Elementary Occupational Certificate: Small Stock Slaughterer

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Small Stock Slaughterer.

A Small Stock Slaughterer slaughters sheep and/or goats in abattoirs in compliance with meat safety regulations, health, safety, environment standards, and customer specifications according to abattoir layout and procedures.

Typical learner attributes enabled through this qualification include dexterity and physical strength, flexibility, time management, and self-discipline.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Handle small stock in a humane manner according to animal welfare principles.
• Slaughter, skin, and dress small stock, ensuring compliance with hygienic requirements and GMP practices adhering to set parameters.
• Apply sanitisation, hygiene, and food safety procedures and requirements to provide statutory compliance.

Rationale

There is a growing demand for sheep and goat (small stock) meat products, thus emphasising the importance of good slaughter procedures, carcass dressing, food quality and safety. The need for this qualification is to equip learners with knowledge and skills to be able to slaughter and process sheep and goat (small stock) meat products.

These small stock products form an important part of economy as contributions to local, national, and international trade.

Compliance has a substantial impact on the processes and procedures in small stock abattoirs as well as on competencies of Small Stock Slaughterers in terms of small stock species-specific techniques and parameters such as electrical stunning techniques and bleeding times and different techniques to remove small stock skins, e.g. traditional vs inverted methods. In addition to this, national and international standards and meat quality and safety requirements specified in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are globally becoming more important. The abattoir industry, therefore, requires well-trained staff to ensure compliance with these national and international standards and to ensure the safety of the consumer through conformance to meat safety and quality standards.

Sheep and goat meat is regarded as an important part of the human diet and plays an important role in the livelihood of resource-poor farmers.

Qualified and well-trained Small Stock Slaughterers can ensure that this important source of nutrients in the diet of consumers will meet food safety and quality standards, thus ensuring benefits to rural communities and urbanised communities alike. Opportunities for employment exist in high-throughput abattoirs, low-throughput abattoirs, and rural abattoirs.

Globally, export opportunities are increasing e.g. to the United Arab Emirates and other opportunities to expand the South African export to such countries. Skilled Small Stock Slaughterers will ensure reduced carcass and skin damage, reducing unnecessary loss while reducing contamination and increasing food safety, quality, profits, and abattoir sustainability. Nationally, small stock slaughtering represents approximately 50% more (headcount) than other species. Increasing numbers of Small Stock Slaughterers competent in species-specific techniques and parameters are crucial to supply the increased demand.

This qualification is aimed at people working in the red meat abattoir industry with no formal recognition or who are currently employed as Small Stock Slaughterers and would like to progress. It aims to formalise the skills required in the red meat industry to facilitate career-pathing and provide access to new entrants. This qualification is a stepping-stone in a learning and career path within the abattoir industry. Learners may be promoted to abattoir supervisors after these acquired skills and knowledge.

No registration or licensing is needed to function as a Small Stock Slaughterer.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for Access

• Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme if they do not meet the formal minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme.
• Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider, which offers that specific qualification/part qualification/skills programme. Such an assessment must ensure the learner can display the equivalent competencies required for access based on the NQF level descriptors.

RPL for Credits

For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

Entry Requirements

An NQF Level 1 qualification.

This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill and Work Experience Modules

Knowledge Modules

• 681101-002-00-KM-01: Background to the Abattoir Industry: Abattoir Layout, Systems, and Processes, NQF Level 1, 1 Credit.
• 681101-002-00-KM-02: Statutory Compliance for Small Stock Slaughter, NQF Level 1, 2 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-03: Red Meat Safety, Quality and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), NQF Level 2, 2 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-04: Small Stock Slaughter Equipment, NQF Level 2, 2 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-05: Animal Welfare and Humane Handling of Sheep and Goat, NQF Level 1; 2 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-06: Basic Sheep and Goat Anatomy and Abnormalities; NQF Level 2, 2 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-07: Small Stock Pre-slaughter and Slaughter Procedures (including Stunning, Lifting, Throat Cutting, and Bleeding), NQF Level 1, 4 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-08: Skinning and Dressing of Small Stock Carcasses using the Traditional or Inverted Skinning and Dressing of Small Stock Carcasses using either the Traditional or Inverted Slaughtering Method, NQF Level 2, 3 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-09: Evisceration and Handling of Red and Rough Offal, NQF Level 2, 1 Credit.
• 681101-002-00-KM-10: Final Small Stock Carcass Handling, NQF Level 2, 2 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-KM-11: Personal Development and Workplace Skills, NQF Level 1,7 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules: 28

