National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0

• 9 - Occupations in manufacturing and utilities
• 94 - Machine operators, assemblers and inspectors in processing, manufacturing and printing
• 941 - Processing and manufacturing machine operators and related production workers
• 9414 - Machine operators and related workers in food, beverage and associated products processing

94141 - Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers

Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers prepare meat and poultry for further processing or for packaging for wholesale distribution. They are employed in meat and poultry slaughtering, processing and packing establishments.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • beef boner
  • ham cutter
  • industrial butcher
  • industrial meat cutter
  • meat trimmer
  • poultry preparer
  • slaughterer

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Butchers - retail and wholesale (See 63201 Butchers - retail and wholesale)
  • Labourers in food and beverage processing (See 95106 Labourers in food and beverage processing)
  • Meat grader (See 94143 Testers and graders, food and beverage processing)
  • Meat inspector (See 22111 Agricultural and fish products inspectors)
  • Meat packing supervisor (See 92012 Supervisors, food and beverage processing)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  Industrial butchers

  • Slaughter livestock using stunning devices and knives
  • Skin, clean and trim carcasses
  • Remove viscera and other inedible parts from carcasses
  • Split carcasses into smaller portions to facilitate handling
  • May slaughter cattle, calves and sheep as prescribed by religious laws.

  Industrial meat cutters

  • Cut beef, lamb, pork or veal carcasses or sides or quarters of carcasses into primal cuts for further cutting, processing or packaging
  • Remove bones from meat
  • Cut meat and poultry into specific cuts for institutional, commercial or other wholesale use
  • Remove skin, excess fat, bruises or other blemishes from carcasses or meat portions.

  Poultry preparers

  • Slaughter poultry and remove inedible parts
  • Remove feathers and singe and wash poultry to prepare for further processing or packaging.

• Employment requirements

  • Completion of secondary school may be required.
  • For industrial meat cutters, completion of a program in industrial meat cutting
    or
    Experience as an industrial butcher is required.
  • On-the-job training is provided for industrial butchers, meat cutters and poultry preparers.

• Additional information

  • Industrial meat cutters may progress to inspecting, testing and grading jobs.
  • Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.