Huettl's Locker & Dressing Plant: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2021 (USDA)

313.16(b)(1)(iii),313.15(a)(1),313.15(b)(1)(iii),313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning effectiveness. At approximately 0805 hours, I observed the following noncompliance: While attempting to stun the second of two steers, Plant Owner Mr. Jim Huettl did not render the steer unconscious with a single stunning attempt. The steer was in the restrainer moving its head; No head catch is present on the restrainer box. Mr. Huettl aimed and fired a hand-held captive bolt gun in the poll region of the steer’s head. The steer remained conscious and standing, and was bleeding from the back of his head. Supervisor Mr. REDACTED retrieved a 0.22 rifle from the adjoining room, approximately twenty feet from where he was standing. He re-loaded the rifle and returned to the stunning area. At this time, the steer was moving around in the stunning area, rapidly stepping forward and backwards. It bellowed several times. Mr. REDACTED fired the rifle. The gunshot made contact with the head; however, the steer remained standing and conscious. Mr. REDACTED walked back to the adjoining room where the ammunition was stored and reloaded the rifle. He then walked back to the stunning area and effectively rendered the steer unconscious with the second shot from the rifle. Mr. REDACTED applied a final safety shot with the hand-held captive bolt gun. The steer was then exsanguinated uneventfully. On post-mortem examination I observed four holes on the skinned skull. One hole was in back of the head below the poll region and three separate holes were in the forehead area. I notified Mr. Jim Huettl that I was taking regulatory control action due to ineffective stunning, and would be contacting my supervisor. I placed US Reject tag #B23521582 on the restrainer.