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Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline Livestock Veterinary Technician Competencies Survey

We need your input!

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry ("DLI") Dual-Training Pipeline team is conducting a survey on proposed competency standards for potentially adding a new occupation in the ­­­­­Agriculture industry. The information you provide in the survey will be used by DLI to create the Livestock Veterinary Technician dual-training competency standards.

Your participation in this survey is voluntary. Any information you choose to supply on this survey will be used by DLI staff members working on creating competency standards for Livestock Veterinary Technician; competency models and all survey data entered are public information.

In addition to participating in the survey, you are invited to join a meeting on January 21, 2026 at 1 p.m. to discuss the new possible Agriculture competency standards. The link to join the meeting is here.

If you have questions regarding the survey or any other work of Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline, please email pipeline.program@state.mn.us. Thanks!
Draft - Livestock Veterinary Technician
Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline Competency Model for Agriculture Occupation: Livestock Veterinarian Technician. Employer specific requirements: Left blank intentionally for employers to fill in items unique to their organization. Occupation specific competencies: Administer emergency first aid Obtain relevant medical information Perform basic dental work Communicate with supervisors, peers, and customers Assist with anesthesia procedures Monitor recovery Practice personal safety Process and document medical information Perform laboratory operations Administer medication Schedule medical procedures Perform basic medical procedures Restrain livestock animals Clean and sterilize equipment or materials Prepare equipment for the veterinarian(s) Industry Sector Technical Competencies: Large animal surgery Preventive medicine Pathology Pharmacology Physiology Livestock production medicine Animal behavior Veterinary imaging Veterinary toxicology Anatomy Livestock production safety Obstetrics and animal husbandry Food and fiber animal problems Veterinary genetics Large animal medicine Immunology Industry-Wide Technical Competencies: Principles of agriculture; Agriculture production; Quality assurance, continuous improvement; Sustainability; User and customer support; Health, safety, security; Chemistry, Biology, Privacy. Workplace Competencies- Teamwork, Customer Focus, Planning and Organizing, Creative Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision-Making, Working with Tools and Technology, Scheduling and Coordinating, Checking, Examining, and Recording, Business Fundamentals, Sustainable Practices, Health and Safety. Academic Competencies- Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Communication, Critical and Analytical Thinking, Basic Computer Skills. Personal Effectiveness Competencies- Interpersonal Skills, Integrity, Professionalism, Initiative, Dependability and Reliability, Adaptability and Flexibility, Lifelong Learning Based on: Building Blocks for Competency Models - Foundational Competencies, Employment and Training Administration, United States Department of Labor, February 2025. For more detailed information about competency model creation and sources, visit https://www.dli.mn.gov/business/workforce/agriculture
Competency Model for Livestock Veterinary Technician Livestock Veterinary Technician – This position supports livestock veterinarians in diagnosing and treating livestock—defined as beef and dairy cattle, swine, poultry, goats, mules, farmed cervidae, ratitae, bison, sheep, horses, and llamas (MS17.118, Subd. 2b). Responsibilities include administering medications and vaccines, assisting with surgeries, performing lab work, and cleaning and sterilizing equipment in clinical and farm settings. *Pipeline recommends the Industry-Sector Technical Competencies as formal training opportunities (provided through related instruction) and the Occupation-Specific Competencies as on-the-job (OJT) training opportunities. Industry-Sector Technical Competencies Related Instruction for dual training means the organized and systematic form of education resulting in the enhancement of skills and competencies related to the dual trainee’s current or intended occupation. • Large animal surgery – Knowledge of orthopedic disorders, lameness, hoof and foot disorders, and abdominal surgery in large animals. • Preventive medicine ‒ Knowledge of preventive care of common domestic species; covers behavior, nutrition, vaccinology, parasite control, reproduction control, management of neonates, biosecurity, backyard poultry, and non- traditional pets. • Pathology – Knowledge of the reactions of cells and tissues to injury, including retrogressive changes, cell death, pigments, circulatory disturbances, inflammation, and alterations of cell growth. • Pharmacology – Knowledge of the principles of pharmacokinetics as applied to the use of antimicrobials and other drugs in agriculture animal patients; includes understanding of clinical pharmacology of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic drugs. • Physiology ‒ Knowledge of the fundamental principles of systemic physiology through survey of major organ systems, including gastroenterology, urology, and reproductive biology in livestock animals.
