Iowa State University Meat Laboratory

Iowa State University Meat Laboratory provides slaughter and processing services in Ames, Iowa, serving the central Iowa region near Des Moines. The facility works with cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry including chicken, turkey, and duck, offering both general processing and poultry-specific processing.

As part of Iowa State University's animal science program, the lab combines its processing operations with teaching and research, giving it a hands-on approach shaped by academic oversight. This background often appeals to producers who want their animals handled at a facility with strong ties to agricultural education.

Farmers, small-scale producers, and hobby flock owners throughout the area turn to facilities like this for custom slaughter and meat processing across a wide range of species. Its broad capacity for both livestock and poultry makes it a practical fit for mixed operations, whether raising cattle and hogs or managing a backyard flock, and its location keeps it accessible to much of central Iowa's farming community.