Introduction
In Alberta, slaughter operations are either federally or provincially regulated. The Alberta Meat Inspection Act and Meat Inspection Regulation outline the requirements that all licence holders must meet. The legislation’s main purpose is to assure that meat and meat products are safe and that animals are handled humanely at slaughter.
Types of provincial slaughter licences
Abattoir Licence – for facilities that slaughter animals under inspection, in some cases with attached processing operation. All operations are inspected and an inspector is present during all slaughter. Meat from an abattoir is inspected and fit for human consumption, and can be sold to consumers, retailers or food services.
Mobile Butcher Licence – licensed processing facilities operated by a licensed mobile butcher. Processing includes uninspected meat from mobile butcher slaughter activities or an OFSO, and/or inspected meat from an animal slaughtered in an abattoir. Meat processing operations are inspected. The uninspected meat is only for consumption by the animal owner and their immediate household; it is not for sale or further distribution.
Mobile Butcher Facility Licence – licensed individuals who can slaughter a producer’s animal on the producer’s land for the producer and their household’s consumption only. These operations are uninspected.
On-Farm Slaughter Operation Licence – licensed operations that allow a landowner or land lessee to direct-sell live animals to customers and conduct slaughter and processing activities for those animals on the property. All meat from OFSO operations is uninspected and is for the consumption of the customer and their household only. These operations are uninspected.
- Large live animals over 227 kg: can be purchased by an individual customer and up to three other individuals. This meat is uninspected and for consumption by the individual or co-owners and their households only; it is not for sale or further distribution.
- Small live animals under 227 kg: may only be sold to an individual customer. Two or more people cannot buy a single small animal and split the meat. This meat is uninspected and for consumption by the individual customer and their household only; it is not for sale or further distribution.
To compare licence types, read Alberta's slaughter licences: a summary of the types of slaughter licences.