Livestock Unit Technician

Course overview

The Livestock Unit Technician apprenticeship has been designed to develop the
skills, knowledge and behaviours to allow an employee to operationally manage
the livestock related tasks on a farm such as animal health and welfare from
conception and birth through to the customer; and to support business
productivity.

The individual will make key decisions on a day-to-day basis to ensure the
protection of their own and health and safety of others. This includes ensuring
the standards of cross compliance, farm assurance, biosecurity and
infrastructure security are met. The Livestock Unit Technician will usually only
work with one species. The role will include the safe use and maintenance of
farm vehicles, including the equipment used for transporting or producing feed.
The individual will be required to understand, record and meet the business Key
Performance Indicators that are set out by the employer.

What all apprentices will learn

• Health and Safety processes and practices relevant to livestock
  management


• The digestive process of commonly farmed livestock


• The legal and operational aspects of livestock record keeping


• Breeding and production cycles for commonly farmed livestock


• The different types of technology and systems used in livestock production
  and how to use the most appropriate e.g robotic milking, EID tagging, GPS
  tracking


• legislation applicable to working with farm equipment


• How to prepare and implement health and welfare plans and schedules,
  identifying priorities, resources required and critical activities to achieve
  desired KPI’s


• Plan, implement, monitor and review health and safety of self, others and
  livestock; including risk assessments and biosecurity policy.


• How to establish current health status of stock, to prepare livestock
  health & welfare plan


• The different types of grasses, forage crops and bought in feed used to
  support livestock nutrition and how to assess and manage them for optimum
  performance


• Implement breeding plan, monitor and manage the physical condition and
  check that selected stock are in the correct condition for breeding.


• Welfare requirements of livestock in accommodation at different stages of
  production cycle and how they can be achieved, including management of
  manure


• The market factors such as price, supply chain requirements, new
  legislation and relevant industry welfare codes, and the impact these have on
  the business


• Prepare, maintain and operate farm vehicles, and attachments, in different
  environmental and ground conditions


• Select and prepare livestock for sale or transfer in accordance with
  health and safety requirements


• Manage, monitor and evaluate the financial viability of delivered diets,
  using relevant resources


• Maintain, analyse and utilize production records (both written and
  digital) to improve productivity and aid compliance the importance and
  practice of safely and effectively selecting and preparing livestock for sale
  or transfer the five welfare needs of animals


• Impact of farm working practices on social, economic and environmental
  sustainability, including a basic understanding of how to contribute to
  government-led sustainability targets

For more information on the skills, knowledge and behaviours associated and
learnt on this apprenticeship, please download the file attached to this link:
Livestock Unit Technician Level 3

Qualifications

Apprenticeship Certificate
Level 2 in Principles of Safe Handling and
Application of Pesticides Guidance
Level 2 in Safe Use of Veterinary
Medicines
Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work

Delivery Model

Regular learning, skills and knowledge assessment and research work at
Plumpton College alongside blended online learning. Attendance at college on a
fortnightly basis (term time only) with quarterly workplace competency and
efficiency observation, assessments and reviews.

Entry Requirements

The entry requirements for all Level 3 programmes, will require either:

GCSE 3 or above in English (either Literature or Language) and Maths
GCSE
D or above in English (either Literature or Language) and Maths
Level1
Functional Skills English and Maths (or equivalent qualification|) at this level
or Level 2

Should you not meet the entry requirements for English and Maths, please get
in contact with us. We are aware that there are many factors that may have
affected your previous education and grades, so will consider these in support
of the application on an individual basis.

In addition to your prior English and Maths qualifications, you will complete
an initial assessment for English and Maths as part of your pre-boarding session
in college. This assessment will give us a current working level grade and will
indicate which level Functional Skills you will be enrolled on if you have not
got a GCSE 4/C or above in English and Maths. We may contact you to discuss this
grade if we have any concerns.

If you have a grade 4/C or above in GCSE English and/or Maths, you will not
be required to attend Functional Skills English and/or Maths sessions as part of
your Apprenticeship.

Please note: You will be required to produce your GCSE certificates BEFORE
you start your course to be exempt from attending Functional Skills English and
Maths sessions.

To enrol onto an apprenticeship programme you need to be employed with a
contract of employment. If you have an employer lined up or are already employed
please contact our Business Services team on 01273 892127 or via email.

You must be in a role that will allow you the opportunity to develop the
necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship.
Additionally, apprentices must have a working level of maths and English that
will allow successful achievement of level 1 functional skill prior to the end
point assessment.

If you do not currently have an employer please visit the main
Apprenticeships page for guidance on how to find and apply for an apprenticeship
opportunity or register for our Talent Bank service.

If you are an employer and would like to recruit or enrol an existing
employee onto an apprenticeship please contact our Business Services
team on 01273 892127 or via email.