NZQA Expiring unit standard / 2507 version 8
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Title / Grade ovine carcasses
Level / 3 / Credits / 50
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to: assess ovine carcasses; grade ovine carcasses; demonstrate team-work; and comply with organisational and statutory hygiene and safety requirements.
This unit standard is for people who are employed in the slaughter and dressing department at meat processing plants who are required to grade ovine carcasses to meet company and customer specifications.
Classification / Meat Processing > Slaughter and Dressing
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills and knowledge / Recommended: Unit 2511, Demonstrate knowledge of ovine grading classifications, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and skills.

Explanatory notes

1 Normal production speeds apply to the performance of this activity.

2 Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to – Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Animal Products Act 1999.

3 Resource documents include but are not limited to – Industry Standard 5 Slaughter and Dressing, Industry Standard 6 Processing of Edible Product, available from the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) at http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/animalproducts/meat/meatman/index.htm.

4 Guide to lamb and mutton carcass classification 2003, and subsequent amendments, form the basis for some of the performance criteria in this unit standard and can be found on the website of Meat and Wool New Zealand at http://www.meatnz.co.nz.

5 Definitions

Organisational requirements refer to instructions to staff on policy and procedures which are documented in memo, electronic or manual format and are available in the workplace.

Customer specifications are product specifications set by clients relating to cuts, weights, presentation and packaging.

Company specifications are product specifications set by the company relating to cuts, weights, presentation and packaging.

Outcomes and evidence requirements

Outcome 1

Assess ovine carcasses.

Evidence requirements

1.1 Dressing faults caused by mechanical and operator error are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.

1.2 Downgradable conditions are identified in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.

1.3 Disease indicator tags are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.

1.4 Company procedure identification tags are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.

1.5 Fat depth measurement is taken at the site in accordance with organisational requirements and company specifications.

1.6 Fat depth probes are used and read in accordance with organisational requirements and company specifications.

1.7 Ovine carcasses meeting company muscling specification classifications are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.

1.8 Ovine carcasses that do not meet company specifications are identified and reported in accordance with organisational requirements.

1.9 The total fat content of ovine carcasses is visually assessed in accordance with organisational requirements or company specifications.

1.10 Ovine carcasses are classified into age categories in accordance with Meat and Wool NZ specifications.

Range lamb, hogget, mutton.

1.11 Ovine carcasses are classified into sex categories in accordance with Meat and Wool NZ specifications.

Range mutton, ram.

1.12 Probable quality status is assessed using grading implements in accordance with organisational requirements.

Range grading implements may include but are not limited to – intrascope, rule, reflectance meter, hennessy probe, greville probe.

Outcome 2

Grade ovine carcasses to meet company and customer specifications.

Evidence requirements

2.1 Ovine carcasses are graded using grading console keys or grade tickets in accordance with organisational requirements.

Range includes but is not limited to – type, fat class, muscling class, defect, damage, market identification.

2.2 Damaged ovine carcasses are downgraded in accordance with company specifications.

2.3 Graded ovine carcasses meet company or customer specifications and statutory requirements for grading accuracy.

2.4 Graded ovine carcasses are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.

2.5 Records of graded ovine carcasses are maintained in accordance with organisational requirements.

2.6 Grading speed meets company processing requirements.

2.7 Graded ovine carcasses are dispatched for chilling in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.

Outcome 3

Demonstrate team-work.

Evidence requirements

3.1 Tasks are completed within the time and space allocation determined by product flow and organisational requirements.

3.2 The quality and completeness of tasks meet the operational requirements of following co-workers.

3.3 Communication and feedback are provided to and requested from co-workers to maintain and improve task and product quality.

3.4 Co-workers are not endangered through the operator's methods and equipment.

3.5 Co-worker assistance is provided within the confines of product flow and operator space.

3.6 Machinery, equipment, and facility malfunctions are identified and reported to supervisory staff in accordance with organisational requirements.

3.7 Conflict resolution techniques are applied to minimise interpersonal differences with co-workers which may adversely affect team performance.

Outcome 4

Comply with organisational and statutory hygiene and safety requirements.

Evidence requirements

4.1 Company supplied clothing, and hygiene and safety equipment are worn and used in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.

4.2 Work methods comply with specified organisational and statutory requirements to minimise the risk of product contamination and injuries to the operator and others.

4.3 Unsafe and unhygienic conditions are identified and reported to supervisory staff in accordance with organisational requirements.

4.4 Equipment, operator and work area cleanliness complies with organisational and statutory requirements.

Replacement information / This unit standard and unit standard 2511 have been replaced by unit standard 28244.

This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.

Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions

Process / Version / Date / Last Date for Assessment /
Registration / 1 / 31 January 1995 / 31 December 2016
Revision / 2 / 29 September 1998 / 31 December 2016
Review / 3 / 30 August 1999 / 31 December 2016
Revision / 4 / 19 July 2001 / 31 December 2016
Review / 5 / 27 April 2005 / 31 December 2016
Review / 6 / 19 June 2009 / 31 December 2016
Review / 7 / 27 January 2015 / 31 December 2016
Rollover / 8 / 17 September 2015 / 31 December 2018
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0033

This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.

Please note

Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR 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.

Primary Industry Training Organisation
SSB Code 101558 / Ó New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015 / / New Zealand Qualifications Aut