Abattoir Requirements In South Africa

A abattoir or slaughter facility has to be certified by an Provincial Executive Office of the province it is located. All abattoirs should be monitored by an Veterinarian Public Health Officer. Lets take a look on How to Start an Abattoir on your Farm.

How to apply to build an Abattoir

  • Plan your building layout for your Abattoir.
  • Plan how you are going to get rid of carcasses and spills.
  • Visit the Department of Agriculture on provincial level.
  • Contact the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries
  • Changing Room, Health and Safety

Plan your Layout of your new Abattoir

Planning Your building layout is Crucial to your abattoir plan. You need to take your layout plan with when you go an visit the Provincial Executive Officer (PEO)

Including in your Abattoir layout you need to have a processing area, refrigerated store, dressing table, cleaning basin and bleeding cones.

You need to make sure that you will have clean water and depending if you are starting a livestock or poultry slaughterhouse you will need electricity.

Visiting the Department of Agriculture on Provincial level

  • You need to go and see your Department of Agriculture on provincial level. If you are not sure how to contact them you can get information from your local State Veterinary Service Office.
  • They are there to help, so don’t be afraid to explain to them what your plans are and how you are going to dispose of carcasses and blood. If you are not sure, they will advise you and show you the correct methods of disposing of carcasses, feathers and other spills.
  • The Provincial Executive Officer will have to evaluate and approve your building plan. It is highly recommended to visit the PEO first and discuss your plans so that he or she can assist you in the planning of your abattoir

Contact the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries

Abattoirs are governed by the Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries and they will have to come and visit your farm or smallholding to discuss water and disposable of carcasses.

Make sure that you have studied your water rights, have approval from neighbours and that you have your protocol in order when they start asking about your planning around fires and natural disasters. Once again, they are there to advise you if you are not 100% sure.

Changing Rooms and Health and Safety

Depending on the size of your abattoir, you might need to employ staff. Staff need changing rooms, toilets and possibly a shower if you are going for a 2000 plus per week slaughter house.

Your staff will need face masks, gloves, safety boots and overalls. Make sure that you include that on your business plan when visiting an PEO

Meat Safety Act

Safe meat refers to inspected meat by a health inspector and approved for human consumption.
Only qualified meat inspectors are allowed to approve safe meat.
Approved meat will have a purple stamp on each quarter of the carcass.

Chickens do not get stamped but need an inspector to approve the meat. In most cases, by South African law you are allowed to train your own inspector that has a minimum qualification of Grade 12. After 6 months, the trainee can do a trade test and become an qualified poultry meat inspector. An owner or manager of a chicken abattoir are never allowed to be an meat inspector.