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Insight Horizon Media

What is on farm slaughter?

Author

Daniel Rodriguez

Published Mar 15, 2026

What is on farm slaughter?

The On-Farm Slaughter Operation Licence (OFSO) enables an individual to conduct on-farm slaughter and processing activities on their property. This licence will enable a livestock producer to sell a live animal to a customer and the customer can have the animal slaughtered and processed on the farm.

Can farmers slaughter their own animals?

You can have your own livestock animal slaughtered on your farm or property if it will be eaten by you and your immediate family living there. Livestock owners considering slaughter on farm for their own personal consumption or that of members of their immediate family living there.

What are slaughter farms called?

Slaughterhouses that produce meat that is not intended for human consumption are sometimes referred to as knacker’s yards or knackeries. This is where animals are slaughtered that are not fit for human consumption or that can no longer work on a farm, such as retired work horses.

Can you sell uninspected meat in Alberta?

It’s currently illegal in Alberta to sell uninspected meat. Even with the potential requirements, however, some argue the changes put consumers at risk.

Can I sell meat from my home?

Generally, you can sell meat piece-by-piece directly to the end-user from two storefronts without being under federal inspection. You can even sell a given amount of fresh or frozen meat to food service, but you cannot sell cured, cooked, or smoked product to food service.

What is abattoir?

Definition of abattoir : a place where animals are butchered : slaughterhouse Mr. Foley worked previously at a pig abattoir and reckoned he was beyond such queasiness.—

Do pigs suffer when slaughtered?

Animal rights groups have recorded images of pigs being transported to slaughter in cramped and unhygienic conditions. They state that the transportation does cause suffering, which has economic rationale. The pig is then eviscerated, the head is usually removed, and the body is cut into two halves.

Do pigs cry before slaughter?

Slaughterhouses “process” many animals a day, so its operation is similar to an assembly line. Cows and pigs, animals of great weight, are lifted from the floor by their rear legs, causing them tears and breaks.

How are pigs killed for slaughter?

Today, the animal is rendered unconscious by electrical or carbon dioxide stunning and then immediately bled by cutting the throat. For quality reasons, mechanical means of stunning such as a captive bolt pistol are not recommended although in some abattoirs they do use it and the pigs are stunned using 80 volts.

Can I sell beef from my farm?

Yes, many farmers sell meats directly off their farm. These meats are still required to be processed in a state– or federally-inspected facility and must be labeled properly just as if you were selling the meats any where else.

Can farmers sell meat directly to consumers?

Farmers selling meat direct from their farm need to be in compliance with United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) regulations. There are two categories that meat falls into when selling direct – USDA inspected and custom exempt.