Fauquier's Finest Custom Meat Processing, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2021 (USDA)

313.16(a)(3),313.16(a)(1)

Today, April 6, 2021 the two establishment employees assigned to slaughter at M33940 were not present and two employees who normally work in processing were reassigned to slaughter. At approximately 10am on 4/6/21, FI REDACTED, CSI-trainee REDACTED and SPHV Dr. REDACTED exited the building while a firearm (22 magnum) was being used to stun beef #5. We heard 4 shots fired in succession without excessive time between shots (seconds). We entered the building and observed a beef “down” in the chute and asked establishment employee REDACTED what happened. He said that it just “kept blinking” and he mentioned he may not have aimed the first shot well but didn’t know what happened with the other shots. We walked toward the chute to look at the animal more closely and at that moment it stood up on its hind limbs in a coordinated manner but was not standing on its forelimbs and I could not see its head. I told REDACTED that he had to stun it again because it was still sensible and we exited while he switched firearms (20 gauge) and stunned it again (5th shot). I placed RCA Reject tag #B41301189 on the chute and informed both kill floor employees that they could not slaughter and that I would contact Plant Manager, Mike Rodrigues to inform him of the egregious humane handling noncompliance . I placed RCA Retain tag B41301190 on the beef head. M33940 has a robust humane handling program but it was not being implemented at the time of noncompliance on 4/6/21. At approximately 10:35am I telephoned Mr. Rodriguez to notify him that the initial stun attempt failed to produce immediate unconsciousness and that five shots were required to effectively stun the animal and as a result, the establishment was noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.16(a)(1) and 9 CFR 313.16(a)(3).