Definitions of “Amenable” Livestock and Poultry

“Amenable livestock” refers to species specifically named in the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA). Amenable livestock include beef, swine, sheep, and goats. Non-amenable livestock include bison, fallow (farmed) deer, rabbits, elk, and water buffalo, among others.

“Amenable poultry” includes “any domesticated bird (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, ratites, or squabs, also termed young pigeons from one to about thirty days of age), whether live or dead.” Ratites (ostrich, emus, and rhea) were also added to the list of amenable poultry species. All these listed birds are considered amenable species and fall under the jurisdiction of the FSIS. The slaughter and processing regulations specified for them differ from those of livestock. Poultry slaughtering and processing statutes are detailed in the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA).

Chickens and goat eating.

In NYS, amenable livestock (cattle, swine, sheep, goats) may be slaughtered, cut and wrapped at either a fully-USDA Inspected slaughterhouse or at a Custom Exempt slaughterhouse, depending on how and where you intend to sell the meat. Meat sold by the individual cut, to restaurants, grocery stores or institutions, or across state borders must come from a USDA Inspected facility. If you pre-sell the whole or partial animal direct to customers, it may be slaughtered at a Custom Exempt facility. Please read more details in the Guide to Direct Marketing Livestock and Poultry.

Most amenable poultry (chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys) may be slaughtered either on-farm under the 1000-bird exemption or processed at a NYS-inspected 5-A facility. These facilities do NOT process beef, swine, sheep, or goats. You can locate 5-A facilities on our Livestock Processors Map.

If you intend to process amenable poultry on-farm, please learn more from the On-Farm Poultry Slaughter Guidelines, or consider taking the self-paced online course On-Farm Poultry Slaughter Course.