Nebraska Extension is proud to host Prime Education: Introductory to Meat Processing and Butchery, an online training program delivering industry- and regulatory-aligned fundamentals in meat processing. Through modular coursework, Prime Education addresses core areas including safety in meat processing operations, proper use of processing equipment, inspection and sanitation requirements, humane harvest practices, fresh meat fabrication and cutting, principles of further processed meats, and packaging and labeling fundamentals.
Prime Education is well suited for individuals entering the meat industry, those seeking to expand or reinforce their understanding of meat processing, as well as lifelong learners with an interest in the field. The program also offers customizable group training options for companies, university meat science programs, and agricultural education classrooms, with flexible scheduling, defined enrollment periods, and content alignment to meet specific educational or workforce development needs.
Discover how Prime Education can help you or your team gain fundamentals, confidence, and practical insights needed to thrive in the meat industry —enroll now or learn more today.
Who is This For
Self-Paced Learning for Individuals
PRIME Education offers flexible, self-paced online training designed for anyone entering the meat industry, expanding their knowledge, or simply exploring meat processing as a lifelong learner. Each participant receives full access to the modular courses, covering essential topics from safety and equipment to humane harvest, fabrication, further processing, and labeling.
The cost is $50 per person, and enrollment is open year-round—start anytime and learn at your own pace.
Issues during enrollment/checkout? Email online@unl.edu or call 402-472-6555 for assistance.
Custom Group Training
Prime Education can be tailored to meet the needs of your organization, classroom, or program. Whether you’re a company looking to train employees, a university integrating modules into a meat science course, or a high school agriculture classroom exploring foundational skills, we can create a custom enrollment window with start and end dates that work for your schedule.
To get started, simply contact us below to discuss your goals, group size, and desired schedule. We’ll work with you to create a personalized training plan, provide access for all participants, and ensure your team or students get the most out of Prime Education.
Create Custom Group TrainingWhat You Learn & Time Committment
Module Topics/Time
Introduction: Welcome to Prime Education
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Welcome to Prime Education | 1:39 |
| Getting Started | 3:55 |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 0:05:34 |
Safety First
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 0:59 |
| Personal Safety and Attire |
|
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Personal Protective Equipment | 3:53 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Personal Hygiene | 7:04 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Harvest Floor Attire | 5:53 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Fresh Meat Attire | 4:45 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Processed Meat Attire | 3:20 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Sanitation Attire | 2:23 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Attire Protocols | 4:02 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 32:19 |
| |
| Food Safety | |
| Food Safety Hazards | 5:34 |
| Managing Food safety | 9:43 |
| 7 Principles of HACCP | 13:08 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 28:25 |
| |
| Operational GMPS | |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Preventative Practices | 5:52 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Process Controls | 5:34 |
| Food Safety GMP's & SOP's - Material handling | 3:35 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 15:01 |
| |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 1:15:45 |
The Right Tools for the Job
