An official State of Ohio site. Here’s how you know
Live Chat
Contact

Welcome,
New User

User: New User

Date: 04/21/2026

Slaughterers and Meat Packers

Perform nonroutine or precision functions involving the preparation of large portions of meat. Work may include specialized slaughtering tasks, cutting standard or premium cuts of meat for marketing, making sausage, or wrapping meats. Work typically occurs in slaughtering, meat packing, or wholesale establishments.

View All

    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Cut, trim, skin, sort, and wash viscera of slaughtered animals to separate edible portions from offal.
    • Grind meat into hamburger, and into trimmings used to prepare sausages, luncheon meats, and other meat products.
    • Cut, trim, skin, sort, and wash viscera of slaughtered animals to separate edible portions from offal.
    • Trim, clean, or cure animal hides.
    • Slit open, eviscerate, and trim carcasses of slaughtered animals.
    • Shave or singe and defeather carcasses, and wash them in preparation for further processing or packaging.
    • Remove bones, and cut meat into standard cuts in preparation for marketing.
    • Slit open, eviscerate, and trim carcasses of slaughtered animals.
    • Shave or singe and defeather carcasses, and wash them in preparation for further processing or packaging.
    • Tend assembly lines, performing a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass.
    • Cut, trim, skin, sort, and wash viscera of slaughtered animals to separate edible portions from offal.
    • Wrap dressed carcasses or meat cuts.
    • Skin sections of animals or whole animals.
    • Shackle hind legs of animals to raise them for slaughtering or skinning.
    • Wrap dressed carcasses or meat cuts.
    • Tend assembly lines, performing a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass.
    • Sever jugular veins to drain blood and facilitate slaughtering.
    • Saw, split, or scribe carcasses into smaller portions to facilitate handling.
    • Trim head meat, and sever or remove parts of animals' heads or skulls.
    • Stun animals prior to slaughtering.
    • Trim head meat, and sever or remove parts of animals' heads or skulls.

    Skills

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    3
    Workplace Documents
    3
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    Knowledge

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    Career Video

    Video not available
    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 36470/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 17.53/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 3,130
    • Yearly Projected Openings 370

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability

    Tools

    • Animal shearing or clipping equipment
    • Belt conveyors
    • Blast freezers
    • Commercial use cutlery
    • Commercial use food grinders
    • Commercial use food slicers
    • Commercial use scales
    • Cooling machine
    • Cutting machinery
    • Dicing machinery
    • Electronic measuring probes
    • Engraving machines
    • Filling machinery
    • Forklifts
    • Form or fill or seal machinery
    • Forming machine
    • Hoists
    • Knife blades
    • Label making machines
    • Livestock identification equipment
    • Packaging compactors
    • Personal computers
    • Power saws
    • Radio frequency identification devices
    • Shaft collar
    • Sharpening stones or tools or kits
    • Slicing machinery
    • Stunner
    • Touch screen monitors
    • Wrapping machinery

    Technology

    • Accounting software
    • Enterprise resource planning ERP software
    • Inventory management software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Spreadsheet software

    Tags

    • Apprenticeships are available for this occupation. These programs can help you get hands-on experience and build your skills.

    Budget Calculator

    Answer a few questions to determine your target salary. Use this target salary to help choose the right occupation for you.

    Lifestyle Calculator

    Answer a few questions to determine your target salary. Use this target salary to help choose the right occupation for you.

    Workforce Supply Tool

    Workforce Supply Tool

    The Workforce Supply Tool provides statistics for the occupations in highest demand throughout Ohio.

    You can view statewide statistics as well as more region specific information.

    Visit Site
    Powered By: