94141 – Industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers
TEER 4Occupations usually requiring a high school diploma or several weeks of on-the-job training
Lead statement
Industrial butchers prepare meat and poultry for further processing or for packaging for wholesale distribution.
Main duties
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- On-the-job training is provided for industrial butchers, meat cutters and poultry preparers.
- For industrial meat cutters, completion of a program in industrial meat cutting orexperience as an industrial butcher is required.
Example job titles
industrial butcher · slaughterhouse butcher · meat boner · industrial meat chopper · industrial meat cutter · poultry preparer · chicken plucker · poultry eviscerator · poultry boner · poultry dresser · poultry hanger · poultry slaughterer - food and beverage processing · poultry butcher - meat packing plant · poultry worker - meat packing plant · poultry plucker · poultry plucker tender
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $18.00 | $23.00 | $26.15 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $18.59 | $20.49 | $23.27 |
| Nova Scotia | $17.50 | $20.00 | $22.00 |
| New Brunswick | $18.00 | $20.44 | $21.00 |
| Quebec | $20.00 | $24.00 | $26.80 |
| Ontario | $18.70 | $22.50 | $26.15 |
| Manitoba | $17.00 | $20.00 | $23.20 |
| Saskatchewan | $15.35 | $19.00 | $24.00 |
| Alberta | $18.00 | $23.00 | $26.00 |
| British Columbia | $19.00 | $25.00 | $28.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.