25624 version 1
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Describe tuberculosis (Tb) infection, transmission, and control, and
classification of cattle and deer for Tb testing
Level
3
Credits
8
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe: the bacteria that
cause Tb, and the way in which the disease progresses in the body and
affects body systems, routes of infection, methods of transmission,
identification, clinical findings, and laboratory diagnosis; the role of hosts in
Tb infection in wildlife and transmission to domestic stock, and the
implications for Tb control; methods for Tb testing, and Tb episodes, activities
and test types; and classify cattle and deer by age, gender, and type.
Subfield
Animal Care and Handling
Domain
Tuberculosis (Tb) Testing of Domestic Cattle and Deer
Status
Registered
Status date
22 May 2009
Date version published
22 May 2009
Planned review date
31 December 2014
Entry information
Open.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry
and teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Primary Industry Training Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0052
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
Reference
National Bovine Tuberculosis Pest Management Strategy, National Operational Plan: 1
July 2005 – 30 June 2013, Animal Health Board, July 2005, available from the Animal
Health Board website, http://www.ahb.org.nz.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
25624 version 1
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Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Describe the bacteria that cause Tb, the way in which the disease progresses in the body
and affects body systems, routes of infection, methods of transmission, identification,
clinical findings, and laboratory diagnosis.
Performance criteria
1.1
Tb causing bacteria in cattle, deer, birds, pigs, possums and humans are
described in terms of their characteristics.
Range
1.2
Tb causing bacteria are described in terms of their methods of transmission
within and between animal species, including humans, and routes of infection.
Range
1.3
must include – Mycobacterium (M) bovis, M.avium,
M.paratuberculosis;
may include – M.tuberculosis.
routes of infection – inhalation, ingestion;
methods of transmission – direct horizontal, indirect;
animal species – possums, cattle, deer, pigs, ferrets.
Body systems and organs in bovine animals are described in terms of their
normal function, and the way in which they are affected by Tb.
Range
lymphatic system;
lungs, skin.
1.4
Tb is described in terms of the way in which the disease progresses through,
and settles within, the body, and the clinical signs.
1.5
Tb is described in terms of evidence of presence following post mortem, and
methods of laboratory diagnosis.
Range
presence in – lungs, lymph nodes, liver.
Element 2
Describe the role of hosts in Tb infection in wildlife and transmission to domestic stock,
and the implications for Tb control.
Performance criteria
2.1
The maintenance of Tb infection in wildlife and its transmission to domestic
stock is described in terms of the roles and inter relationships of wildlife as
hosts.
Range
reservoir host, maintenance host, spillover host;
wildlife – possums, wild deer, wild pigs, ferrets, stoats, wild cats.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
25624 version 1
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2.2
The roles and inter relationships of wildlife as hosts is described in terms of the
implications for Tb control.
Element 3
Describe methods for Tb testing, and Tb episodes, activities and test types, in accordance
with National Bovine Tuberculosis Pest Management Strategy, National Operational Plan:
1 July 2005 – 30 June 2013, Policies 2 and 5.
Performance criteria
3.1
Tb testing is described in terms of procedures for skin testing and laboratory
testing, and the factors which can cause variations in results.
Range
laboratory testing – blood testing, culture, histology.
3.2
Tb skin testing is described in terms of substances used in the test, and
precautions to be observed to ensure that tuberculin maintains its activity.
3.3
Tb testing is described in terms of the episodes, activities, and test types used
in the cattle and deer tuberculosis (Tb) control scheme, the procedures, and
their mode of action.
Range
3.4
episodes include but are not limited to – A (Ancillary), B (Parallel
Test), I (Inspection), M (Miscellaneous), P (Part Whole Herd Test),
R (Replacement from MC Test), W (Whole Herd Test);
activities – pre movement, post movement;
cattle test types – Caudal Fold Test (CFT), Comparitive Cervical
Test (CCT), Standard Bovigam (interferon-gamma) Test, Modified
Bovigam Test, Special Antigen Bovigam Test;
deer test types – Mid Cervical Test (MCT), Comparative Cervical
Test (CCT), ELISA Test (ET), IgG1 ELISA Test (ETB).
False negative results in infected animals, false positive results, and no visible
lesions in reactors, are described in terms of the possible causes.
Element 4
Classify cattle and deer by age, gender and type, in accordance with National Bovine
Tuberculosis Pest Management Strategy, National Operational Plan: 1 July 2005 – 30
June 2013, Policy 1.
Performance criteria
4.1
Cattle and deer are classified by age.
Range
cattle – up to 6 weeks, up to 3 months, rising 1 year, rising 2
years, adult;
deer – up to 6 months, 8 months, 15 months, 24 months, universal
birthdate (1 Jan).
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
25624 version 1
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4.2
Cattle and deer are classified by gender.
Range
4.3
cattle – steer, bull, cow;
deer – male, female.
Cattle and deer are classified by type.
Range
cattle – dairy, dairy dry, beef breeding, beef dry;
deer – breeding, dry, game estate.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP 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.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016