quality

Supplementary feeds

Nutritional requirements of
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livestock

Water supply and quality

Animal production targets (e.g.
milk, meat, wool, velvet)

Weather

Fertilisers and agrichemicals

Grazing methods

Pasture
establishment/renovation
 Pasture conservation.
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced the National Certificate in Agriculture (Animal
Feeding and Pastures) (Level 3) [Ref: 1435].
Trainees currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualification may either complete the
requirements by 31 December 2017 or transfer their results to this replacement qualification.
The last date for entry into programmes leading to the replaced qualification is 31 December 2016. The
last date for assessment of the replaced qualification is 31 December 2017 at which time the qualification
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 February 2015 to update the Evidence requirements for
managing consistency.
Version 1 of this qualification was republished in June 2015 to extend the last date of enrolment of the
replaced qualification from 31 December 2015 to 31 December 2016, also to extend the last date for
assessment from 31 December 2016 to 31 December 2017.
Qualification Reference 2217
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2013
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