Year 11 Animal Care
Welcome to our Year 11 Animal Care revision hub. Here you can find details of the exam board & specification, when your mock exams will take place, what will be tested in the exam and how you should revise and prepare.
To download a pdf summary of the Animal Care revision information – click here
Exam Board: Pearson BTEC Tech Award in Animal Care
Specification: Click here to access the exam board specification – click here
Mock Exam Details
You are working on your controlled assessment coursework task for Component 1: Animal Handling
Your coursework is ongoing under the supervision of your class teacher within lesson time.
Please speak to Miss Epskamp regarding the dates for your practical assessments
Your coursework will cover the following content:
A1 Behaviour patterns and functions in animals as relevant to species
- Animals from the following groups:
o small/companion animals, reptiles, birds, invertebrates, large/livestock animals.
- Normal behaviour patterns include:
o feeding behaviours, sleep/wake cycles seen in diurnal, nocturnal and crepuscular animals, methods of communication – displays, vocalisation and scenting, sexual behaviour – courtship, mating displays, grooming – autogrooming, allogrooming, play and social interaction, movement and levels of activity.
A2 The main influences on animal behaviour
Internal and external factors can influence the behaviour of an animal or groups of animals. Learners must be aware of general influences and those that are specific to species or groups of animals, and the welfare needs of animals.
- Internal factors:
o the effect of age and the influence of lifespan
o differences between males and females.
- External factors:
o housing and enclosures – size, construction and enrichment opportunities, environment – lighting and temperature, noise levels, presence of others – predators in close proximity, companion species and numbers, human activity.
A3 Causes of abnormal animal behaviours, and their impact on handling and restraint methods
Internal and external factors can cause both short-term and long-term changes to animal behaviour and behaviour patterns, which can affect the suitability of handling and restraint methods. Learners must be aware of when intervention from a more experienced handler may be required and procedures to follow if it can’t be handled.
- Health status: ill, injured, pregnant, at a particular life stage.
- Stress, including: low levels of stress, such as that caused by regular restraint of the animal as part of the husbandry regime, high levels of stress, such as that caused by housing a prey species such as a rabbit in close proximity to a predator species such as a ferret.
- Poor welfare standards, including: unsuitable environment, unsuitable diet, unsuitable companionship – overcrowding, the need to be housed with or apart from other species/animals, illness and injury, barriers to expressing normal behaviour.
- Behavioural signs of ill health, stress and poor welfare standards: lethargy, lack of appetite, excessive breathing rate, unwillingness to be approached, unusual hiding behaviours, aggression.
- Social, locomotory and oral stereotypes:
o repetition of the same behaviours o excessive grooming o self-mutilation.
B1 Health, safety and welfare assessment and accident reporting
Know the risks associated with working with animals and appropriate control measures for reducing the risk of accidents and emergencies involving animals and humans.
- Hazards and risks: a hazard is something with the potential to cause harm in a situation, a risk is the likelihood of someone being harmed by a particular hazard, control measures are the equipment and procedures followed to reduce the risk of harm.
- Hazards, risks and control measures applicable to a range of animals from the following groups: small/companion animals, reptiles, birds, invertebrates, large/livestock animals.
- Know how and why to report minor and major accidents when working with animals: the purpose and use of incident forms and record books.
B2 Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) ● Correct selection and use of PPE according to the species being handled and restrained, including: protective footwear, overalls, gloves, protective sleeves, masks.
- Purposes of PPE with appropriate links to hazards and risks: prevention of cross-contamination, prevention of injury to the handler o prevention of injury to the animal.
- Safe behaviour and links to hazards and risks associated with handling and restraining animals, in accordance with legislation, including: behaving calmly and quietly, tying back long hair, removing jewellery, direct responsibilities under current relevant legislation.
B3 Handling and restraint Learners will understand how handling techniques differ and the appropriate applications of each handling technique for species and individual animals.
- Reasons for handling and restraint, to include: health checking, grooming, exercising, sexing, giving medication, transport, movement while cleaning accommodation, removal from an emergency situation.
- Appropriate handling and restraint techniques depending on the animal, to include: awareness of head and limb positions, support of upper and lower body as necessary, ensuring the animal’s breathing is unrestricted, reducing the animal’s stress levels, requirement for two or more people when working with larger animals, or those with more complex needs.
- Appropriate equipment for use in catching, handling, restraint and release, taking into account the individual’s: species, size, age, temperament, reason for being handled o potential hazards and risks.
B4 Planning for animal handling and restraint Learners must be able to put together straightforward plans with associated reasoning for the handling and restraint of animals.
● Planning for: individual animals – key information about the individual, the surroundings and reasons for handling o handling – catching and releasing, and restraint equipment and techniques, hazards, risks and control measures around personal health and safety, and the health, safety and welfare of animals, procedures for reporting incidents and accidents.