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Artificially inseminate cows as a site technician

Level / 4
Credits / 30

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard are able to: prepare and transport equipment; prepare cows and equipment for artificial insemination; artificially inseminate cows; and attend to procedures following artificial insemination, and complete documentation.

Subfield / Agriculture
Domain / Dairy Farming
Status / Registered
Status date / 19 June 2009
Date version published / 19 June 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

Special notes

1Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to the – Animal Welfare Act 1999, Biosecurity Act 1993.

2The Animal Welfare (Records and Statistics) Regulations 1999 require that any institution, organisation or individual who uses live animals for the purpose of research, testing and teaching, must have an approved Code of Ethical Conduct relating to the welfare and humane treatment of the animals involved. For information relating to approval for a Code of Ethical Conduct, contact The Secretary of the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (NAEAC) at PO Box 2526, Wellington 6140.

3Definitions

Level of accuracy is based on an 18-24 day non-return rate of no less than 8% below the district average 18-24 day non-return rate. This is based on at least 100 cows qualifying for inclusion in the 18-24 day non-return rate.

Organisational standards and procedures refer tothe documented training policies and procedures for animal handling and insemination, which must be approved by an approved Animal Ethics Advisory Committee (AEAC).

4This is one of two unit standards that recognise the skills required to artificially inseminate cows. It is for technicians who require the technical knowledge and skills but are not required to achieve a commercial throughput rate. Unit 7411, Artificially inseminate cows as an industry technician requires the same level of accuracy but also includes a minimum throughput rate.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Prepare and transport equipment.

Performance criteria

1.1Equipment sufficient for daily requirements is stored, handled, and transported in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

Rangeincludes but is not limited to – semen, insemination equipment, recording documents.

1.2Safety and hygiene while on farm are maintained in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

Element 2

Prepare cows and equipment for artificial insemination.

Performance criteria

2.1Equipment is laid out in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

2.2Cows presented are checked for consistency with details in mating document in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

Rangecow identification, bull identification, batch identification.

2.3Semen straws are loaded into inseminator according to type of semen, and without affecting viability of semen in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

Rangefresh, frozen.

2.4Liquid nitrogen and liquid nitrogen banks are handled and transported according to manufacturer's instructions and organisational standards and procedures.

Element 3

Artificially inseminate cows.

Performance criteria

3.1Vulval area is cleaned in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

3.2The insemination procedure is carried out in accordance with organisational standards and procedures, and specified level of accuracy.

Element 4

Attend to procedures following artificial insemination, and complete documentation.

Performance criteria

4.1Disposable equipment is discarded after use in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

4.2Re-useable equipment is cleaned in accordance with organisational standards and procedures.

4.3Documentation is completed in accordance with organisational standards and 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 if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018