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Assess pork production unit capacity, set production targets for KPIs,
prepare a production plan, and monitor variations

Level 5

Credits 40

Purpose People credited with this unit standard are able to: assess pork production
unit capacity, and calculate costs of production, in accordance with on-farm
procedures; demonstrate knowledge of data collection and processing
systems; determine production targets and interference levels against
reproductive, growth, and whole herd KPIs; prepare, implement, and monitor
a production plan; monitor and identify variations to target performance of
KPIs for the pork production unit, and produce reports, in accordance with
on-farm procedures; and identify problems and adverse trends from reports
from target performance monitoring, production plan monitoring, and ongoing
visual observation of the stock and their environs, and take remedial action.

Subfield Pork Production

Domain Pork Production Unit Management

Status Registered

Status date 19 March 2010

Date version published 19 March 2010

Planned review date 31 December 2014

Entry information Open.

Replacement information This unit standard replaced unit standard 4485, unit
standard 22067, and unit standard 22068.

Accreditation Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA, industry

and teaching professional in the same field from another
provider.

Standard setting body (SSB) Primary Industry Training Organisation

Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference 0052

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

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Special notes

1 Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to the Animal
Welfare Act 1999, and Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

2 Performance of all aspects of this unit standard should comply with the New Zealand
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Animal Welfare (Pigs) Code of Welfare 2005,
Wellington (referred to as the welfare code), available at
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/animal-welfare/codes/pigs/index.htm.

3 Assessment
For the purposes of assessment, people may present data from an actual pork
production unit, or present a case study using realistic data.

4 Definitions
On-farm procedures – the verbal or written instructions to staff on procedures for pig
health, welfare, and management.
Pork production unit – collective term for several pork production sections. For
example, a farrowing section, a grower section, and a dry sow section together make
up a pork production unit.
Production target – number and/or rate for a specified level of performance, for
example, piglets born per week.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – pork production unit activities for which
production targets are set.
Veterinary guidelines – advice received directly from veterinarians, or literature
recommended by veterinarians or providers accredited to assess against this unit
standard.
Interference levels – levels outside a range of acceptable performance defined by on-
farm procedures which require intervention by management.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Assess pork production unit capacity, and calculate costs of production, in accordance with
on-farm procedures.

Performance criteria

1.1 Factors affecting the calculation of pork production unit capacity are described
in terms of the welfare code.

Range includes but is not limited to – number of pens, size of pens, space
allowances, air space, temperature.

1.2 Pork production unit capacity is calculated for each section of the pork
production unit.

Range mating, gestation, farrowing, weaner, grower.

1.3 Costs of production are calculated for each section of the pork production unit.

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Element 2

Demonstrate knowledge of data collection and processing systems.

Performance criteria

2.1 Computer software available for monitoring pork production unit performance is
identified and assessed to determine suitability for on-farm requirements.

Range outputs, operational performance, applicability for operation.

2.2 Options available for pig performance data recording and processing are
described in accordance with on-farm procedures.

Range includes but is not limited to – on-farm computer systems, bureau

services, manual calculations.

Element 3

Determine production targets and interference levels against reproductive, growth, and
whole herd KPIs.

Performance criteria

3.1 Production targets and interference levels are set against reproductive KPIs to
achieve number of pigs and weight of sales per week in relation to the market
requirements for the pork production unit, and in accordance with the welfare
code.

Range reproductive KPIs – weekly matings, litters per sow per year,
piglets born alive per litter, pre-weaning mortality, abortions,
breeding herd mortality, replacement rates, piglets weaned per
litter, weaners per sow per year, kilograms of pig meat per sow per
year.

3.2 Production targets and interference levels are set against growth KPIs for pigs
to reach the required sale weight and are within grower section capacity
constraints in accordance with on-farm procedures and the welfare code.

Range growth KPIs – feed intake, water consumption, feed conversion

rate, post-weaning mortality, cost per kilogram gain.

3.3 Production targets and interference levels are set against whole herd KPIs to
meet weekly sales requirements within pork production unit capacity constraints
and to avoid under or overcrowding in accordance with on-farm procedures and
the welfare code.

Range whole herd KPIs – meal to meat ratio, sale weight, classification
for payment, back fat levels, cost of production, daily high and low
temperatures, disease status.

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Element 4

Prepare, implement, and monitor a production plan.

Performance criteria

4.1 Production plan is prepared consistent with production targets and in

accordance with on-farm procedures.

Range production plan may include but is not limited to – schedules for
timing of purchases, services required for production, replacement
breeding stock requirements, building throughput, calendar of
operations for each pig production cycle.

4.2 Production plan is implemented in accordance with on-farm procedures.

4.3 Data from on-farm monitoring of production plan, is monitored and analysed,
and production plan is amended to optimise production performance, in
accordance with on-farm procedures.

Element 5

Monitor and identify variations to production targets of KPIs for the pork production unit,
and produce reports, in accordance with on-farm procedures.

Performance criteria

5.1 Target performance of KPIs are monitored and analysed for variations.

5.2 The variations to target performance are calculated, possible reasons for the
variations are determined, and their economic impact described for each
section of the pork production unit.

5.3 Production targets are modified when interference levels are exceeded in
accordance with on-farm procedures.

5.4 Reports are produced from target performance monitoring, and

recommendations made, in accordance with on-farm procedures.

Element 6

Identify problems and adverse trends from reports from target performance monitoring,
production plan monitoring, and ongoing visual observation of the stock and their environs,
and take remedial action.

Performance criteria

6.1 Problems and adverse trends are identified from reports from target
performance monitoring, production plan monitoring, and ongoing visual
observation of the stock and their environs, in accordance with on-farm
procedures.

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6.2 Remedial action is taken in accordance with veterinary guidelines and on-farm
procedures.

6.3 The use of the pork production unit facility is optimised in accordance with on-
farm procedures.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated

authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP
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.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation standards@primaryito.ac.nz if

you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018