Colorado § 35-43-203 - Requirements for slaughterer business.

§ 35-43-203. Requirements for slaughterer business.

(1) Every person carrying on the trade or business of a slaughterer of livestock in this state:

(a) Shall maintain an established place of business;

(b) Shall not slaughter livestock on the open range;

(c) Shall require from all sellers of livestock a bill of sale that gives a complete description of each animal so sold and purchased including marks, brands, age, weight, name of person from whom it was purchased or otherwise acquired, date, and place of purchase or acquisition;

(d) Shall keep a true record of all livestock purchased or slaughtered, and of any carcass or part of a carcass purchased, in one or more special books kept for such purposes. Such records shall include a complete description of each such animal or carcass, including the approximate age and weight, breed and color, fire brands, earmarks, and any other identifying characteristics and the date of purchase and from whom such animal, carcass, or part of carcass was purchased.

(e) Shall keep the hide and horns of each animal slaughtered for inspection for a period of thirty days after it is slaughtered except when written permission for sale or destruction of the same is given by a regular or special brand inspector prior to expiration of said period. A certified copy of the bill of sale shall accompany the hide when it is offered for sale.

(f) Shall require any person from whom the person purchases the carcass or any part of the carcass, not inspected by a state brand inspector immediately prior to slaughter, to exhibit the hide as provided in section 35-43-207;

(g) Shall not receive any carcass or part of a carcass for storage unless each hide has been inspected and all meat stamped, if required, by the brand commissioner. This paragraph (g) shall not apply to any person who slaughters livestock that are officially inspected by the state brand inspector immediately prior to slaughter.

(h) Shall not mix any cattle that are uninspected for brands by an authorized Colorado brand inspector with any livestock that have been inspected by a Colorado brand inspector just prior to slaughter.

Source: L. 2009: Entire part added with relocations, (SB 09-151), ch. 89, p. 343, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2025: (1)(f) amended, (HB 25-1084), ch. 24, p. 128, § 117, effective August 6.