SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Manage dairy production systems 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
116370  Manage dairy production systems 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Primary Agriculture 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 01 - Agriculture and Nature Conservation Primary Agriculture 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 5  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5  10 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
The learner achieving this unit standard will be able to plan and manage the operation of a dairy production unit. In addition they will be well positioned to extend their learning and practice into other areas of food production and agriculture.

Learners will gain specific knowledge and skills in dairy production and will be able to operate in an animal production environment implementing sustainable and economically viable production principles.

They will be capacitated to gain access to the mainstream agricultural sector, in animal production, impacting directly on the sustainability of the sub-sector. The improvement in production technology will also have a direct impact on the improvement of agricultural productivity of the sector. 

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
It is assumed that a learner attempting this unit standard will show competence against the following unit standards or equivalent:
  • NQF 4: Implement dairy production operations.
  • NQF 5: Evaluate Animal Health Systems.
  • NQF 5: Apply and plan animal nutrition.
  • NQF 5: Evaluate anatomy and physiology.
  • NQF 5: Optimise and integrate various farming systems and trends within related enterprises. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    Within the context of application, dairy animals include but are not limited to dairy cattle and milk goat and sheep breeds, whichever is applicable to the area of operation. All range statements should be interpreted as relevant to the context of application.

    Range statements are neither comprehensive nor necessarily appropriate to all contexts. Alternatives must however be comparable in scope and complexity. These are only as a general guide to scope and complexity of what is required. 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Demonstrate planning and budgeting processes relative to Dairy Production. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    An understanding of the prediction of the herd profile changes through the year with associated milk production, culling and herd replacement are demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The ability to plan feed and other resources to maintain the production program is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The ability to develop a budget is demonstrated. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Direct operations in the milking parlour. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The ability to prepare, establish and direct routines for clean milk production in the parlour is demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    This includes but is not limited to parlour hygiene; fly control, preparation of the udder, withdrawal of milk unsuited for human consumption and routine health screening procedures as relevant to the context of application.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The ability to manage and control staff is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The ability to manage the installation and maintenance of dairy equipment is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The ability to perform additional dairy parlour management is demonstrated. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Manage the herd production cycle. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The ability to maintain a balanced herd profile is demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Herd profile includes but is not limited to the ratio between in-milk and dry animals, replacement animals and culls.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The ability to manipulate the breeding program for optimal production is demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    This includes but is not limited to disease control and fertility management.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Knowledge of appropriate culling criteria is demonstrated. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4 
    Manage the feeding programme. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    This includes but is not limited to farm produced feeds and purchased feed. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The ability to plan a year round feed flow is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The ability to prepare, manufacture or purchase appropriate feed for different categories of animals is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The ability to direct the effective implementation of the feeding programme is demonstrated. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 5 
    "Trouble shoot" and take corrective action. 
    OUTCOME RANGE 
    This includes corrective action in all farm activities. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The ability to react to abnormalities in the herd, reflected by routine herd screening is demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    This includes but is not limited to mastitis screening and herd disease surveys.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    The ability to react to abnormalities in the production of milk and milk product production systems is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    The ability to react to fertility problems as revealed by routine procedures and records are demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    This includes but is not limited to conception rates, reproduction and metabolic diseases.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    The ability to react to changes in quantity and quality in available feed supplies is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    The ability to recognize abnormalities due to nutrition is demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    This includes but is not limited to inadequate weight gain, loss in body condition and metabolic diseases.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    The ability to react to mechanical, electrical and water supply breakdown is demonstrated. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    The ability to make use of external resources is demonstrated. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    This includes but is not limited to electrician, mechanic, plumber, extension officer, veterinarians, and nutritionist.
     


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    The assessment of qualifying learners against this standard should meet the requirements of established assessment principles.

    It will be necessary to develop assessment activities and tools, which are appropriate to the contexts in which the qualifying learners are working. These activities and tools may include an appropriate combination of self-assessment and peer assessment, formative and summative assessment, portfolios and observations etc.

    The assessment should ensure that all the specific outcomes; critical cross-field outcomes and essential embedded knowledge are assessed.

    The specific outcomes must be assessed through observation of performance. Supporting evidence should be used to prove competence of specific outcomes only when they are not clearly seen in the actual performance.

    Essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in its own right, through oral or written evidence and cannot be assessed only by being observed.

    The specific outcomes and essential embedded knowledge must be assessed in relation to each other. If a qualifying learner is able to explain the essential embedded knowledge but is unable to perform the specific outcomes, they should not be assessed as competent. Similarly, if a qualifying learner is able to perform the specific outcomes but is unable to explain or justify their performance in terms of the essential embedded knowledge, then they should not be assessed as competent.

    Evidence of the specified critical cross-field outcomes should be found both in performance and in the essential embedded knowledge.

    Performance of specific outcomes must actively affirm target groups of qualifying learners, not unfairly discriminate against them. Qualifying learners should be able to justify their performance in terms of these values.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or assessing this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    The person is able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of:
  • Systems
  • The relevance between animal health and reproduction.
  • The relevance between animal nutrition and animal health.
  • Report writing.
  • Keeping records and acting accordingly to obvious problems in the production unit.
  • Planning and executing a budget.
  • Animal disease treatment.
  • The purpose of the development, implementation and maintenance of procedures and programmes.
  • The procedures involved in the executing of programmes.
  • All relevant legislation, rules, principles and codes of conduct applicable to the development, implementation and maintenance of a dairy production unit.
  • The Agricultural Pests Act (Act 36 of 1983) and related regulations.
  • Develop a two-way relationship with supervisor and co-workers in regard to responsibilities and reporting (Communication Skills). 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Problem solving relates to all outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Teamwork relates to all outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Self-management relates to all outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Interpreting information relates to outcomes:
  • Direct operations in the milking parlour.
  • Manage the herd production cycle.
  • Manage the feeding program.
  • "Trouble shoot" and take corrective action. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING 
    Communication relates to all outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and Technology relates to all outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    The world as a set of related systems relates to all outcomes. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    N/A 

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Elective  49011   National Diploma: Animal Production  Level 5  NQF Level 05  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  AgriSETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    1. Sibizi and Lekhela Agric Business Trading (Pty) Ltd 
    2. Suidwes Beleggings Eiendoms Beperk 
    3. The Skills Development Hub (Pty) Ltd 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.