Meat packing

Meat packing, industry that involves the butchering and processing of meat-producing animals for human consumption. Meat packing companies purchase large herds of cattle, sheep, and hogs from ranchers and farmers or from terminal markets. In the packing plants, the animals are slaughtered and cut up into their edible sections (dressed). The meat is treated to preserve freshness, frozen to keep it from being spoiled by bacteria, and shipped to consumer markets.