Observe & Gather Get started
Use the “Key Points” box to guide your discussion and what you put in the box.
Health & Welfare
- Biosecurity – What measures are in place for people, livestock and equipment entering or leaving the farm?
- 5 Welfare Needs – How are the 5 welfare needs met for the livestock you are studying? Consider different stages of production.
- Health Plan – Does the unit have a livestock health plan? What are its key priorities?
- Who is involved? – Who developed the health plan and who is responsible for implementing and reviewing it?
- Routine health tasks – What vaccinations, preventative treatments, health checks and other routine tasks are carried out?
- Current health status – What are the main health problems or risks affecting these livestock?
- Health status & policy – Does the unit have a particular health status or policy, such as a closed herd? How does this affect management?
- Records & monitoring – What health and welfare information is recorded and how is it used?
What to Include Know this
- Biosecurity
- 5 Welfare Needs
- Health Plan and who is involved
- Routine health tasks
- Current health status and health status & policy
- Records & monitoring
Workplace Activities Do these
List vaccinations, preventative treatments and measures used for these livestock (this can be in a diagram form).
Health & Welfare Record Record details
Use this section to record the health and welfare practices you observe.
- Biosecurity
- 5 Welfare Needs
- Health Plan and who is involved
- Routine health tasks
- Current health status and health status & policy
- Records & monitoring
- Vaccinations, preventative treatments and measures used
Observe & Gather Table Fill in
Use this table to gather the health and welfare evidence you observe on the unit. Once you have filled it in, turn your notes into a summary of your findings for OneFile using the sentence starters below.
| Topic | Notes |
|---|---|
| Biosecurity | |
| 5 Welfare Needs | |
| Health Plan | |
| Who is involved? | |
| Routine health tasks | |
| Current health status | |
| Health status & policy | |
| Records & monitoring | |
| Vaccinations, preventative treatments and measures used |
Remember to upload your evidence to OneFile.
🩺 Health & Welfare: Euthanasia Decision-Making Work through it
What would you do if an animal was suffering?
You identify an animal that appears to be suffering from pain, injury or disease. Its condition is causing concern and euthanasia may need to be considered.
As the Livestock Technician, what would you do?
You are not being asked to carry out euthanasia. Your task is to demonstrate that you understand how to recognise the situation, make the appropriate decision and take the correct action.
Working through the situation
| Step | Your response |
|---|---|
| 1. RECOGNISE 🐄 What signs would make you concerned that the animal is suffering? | |
| 2. ASSESS 🔍 What would you consider before deciding what action should be taken? | |
| 3. ACT 🦺 What would you do immediately to protect the animal and people? | |
| 4. CONTACT 📞 Who would you contact for advice or professional action? | |
| 5. RECORD 📋 What information, records or paperwork would need to be completed? | |
| 6. REVIEW 🔄 What would you record or discuss afterwards? Could anything be done to reduce the risk of a similar problem occurring again? |
📸 Workplace Evidence
Discuss this procedure with your employer/supervisor and record what happens on your unit.
Who makes the final decision about euthanasia?
Who would normally be contacted?
What records/paperwork are completed?
Where is this information recorded on the unit?
Evidence attached:
☐ Photograph/document/example ☐ Learning Journal ☐ Supervisor discussion ☐ Other
Evidence Ideas Portfolio proof
- Medicine records or treatment plans
- Vaccination and parasite control records
- Photos of health checks or housing conditions
- Notes on welfare observations and actions
- Employer discussion notes on health management
Employer Discussion Mentor input
Discuss the welfare needs you observed, the health plan in place and how biosecurity and daily routines protect livestock and people.
Health & Welfare: Analyse Understand Report Write up
🧭 Project Brief
From what you have learnt Observing & Gathering – Health & Welfare : 🐄 Explain how the unit maintains livestock health and welfare and how it responds when an animal becomes sick, injured or is suffering. Use examples from your workplace to explain what happens, who is involved and why.
✅ Project Checklist – What to Include
🩺 Health Management
- Health plan and its main priorities.
- Routine health checks and monitoring.
- Vaccination and preventative treatment programmes.
- Common health problems and how they are managed.
- How health records are used.
🐑 Animal Welfare
- How the 5 welfare needs are met.
- How welfare is monitored during different stages of production.
- How signs of pain, illness, injury or suffering are recognised.
🚨 Responding to Welfare Problems
- What happens when an animal becomes sick, injured or is suffering.
- How treatment, further assessment or euthanasia is considered.
- Who is contacted and who makes the decision.
- How the animal and people are protected while action is taken.
🩺 Euthanasia Decision-Making
- How the need for euthanasia is identified.
- Who provides professional advice or carries out the procedure.
- How the correct procedure is followed for the livestock species.
- What records, paperwork and notifications are required.
- How the situation is reviewed afterwards.
🦺 Health, Safety & Environment
- Safe handling of livestock during health and welfare procedures.
- Safe use of equipment, medicines and PPE.
- Biosecurity measures.
- Safe disposal of waste and animal remains.
✍️ Sample Sentence Starters
Health Management
- “The health plan on our unit focuses on…”
- “Routine health is monitored by…”
- “Preventative treatments are used to…”
Welfare
- “The welfare of livestock is monitored by looking for…”
- “The 5 welfare needs are met by…”
Responding to Problems
- “If an animal is found to be suffering, the first action would be…”
- “The person responsible for making the decision is…”
- “Professional advice would be obtained from…”
Euthanasia
- “Euthanasia would be considered when…”
- “The decision would be based on…”
- “The relevant records and paperwork include…”
Reflection
- “The system works well because…”
- “One improvement that could be made is…”
Health & Welfare: Analyse Understand Report
(Draft – Final Version needs uploading / copying to OneFile)
See above for sample sentence starts to help you get started
Remember to upload your evidence to OneFile.