Meat cutters work in meat packing plants where they slaughter cattle, hogs, and sheep. They cut the carcasses into large parts, such as loins or ribs, to make handling and shipping easier. Meat cutters usually work on assembly lines. Each worker is responsible for only a few of the many cuts needed to process a carcass. Depending on the type of cut, meat cutters use knives, cleavers, meat saws, band saws, or other equipment.
Butchers work in grocery stores or other businesses that sell small pieces of meat.
They cut up the large pieces of meat received from the packing plant. Butchers use knives and electric saws to cut the meat and grinders to chop meat. They use many of the same tools as meat cutters. Butchers who work in retail stores weigh, wrap, and label the cuts. They also arrange the meat in refrigerated cases for customers to look at.