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Level 5
Credits 12
Purpose People credited with this unit standard are able to: select and breed animals; care for neonates; wean and cull animals; and maintain records.
Subfield Animal Care and Handling
Domain
Status
Status date
Date version published
Laboratory Animal Care
Registered
30 June 1996
25 June 2007
Planned review date
Entry information
31 July 2009
Prerequisite: Unit 7381, Supervise the care of laboratory animals , or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.
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 0228
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1 Animals may include rabbits and rodents.
2 For credit, evidence must be in accordance with the statutory and industry requirements contained in the following documents.
Relevant and current National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) Codes of Welfare and Codes of Recommendations and Minimum Standards, National
Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) Guides, and Good Practice Guide for the Use of Animals in Research, Testing and Teaching , NAEAC (September 2002), available at http://www.maf.govt.nz, under animal welfare.
Animal Welfare Act 1999, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, and any subsequent amendments.
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New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2020

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3 In-house procedures refer to the documented policies and procedures for animal handling and ethical behaviour codes required by the employer.
4 Underpinning Knowledge
The following areas of knowledge underpin performance of the elements in this unit standard.
Breeding systems (inbreeding, outbreeding, hybrid production, Mendelian genetics, animal and cage identification systems, genetic monitoring techniques, monogamous pairs, harems, closed colony, stocks and strains of commonly used rodent species, nomenclature and terminology, reproductive biology, factors which affect reproductive efficiency, gestation length, breeding ages, methods of oestrous detection, methods of pregnancy testing.
Element 1
Select and breed animals.
Range genetic diversity, genetic uniformity, preservation of specific genes in breeding stock.
Performance criteria
1.1 Future breeding stock are selected according to objectives of breeding programme.
1.2
Element 2
Animals are bred, according to species’ specific requirements and breeding objectives, in a manner which prevents animal injury.
Care for neonates.
Performance criteria
2.1
Environment suitable for parturition is provided in accordance with species’ requirements.
2.2 Health status and reproductive parameters of each neonate are checked, and are recorded according to in-house procedures.
2.3 Methods of environment enrichment are implemented, in response to recognised signs of behavioural problems, to alleviate or prevent the problems, after consultation with the investigator or veterinarian and according to in-house procedures.
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2.4 Animal identification is carried out using methods appropriate to species without causing unnecessary stress or trauma to animals.
Range
Element 3
Wean and cull animals. tattoo, ear punch, ear tag, ring, brand, collar, chain, electronic implants, dyes, cage labels.
Performance criteria
3.1 Animals are identified, and are weaned using methods appropriate to species, age, and numbers housed together, without causing unnecessary stress to mother or weaner.
3.2 Animals are culled according to breeding objectives and in-house procedures.
Range
Element 4
Maintain records aged, retired breeders, ill health, poor performance.
Performance criteria
4.1 Breeding records are maintained according to in-house procedures.
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.
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New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2020