SOUTH AFRICA · SALARY IN RANDS

Slaughterers and Meat Packers

What the work involves, the skills employers want, and how to get started in South Africa.

  • Boning Room Worker
  • Meat Packager
  • Meat Packer
  • Meat Processor
  • Meat Wrapper
  • Saw Man
  • Side Puller
  • Wrapper
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What do Slaughterers and Meat Packers do?

Slaughterers and meat packers are professionals involved in the processing of animals for meat production. Their work primarily takes place in slaughterhouses and meat processing facilities where they are responsible for the humane and efficient slaughtering of animals, as well as the subsequent processing and packaging of meat products for distribution. The role of slaughterers includes stunning the animals to ensure minimal distress, performing the slaughter, and ensuring that health and safety regulations are strictly followed throughout the process. Meat packers then take over by cutting, trimming, and preparing the meat for packaging, which may involve various methods of preservation, including freezing, curing, or vacuum sealing. They must also follow stringent hygiene standards to prevent contamination and ensure the safety of the meat for consumers. Attention to detail, efficiency, and the ability to work in a team environment are essential in this physically demanding career, which plays a vital role in the food supply chain.

What the work actually is

  • Remove bones, and cut meat into standard cuts in preparation for marketing.
  • Sever jugular veins to drain blood and facilitate slaughtering.
  • Tend assembly lines, performing a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass.
  • Shackle hind legs of animals to raise them for slaughtering or skinning.
  • Slit open, eviscerate, and trim carcasses of slaughtered animals.

Skills employers expect

Abilities

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Finger Dexterity The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Manual Dexterity The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Near Vision The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Control Precision The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

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.
  • Food Production Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • Production and Processing Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • English Language Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

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How people get into it

Education of new hires

High school diploma or equivalent
or: GED, High School Equivalency Certificate
Less than high school diploma
Some college, no degree

A normal week

  • Handling and Moving Objects
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
  • Performing General Physical Activities
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
  • Getting Information

Tools used on the job

Technology

  • Spreadsheet software Microsoft Excel
  • Inventory management software AgInfoLink Meat Inventory Tracking System MITS · RFID software · Traceability software
  • Enterprise resource planning ERP software Integrated Management Systems Food Connex Cloud · Second Foundation NaviMeat
  • Accounting software AccountMate Software AccountMate
  • Office suite software Microsoft Office software

Tools

  • Commercial use cutlery Butcher knives · Skinning knives
  • Wrapping machinery Package wrapping machines · Shrink wrap meat packing machines
  • Cutting machinery Chop cutting machines · Meat-cutting bandsaws
  • Sharpening stones or tools or kits Knife sharpeners · Sharpening steels
  • Radio frequency identification devices Radio frequency identification RFID devices

Who it suits

Realistic

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Conventional

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

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Questions people ask

How much do Slaughterers and Meat Packers earn in South Africa?

Slaughterers and Meat Packers salaries in South Africa vary by experience, province and employer.

What do Slaughterers and Meat Packers do?

Remove bones, and cut meat into standard cuts in preparation for marketing, Sever jugular veins to drain blood and facilitate slaughtering and Tend assembly lines, performing a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass.

How do I know if this career fits me?

Take the free Assessify career assessment. It matches your answers to careers and shows the South African salary next to each one.