Monitor and maintain grassland and forage crops to support livestock grazing

This standard covers the monitoring and maintaining of grassland and forage crops in order to support livestock grazing. Forage production is an essential part of most livestock production systems. The process will involve the identification of common agricultural grasses and forage crops that are suitable for grazing. If you are working with chemicals or machinery you should be trained and hold current certification, where required. When carrying out your work you must consider the impact it will have on the environment. This standard is suitable for those responsible for monitoring and maintaining grassland and forage crops to support livestock grazing.

1. assess the risks associated with the activity to be carried out

   2. wear suitable clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE)

   3. select, prepare, use, maintain and store the required tools,

   equipment and machinery, safely and correctly

   4. monitor that the quantity and quality of the grassland and forage

   crops is appropriate to support livestock grazing

   5. use suitable grazing patterns for the grassland and forage crops

   6. monitor the grassland and forage crops for weeds, pests and

   diseases that could reduce output and affect livestock

   7. monitor grazing patterns used for grassland and forage crops

   8. take action to maintain the quality of grassland and forage crops

   while they are being grazed

   9. maintain communication with colleagues and others involved in,

   or affected by, your work

   10. process waste safely and correctly, in accordance with relevant

   legal requirements and business practices

   11. carry out your work in accordance with relevant environmental

   and health and safety legislation, animal health and welfare

   legislation, risk assessment requirements, codes of practice and

   business policies

   12. complete records as required by relevant legislation and the

   business

1. how to identify hazards and assess risks

   2. the type of clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE)

   suitable for the activity

   3. the types of tools, equipment and machinery required and how to

   prepare, use, maintain and store these, safely and correctly

   4. the different types of grasses and forage crops used to support

   livestock grazing and how to identify them

   5. how to identify weeds, pests and diseases and suitable methods

   of control

   6. how to monitor and identify when grassland requires improving

   7. how to monitor the growth of different forage crops and when a

   forage crop is suitable to support livestock grazing

   8. the actions to take to maintain and improve the quality of

   grassland and forage crops in order to support livestock grazing

   9. the different methods of grazing grassland and forage crops

   10. when livestock should be removed from the grassland and forage

   crops or offered supplementary feeding

   11. when livestock stocking rates should be adjusted

   12. the importance of maintaining communication with those involved

   in, or affected by, your work and how this should be done

   13. how to handle, transport, store and dispose of waste, in

   accordance with relevant legal requirements and business

   practices

   14. your responsibilities for the welfare of livestock under relevant

   animal health and welfare legislation, codes of practice and

   business policies

   15. your responsibilities under relevant environmental and health and

   safety legislation, codes of practice and business policies

   16. the records that need to be kept and the importance of completing

   them