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 0:56 |
| Knives | |
| Types of Knives | 5:18 |
| Knife Accessories | 4:14 |
| Knife Sharpening | 6:15 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 16:43 |
| Slaughter Tools and Equipment |
|
| Chute Operation | 2:11 |
| Hand Tools For Slaughter | 4:20 |
| Trolleys, Hooks, and Gambrel | 4:48 |
| Splitting Saw Assembly | 1:54 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 13:13 |
| Fabrication Tools and Equipment | |
| Hand Tools for Fabrication | 4:29 |
| Bandsaw Assembly | 7:43 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 12:12 |
| Processing Tools and Equipment | |
| Lock-out Tag Out | 1:50 |
| Deli Slicer | 2:38 |
| Mixer - Grinder | 7:29 |
| Vacuum Stuffer | 14:23 |
| Piston Stuffer | 4:10 |
| Hand Brine Pump | 4:10 |
| Tipper Tie | 2:50 |
| Bowl Chopper | 4:31 |
| Hand Netting Stuffing Horn | 1:54 |
| Smokehouse | 7:17 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 51:12 |
| |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 1:34:16 |
Inspection & Sanitation
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 1:02 |
| Overview of Inspection |
|
| Overview of Meat Regulatory and Compliance | 8:21 |
| Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures |
|
| Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) | 16:09 |
| |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 0:25:32 |
Harvest
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 1:05 |
| Humane Handling and Stunning Practices |
|
| Effective Methods for Stunning | 5:57 |
| Acceptable Methods for Stunning Livestock | 16:21 |
| Training, Maintenance, and Safety with a Captive Bolt | 10:48 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 33:06 |
| Beef Harvest |
|
| Beef Handling and Stunning | 3:02 |
| Restraining and Shackling | 1:39 |
| Sticking and Bleeding | 1:47 |
| Skinning of the Head | 2:11 |
| Head Removal Process | 2:06 |
| Laying the Carcass on the Cradle | 1:35 |
| Initial Incisions & Front Leg Removal | 1:37 |
| Mid-Line Opening | 0:54 |
| Opening the Front Legs & Chest | 0:41 |
| Opening the Back Legs | 1:08 |
| Skinning Back Legs & Removing Feet | 1:37 |
| Skinning the Carcass | 2:18 |
| Initial Trimming | 1:08 |
| Weasand | 2:39 |
| Splitting the Sternum | 1:32 |
| Suspending the Carcass | 3:31 |
| Opening and Skinning the Tail | 2:06 |
| Tail Removal | 2:37 |
| Bunging | 2:05 |
| Raising the Carcass | 0:46 |
| Final Skinning | 0:59 |
| Opening the Abdomen | 1:37 |
| Positioning the Viscera Cart | 0:53 |
| Evisceration Process | 2:37 |
| Liver Removal | 0:33 |
| Pluck Removal | 1:06 |
| Splitting | 1:17 |
| Final Trim & Wash | 2:47 |
| Weighing & Chilling | 0:55 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 49:43 |
| Pork Harvest |
|
| Pork Handling and Stunning | 2:49 |
| Sticking and Bleeding | 1:54 |
| Scalding and Dehairing | 2:03 |
| Gambrel Table: Initial Preparations | 2:06 |
| Singeing and Scraping | 1:52 |
| Head Removal | 1:40 |
| Opening the Sternum | 1:32 |
| Breaking the Aitchbone & Opening the Abdomen | 1:53 |
| Bunging | 1:30 |
| Evisceration | 1:44 |
| Splitting the Carcass | 1:21 |
| Final Trim and Wash | 2:08 |
| Head and Viscera Inspection &Collection of Organ Meats | 1:09 |
| Weighing and Chilling | 0:53 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 24:34 |
| Lamb Harvest |
|
| Lamb Handling and Stunning | 2:43 |
| Stunning, Shackling & Bleeding | 1:38 |
| Opening Back Legs and Hind Leg Transfer | 2:11 |
| Initial Incision for Skinning | 1:11 |
| Skinning Down the Back Legs and Fisting | 2:14 |
| Dropping the Head | 0:51 |
| Removing the Front Trotters | 1:23 |
| Opening the Sternum | 1:38 |
| Opening the Abdomen | 1:02 |
| Bunging | 1:03 |
| Evisceration | 1:13 |
| Variety Meat Collection | 0:53 |
| Handing the Back Leg | 0:26 |
| Final Trim & Wash | 2:18 |
| Weighing & Chilling | 0:48 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 21:32 |
| |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 3:13:55 |
Fresh Meat Fabrication
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 0:51 |
| Overview of Carcass Anatomy |
|
| Carcass Anatomy | 6:48 |
