COLUMBUS, Ohio – Due mostly to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s growing interest in on-farm butchering, say experts at Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). But those experts are offering guidance and informing farmers to do things right.

“As major meat processors have suffered shutdowns and back-ups because of COVID-19, and as small processors have been swamped with business as an alternative for slaughtering market-ready livestock, more and more farmers have started to think about simply doing it themselves,” said Lyda Garcia, assistant professor of meat science in the CFAES Department of Animal Sciences. “But processing livestock safely, humanely and legally isn’t a simple thing at all.”

Garcia and Lynn Knipe, an associate professor in CFAES’ departments of Animal Sciences and Food Science and Technology, are attempting to reach out across the state to remind such producers that food safety is the top priority.

“I grew up south Texas, where on-the-farm animal processing was common,” said Garcia, who is also a meat specialist with OSU Extension. “But it’s a skill. Not just anybody can do it or should do it.”

According to Garcia and Knipe, possible hazards include pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7, salmonella and campylobacter, which Garcia said can cause illness and possibly even death.

“If you don’t understand food safety, if you don’t understand the potential hazards at stake, that can lead to more serious repercussions than just not getting an animal processed,” Garcia said. “It scares me to no end to think about what could happen, especially to the elderly and our very young, who don’t have as strong immune systems. Carelessness is not an option when it comes to food safety.”

At the onset, Garcia said, is to make sure the animal to be slaughtered is healthy. She refers to the “4Ds” of slaughtering, and if any are present the slaughtering should be halted: down, disabled, diseased or dead.

Secondly, they said, slaughtering should be performed during the coolest part of the day, as bacterial life begins at 40-degrees.

“The sooner you can place carcasses in a cold environment, the less the potential for risk,” Garcia said.

Other safeguards include sterilizing knives and handsaws frequently, using potable water and lots of soap. Aprons of rubber or plastic are vital, as is using proper head gear nonporous material for tables. 

“One should also consider such things as disposal of wastewater, inedible parts and the blood,” Garcia said, “and remember that smells attract pests, and there could be noises and smells that disturb neighbors.”

The two are often bombarded with questions pertaining to second and third party involvement.

“If animals, owned by a second party, are slaughtered on the farm, a custom slaughter license is required through the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Meat Inspection,” Knipe said. “Recommending a mobile slaughter unit do the slaughtering for your neighbor might be a better option.”

Garcia warned that even though good intentions are at the forefront of this type of practice, without the use of an ideal setup, including an inspector and proper tools and equipment, food safety may be at risk.

Processing on the farm is not illegal. However, the meat must not be sold. The process of on-farm processing is intended for the farmer’s own family. In order to sell that processed meat, Garcia says, the meat would have to be processed by a fully inspected establishment, with the inspection logo (from USDA or other) on the package.

“I encourage people to take home processing seriously, to think it through,” Garcia said. “If it’s something you want to do, then reach out to us. We can help guide you best as possible.”

Garcia and Knipe have created fact sheets to help those wanting to engage in on-the-farm processing. For these fact sheets, visit go.osu.edu/onfarmeatprocessing and go.osu.edu/legalhomeprocessing. More details and how to contact Garcia and Knipe are available at meatsci.osu.edu.