Profession animal embryo transfer technician
Animal embryo transfer technicians aid and support the carrying out of embryo transfer under veterinary supervision in accordance with national legislation.
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Personality Type
Knowledge
- Signs of animal illness
Physical, behavioural and environmental signs of health and ill health in various animals.
- Animal welfare legislation
The legal boundaries, codes of professional conduct, national and EU regulatory frameworks and legal procedures of working with animals and living organisms, ensuring their welfare and health.
- Biosecurity related to animals
Awareness of hygiene and bio-security measures when working with animals, including causes, transmission and prevention of diseases and use of policies, materials and equipment.
- Anatomy of animals
The study of animal body parts, their structure and dynamic relationships, on a level as demanded by the specific occupation.
- Animal behaviour
The natural behavioural patterns of animals, i.e. how normal and abnormal behaviour might be expressed according to species, environment, human-animal interaction and occupation.
- Animal production science
Animal nutrition, agronomy, rural economics, animal husbandry, hygiene and bio-security, ethology, protection and herd health management.
- Physiology of animals
The study of the mechanical, physical, bioelectrical and biochemical functioning of animals, their organs and their cells.
- Animal welfare
Universally recognized animal welfare needs as applied to species, situation and occupation. These are: need for a suitable environment need for a suitable diet need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
- Safe work practices in a veterinary setting
Safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and working environment.
- Animal reproductive system
The anatomy of the genital tract and the reproductive cycle of animals, animal physiology and endocrinology.
Skills
- Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting
Apply safe work practices in a veterinary setting in order to identify hazards and associated risks so as to prevent accidents or incidents. This includes injury from animals, zoonotic diseases, chemicals, equipment and work environments.
- Manage animal biosecurity
Plan and use appropriate biosafety measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure effective overall biosecurity. Maintain and follow biosecurity procedures and infection control when working with animals, including recognising potential health issues and taking appropriate action, communicating site hygiene control measures and biosecurity procedures, as well as reporting to others.
- Maintain breeding equipment
Operate and care for the equipment used in breeding procedures. This includes, when disposable equipment is not used, effective cleaning and disinfection, in order to avoid transmission of diseases, and to ensure a high welfare standard of the animals.
- Assess animal behaviour
Observe and evaluate the behaviour of animals in order to work with them safely and recognise deviations from normal behaviour that signal compromised health and welfare.
- Monitor the welfare of animals
Monitor animals’ physical condition and behaviour and report any concerns or unexpected changes, including signs of health or ill-health, appearance, condition of the animals' accommodation, intake of food and water and environmental conditions.
- Remove embryos
Collect embryos, under veterinary instruction, ensuring that the health status both of the donor animal and the embryo is maintained at all times.
- Administer specific drugs to facilitate breeding
Administer specific drugs for synchronisation of breeding cycles to animals in accordance with veterinary and owner instructions. This includes the safe use and storage of drugs and equipment and record keeping.
- Manage animal hygiene
Plan and use appropriate hygiene measures to prevent transmission of diseases and ensure an effective overall hygiene. Maintain and follow hygiene procedures and regulations when working with animals, communicate site hygiene controls and protocols to others. Manage the safe disposal of waste according to destination and local regulations.
- Transfer animal embryos
Implant embryos, under veterinary instruction, ensuring that the health status of both the embryo and the recipient is maintained at all times.
- Handle veterinary emergencies
Handle unforeseen incidents concerning animals and circumstances which call for urgent action in an appropriate professional manner.
Optional knowledge and skills
collaborate with animal related professionals take advantage of learning opportunities in veterinary science veterinary terminology assess animal's condition interview animal owners on animals' conditions conduct quantitative research cope with challenging circumstances in the veterinary sector apply numeracy skills develop an animal handling strategy treat animals ethically calculate costs for animal embryo transfer deal with challenging people inspect dataSource: Sisyphus ODB