Practical Skill Modules

• 681101-002-00-PM-01: Conduct Continuous Cleaning and Sanitising of the Abattoir, NQF Level 1, 4 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-PM-02: Perform Small Stock Slaughtering Procedures in an Abattoir Taking Animal Welfare into Account, NQF Level 1, 8 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-PM-03: Skin and Dress Small Stock Carcasses, NQF Level 2, 28 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-PM-04: Perform Post-slaughter Procedures for Small Stock Carcasses, NQF Level 1, 4 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules: 44

Work Experience Modules

• 681101-002-00-WM-01: Abattoir Sanitising and Personal Hygiene, NQF Level 1, 5 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-WM-02: Small Stock Pre- and Post-slaughter Procedures in an Abattoir; NQF Level 1, 10 Credits.
• 681101-002-00-WM-03: Small Stock Slaughtering Processes, NQF Level 2, 43 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 58

1. Demonstrate the ability to receive and care for small stock at an abattoir taking animal welfare requirements into account.
2. Clean and sanitise small stock abattoir facilities, equipment, and machines to achieve statutory compliance.
3. Conduct small stock slaughter procedures in the dirty area of the abattoir.
4. Flay and dress small stock carcasses using either the inverted or normal/traditional method, as per the line layout of the abattoir.
5. Apply safety procedures and operate equipment and machines.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

ELO 1: Demonstrate the ability to receive and care for small stock at an abattoir taking animal welfare requirements into account.

• Off-load sheep and goats at an abattoir while animal welfare is achieved.
• Visually observe sheep and goats to identify any abnormalities and, if necessary, isolate.
• Care for sheep and goats in abattoir lairages while adhering to time limits and fasting periods.
• Explain and apply procedures associated with animal welfare and humane ante-mortem handling of sheep and goat slaughter stock.
• Apply pre-slaughter handling processes of sheep and goats in compliance with Meat Safety Act, hygiene protocols, and other legislative requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

ELO 2: Clean and sanitise small stock abattoir facilities, equipment, and machines to achieve statutory compliance.

• Conduct regular cleaning procedures in compliance with meat safety requirements.
• Conduct regular sanitisation procedures in compliance with meat safety requirements.
• Apply personal hygiene procedures to maintain meat quality.
• Handle effluent, waste, and condemned material in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

ELO3: Conduct small stock slaughter procedures in the dirty area of the abattoir.

• Perform stunning procedures in accordance with humane handling and best practices using specie specific stunning equipment in accordance with specie specific stunning parameters.
• Perform shackling and lifting of carcasses according to abattoir layout and best practices.
• Perform bleeding procedures to ensure hygiene and regulatory compliance.
• Visually observe the sheep or goat carcass to identify and report any abnormalities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

ELO 4: Flay and dress small stock carcasses using either the inverted or normal/traditional method, as per the line layout of the abattoir.

• Skin and dress small stock carcasses according to dressing best practices as per the slaughter stations at the abattoir, ensuring skin and carcass quality.
• Maintain hygienic conditions and standards during the skinning and dressing process.
• Perform synchronisation and correlation of carcasses and offal.
• Maintain line speed management and carcass spacing.
• Apply opening techniques and cut parameters (as appropriate to traditional or inverted methods).
• Visually observe the sheep or goat carcass to identify and report any abnormalities.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

ELO 5: Apply safety procedures and operate equipment and machines.

• Use personal protective equipment to achieve personal safety, legal compliance, and safety of the product.
• Check equipment and machines to ensure good working order and report deviations.
• Operate equipment and machines according to manufacturing specifications.
• Inspect air knives to identify blunt blades and ensure they are sharpened.
• Sharpen hand knives to achieve product quality, personal safety, and animal welfare.
• Handle and store the electrical stunning equipment according to safety requirements.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated Formative Assessment

The Skills Development Providers will use the curriculum to guide them on the stipulated internal assessment criteria and weighting. They will also apply the scope of practical skills and applied knowledge as stipulated by the internal assessment criteria. This formative assessment leads to entrance into the integrated External Summative Assessment.

Integrated Summative Assessment

An External Integrated Summative Assessment, conducted through the relevant QCTO Assessment Quality Partner is required to issue this qualification. The External Integrated Summative Assessment will focus on the Exit Level Outcomes and Associated Assessment Criteria. Additional to the written assessment the learner must also submit a portfolio of evidence compiled of outcomes achieved in the workplace.