• Livestock production medicine – Knowledge of specific training and contemporary veterinary medicinal approaches to livestock practices which includes components of livestock production, disease diagnosis, control, treatment, and eradication. Livestock include beef cattle, dairy, cattle, swine, poultry, goats, mules, farmed Cervidae (deer), ratitae, bison, sheep, horses, and llamas. • Animal behavior ‒ Knowledge of abnormal and undesired animal behavior and how to diagnose that behavior as well as treat it with either behavioral or pharmacological modifications. • Veterinary imaging ‒ Knowledge of how to conduct radiography. • Veterinary toxicology – Knowledge of the mechanisms by which common toxicants encountered in residential, natural, and agricultural or industrial settings exert their deleterious effects in animals; approaches to treating common toxicoses from toxicant exposure. • Anatomy ‒ Knowledge of gross and developmental anatomy of domesticated mammals, includes a carnivore dissection. • Livestock production safety – Ability to safely mitigate biological, chemical, physical, and psychological hazards at the actual livestock production setting and/or at the veterinary medicine clinic. • Obstetrics and animal husbandry – Knowledge of best practices for livestock animal breeding that deals with medical and surgical care of together with adjustments to the female animal in breeding, gestation, labor, postpartum and care of the newborn. Understanding of how to perform a frenotomy for large animals should be included as well. • Food and fiber animal problems – Knowledge of the problem-oriented approach to food animal cases. • Veterinary genetics – Knowledge of the principles of genetics and genomics, with the goals of illustrating how an understanding of these molecular biosciences enables a better understanding of the many mechanisms at play in animal health and disease. • Large animal medicine – Knowledge of multisystemic infectious diseases and hematological and immunological disorders of large animal species. • Immunology ‒ Knowledge of immunology, including innate and adaptive immunity and cells and molecules involved in protection against infectious agents and cancers; an overview of antibody-antigen-based testing and immune-mediated disease.
Occupation-Specific Competencies On-the-Job Training is hands-on instruction completed at work to learn the core competencies necessary to succeed in an occupation. Common types of OJT include job shadowing, mentorship, cohort-based training, assignment-based project evaluation and discussion-based training. • Administer emergency first aid ‒ Know how to administer emergency first aid, such as performing emergency resuscitation or other lifesaving procedures. • Obtain relevant medical information ‒ Ability to observe, receive, and otherwise obtain medical information from all relevant sources. • Perform basic dental work – Know how to perform basic dental work, such as cleaning, polishing, and scaling. Will often assist veterinarian in more complicated dental tasks such as tooth extraction. • Communicate with supervisors, peers and customers ‒ Understand how to communicate information to supervisors, co-workers, and customers who work in a veterinary medicine setting with livestock by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. • Assist with anesthesia procedures ‒ Understand anesthesia in livestock animals, and under the direction of a veterinarian be able to provide help to the veterinarian as anesthesia is given as well as help monitor animals' responses to anesthetics so that dosages can be adjusted. • Monitor recovery ‒ Know how to care for and monitor the condition of animals recovering from surgery. • Practice personal safety ‒ Ability to use proper medical and industry standards to maintain a safe work environment to ensure personal well-being. • Process and document medical information ‒ Know how to compile code, categorize, calculate tabulate, audit, or verify information or data for veterinary medical purposes. Also know how to properly document and record the medical information so that an animal’s patient/ record can potentially be established. • Perform laboratory operations – Ability to perform laboratory tests on blood, urine, or feces, such as urinalyses or blood counts, to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of animal health problems. • Administer medication – Know how to prepare and administer medications, vaccines, serums, or treatments, as prescribed by veterinarians.
• Schedule medical procedures – Understand how to schedule medical procedures to either be performed by the veterinarian or by the farmer on a detailed timeline and schedule that promotes the health of the agriculture animals. • Perform basic medical procedures ‒ Ability to provide personal assistance, conduct basic medical care, or other personal care for livestock animals. • Restrain livestock animals – Ability to restrain animals during exams or procedures. • Clean and sterilize equipment or materials – Know how to clean and sterilize instruments, equipment, or materials. • Prepare equipment for the veterinarian(s) ‒ Ability to prepare and provide veterinarians with the correct equipment or instruments, as needed. Updated December 2025
1.What is your general impression of the occupation-specific competencies? (i.e. the things someone would typically learn through on-the-job-training)
2.Are there any occupation-specific competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
3.Please share any suggested edits to the occupation-specific competency definitions.
4.What is your general impression of the industry-sector technical competencies? (i.e. what will typically be learned through formal related instruction to succeed in this specific occupation/ sector)
5.Are there any industry-sector technical competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
6.Please share any suggested edits to the industry-sector technical definitions.
7.What is your general impression of the industry-wide technical competencies (i.e. what will typically be learned through related instruction for a broad range of occupations working in the industry).
8.Are there any industry-wide technical competencies you would like to see edited, added or eliminated?  Please write your suggestions if you have any.
9.Finally, please let us know if you have any other suggested edits or comments on the remainder of the pyramid.
10.Please let us know what sector you work in.(Required.)
11.Contact information