Qualification details
Title
New Zealand Certificate in Dairy Herd Testing (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
April 2018
Approval date
22 August 2014
Strategic purpose statement
The purpose of this qualification is to provide the dairy industry
with individuals who have the skills and knowledge to carry out
dairy herd testing of milk production, milk quality and milk
composition.
The dairy industry will benefit from having trained herd testers
who can accurately carry out herd testing of milk production, milk
quality and milk composition to inform decisions for improving the
production of individual cows and/or whole herds.
Learners will benefit from gaining a set of skills for testing milk
production, quality and composition, which are highly valued in
the dairy livestock industry.
The community may benefit from the availability of part-time and
supplementary employment in rural areas, and from the
economic benefit to the economy of improved dairy production.
Graduates will be capable of operating under general
supervision.
Outcome Statement
Graduate profile
Graduates of the qualification will be able to:

Inspect and maintain equipment, including calibration.

Plan, prepare, and conduct herd testing of milk production,
quality and composition.

Process milk samples ready for analysis.

Work safely and professionally.
Education pathway
This is a stand-alone qualification but may lead on to other
agricultural or rural servicing qualifications.
Employment pathway
Graduates of this qualification will have the skills and knowledge
to carry out herd testing of dairy cattle, including the inspection
and calibration of milk meters, and may be employed as herd
Qualification Reference 2383
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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testers by companies which specialise in herd testing.
People may pathway into herd testing from careers in the wider
agriculture industry, including on-farm and other rural servicing
roles and often undertake the role on a seasonal basis.
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 samples
demonstrating 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 2383
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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.
Minimum standard of achievement
and standards for grade
endorsements
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.
Entry requirements (including
prerequisites to meet regulatory body
or legislative requirements)
There are no regulatory body or legislative requirements.
Qualification conditions
Overarching conditions relating to the qualification
Conditions for programme
structure
None.
Conditions for programme
context
This qualification will typically be achieved 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
Conditions
Mandatory
or Optional
1
Inspect and maintain equipment,
including calibration.
Programmes may include the following
topics:
Optional
Credits 10

care and maintenance of equipment for
herd testing

factors influencing set-up technique

allowable calibration parameters and
tolerances

common calibration issues and solutions.
Assessment may include the following unit
standards:
Qualification Reference 2383
© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014

25697

22020

25696
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2
Plan, prepare, and conduct herd
testing of milk production, quality
and composition.
Programmes may include the following
topics:

dairy shed layout and equipment
Credits 20

benefits of herd testing

seasonal herd testing plans

documentation and recording
requirements.
(
Optional
Assessment may include the following unit
standards:
3

22016

22017

22022
Process milk samples ready for
analysis.
Programmes may include the following
topics:
Credits 5

processing of milk samples ready for
analysis

documentation and recording
requirements.
Optional
Assessment may include the following unit
standard:

4
Work safely and professionally.
Credits 5
22021
Programmes may include the following
topics:

workplace procedures including hazard
identification and management in
unfamiliar environments

professional conduct, communication
and teamwork with clients.
Optional
Assessment may include the following unit
standard:

23541
Transition information
Replacement information
This qualification replaced the National Certificate in Dairy Farming (Herd
Testing) (Level 3) [Ref: 1214].
Trainees currently enrolled in programmes leading to the replaced qualification 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 replaced qualification is 31 December 2016. The
last date for award of the replaced qualification is 31 December 2018 at which time it will be designated
as discontinued.
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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. PO Box 10383, The Terrace, Wellington 6143. Email standards@primaryito.ac.nz.
Republication information
Version 1 of this qualification was republished In February 2015 to update the Evidence requirements for
managing consistency
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© New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
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