| Beef Quality Grading | 11:12 |
| Beef Yield Grading | 4:59 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 22:59 |
| Beef Fabrication: Breaking the Carcass |
|
| Ribbing the Carcass | 1:54 |
| Rib and Chuck Break / Skirt Removal | 2:08 |
| Breaking the Chuck from the Shoulder Clod | 1:38 |
| Breaking the Shoulder Clod | 9:14 |
| Breaking the Chuck and Brisket | 1:07 |
| Separating the Rib Portion | 1:51 |
| Flank Removal | 2:05 |
| Tenderloin and Short Loin Removal | 3:22 |
| Tri-Tip and Sirloin Removal | 2:06 |
| Breaking the Round | 3:39 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 29:04 |
| Beef Wholesale and Retail Fabrication |
|
| Shoulder Clod Fabrication | 9:14 |
| Chuck Roll Fabrication | 7:50 |
| Brisket Fabrication | 2:16 |
| Rib Fabrication | 7:01 |
| Plate and Naval Fabrication | 7:15 |
| Flank Fabrication | 2:43 |
| Short Loin and Tenderloin Fabrication | 5:53 |
| Sirloin Fabrication | 8:17 |
| Tri-Tip and Sirloin Fabrication | 2:33 |
| Round Fabrication | 7:08 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 1:00:10 |
| Pork Fabrication: Breaking the Carcass |
|
| Breaking the Pork Carcass into Primals | 4:44 |
| Main Breaks | 4:09 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 8:53 |
| Pork Wholesale and Retail Fabrication |
|
| Pork Shoulder Fabrication | 6:57 |
| Pork Loin Fabrication | 7:33 |
| Pork Belly Fabrication | 3:16 |
| Ham Fabrication | 8:33 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 26:19 |
| Lamb Fabrication: Breaking the Carcass |
|
| Breaking the Foresaddle from the Hindsaddle | 2:12 |
| Breaking the Foresaddle | 2:58 |
| Breaking the Hindsaddle | 2:19 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 7:29 |
| Lamb Wholesale and Retail Fabrication |
|
| Neck Fabrication | 1:10 |
| Foreshank Fabrication | 1:21 |
| Shoulder Fabrication | 5:52 |
| Breast Fabrication | 1:25 |
| Rack Fabrication | 2:10 |
| Flank Fabrication | 1:18 |
| Loin Fabrication | 2:06 |
| Leg Fabrication | 8:37 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 23:59 |
| |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 2:58:53 |
Further Processed Meats
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 0:46 |
Introduction to Processed Meats Ingredients and Formulations |
|
| Introduction to Processed Meats | 3:12 |
| Processed Meats Ingredients | 3:33 |
| Non-Meat Ingredients – Water and Salt | 5:11 |
| Non-Meat Ingredients – Nitrite, Cure Accelerator, and Phosphate | 5:27 |
| Non-Meat Ingredients – Spices and Sweeteners | 3:15 |
| Product Formulation | 3:23 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 24:47 |
| Ground, Fermented, and Emulsified Products |
|
| Ground Beef Production | 5:54 |
| Sausages | 5:07 |
| Fermented and Acidulated Sausages | 5:07 |
| Emulsified Products | 4:06 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 20:14 |
| Whole Muscle Curing and Marination |
|
| Whole Muscle Products – Part 1 | 6:20 |
| Whole Muscle Products – Part 2 | 3:47 |
| Bacon Manufacturing | 8:19 |
| Ham Manufacturing | 8:36 |
| Marinated Products and Whole Muscle Jerky | 4:26 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 31:28 |
| Additional Processing Concepts & Information |
|
| Stuffers | 3:27 |
| Casings | 4:39 |
| Smokehouses | 6:31 |
| Chilling | 2:39 |
| Additional Notes | 6:04 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 23:20 |
| |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 1:39:49 |
Packaging and Labeling
| Topic | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|
| Introduction | 0:44 |
| Packaging |
|
| Why We Packaging | 0:56 |
| Types of Packaging | 6:08 |
| Packaging – Paper Wrap | 2:16 |
| Packaging – Over Wrap | 3:04 |
| Packaging – Vacuum Packed | 4:20 |
| Packaging – Roll Stock / Modified Atmosphere Packaging | 3:27 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 20:11 |
| Labeling |
|
| Purpose of Labeling | 2:10 |
| Requirements of a Label | 5:50 |
| Inspected vs. Not Inspected | 1:44 |
| Lotting and Operational Labeling | 5:59 |
| Total (Min:Secs) | 15:43 |
| |
| Total Module Time (Hours:Mins:Secs) | 00:35:54 |
