Ida-Beef LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2021 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness While observing stunning effectiveness on 9/21/2021 at approximately 1030 hours, I observed an ineffective stunning attempt on a dairy cow. After the first stun attempt with the hand-held captive bolt (HHCB) device, the cow remained standing with the HHCB device still in its head. The stun operator, Kill Floor Lead REDACTED, immediately attempted pulling the HHCB out approximately 2-3 times before he was successful in extracting it from the head of the cow, during which time I observed the cow blink approximately 2-3 times. The stun operator immediately used a backup HHCB device to deliver the second stun, which rendered the cow unconscious. I observed the dressed head and verified two separate penetrating stun holes. The head was retained using U.S. Retained tag number B45947253. The Denver District Office was contacted via supervisory channels and I verbally informed QA Supervisor REDACTED of the noncompliance. No regulatory control action was taken at the stunning area due to the immediate corrective actions taken by the establishment in order to render the animal insensible. This is a noncompliance with 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1). There have been no Humane Handling NR’s or MOI’s documented for this same root cause within the past 90 days.

313.2

HATS Category III-Water and Feed Availaibility On August 4, 2021 at approximately 12:15PM I, Dr. REDACTED, was in yards to verify water and feed availability. I observed that the group of cattle in pen 1 appeared to be the same group of cattle that the receiving log had listed as arriving at 12 August 3, 2021. The receiving log had listed 12 head of cattle from REDACTED. At 12:15PM on August 4, 2021 present in the pen were one dead dairy cow, euthanized during antemortem for being non-ambulatory, and 9 dairy cows. The log by the stunning area listed 2 head killed before 12PM out of that group. No AM or PM designation was listed on the receiving log. However when I reviewed the other cattle listed on the receiving log and compared it to the cattle slaughtered August 3rd and 4th, 2021, the records supported that the cattle present in pen 1 arrived at 12PM August 3, 2021. Additionally, I had observed these same cattle being present in pen 1 on August 3, 2021 at approximately 5:30PM. No feed was visible in the pen on August 3, 2021 at approximately 5:30PM or any time during the morning of August 4, 2021. I asked Co-Owner Larry Ward if the cattle had been fed. He indicated they had not. At approximately 12:17PM I verbally notified Co-Owner Larry Ward of the noncompliance. Mr. Ward immediately provided feed to the cattle therefore no regulatory control action was taken. I verbally notified QA Manager REDACTED of the noncompliance at approximately 12:26PM and at approximately 1PM he notified me the establishment did not have support on their cameras of the pen 1 cattle being fed. A review of records identified a noncompliance record with a similar root cause from August 3, 2021, NR Number AKL4018084903N, and will be associated.

313.2

HATS Category III- Water and Feed Availability On August 3, 2021 at approximately 9:45AM I, Dr. REDACTED, was in yards to verify water and feed availability. I observed the two groups of cattle in pen 5/6 that the receiving log had listed as arriving at 9:09 and 12:30 on August 2, 2021 were still present in the pen. No AM or PM designation was listed on the receiving log. However when I reviewed the other cattle listed on the receiving log and compared it to the cattle slaughtered August 2, 2021, the records supported that one group of cattle in pen 5/6 arrived at 9:09AM. Additionally, I had observed these same cattle being present in pen 5/6 on August 2, 2021 at approximately 3:30PM. No feed was visible in the pen on August 2, 2021 at approximately 5:30PM or at approximately 9:45AM on August 3, 2021. I asked the establishment yards person if the cattle in pen 5/6 had been fed, he stated they had not been fed by him. At approximately 9:50AM I verbally notified QA Technician REDACTED of the noncompliance. QA Manager REDACTED was verbally notified and informed me at approximately 1:15PM that the establishment reviewed camera footage but was unable to support that the cattle had been fed. The establishment yards person provided feed for the cattle, therefore no regulatory control action was taken. A review of records identified a noncompliance record with a similar root cause from May 19, 2021, AKL3513051219N, and will be associated.

313.2

HATS Category III-Water and Feed Availability On May 19, 2021 at approximately 11:15AM I, SPHV REDACTED, was in yards to verify water and feed availability. I observed the 34 head of cattle in pen 7 that the receiving log had listed as arriving at 10:39 on May 18, 2021 were still present in the pen. No AM or PM designation was listed on the receiving log. However when I reviewed the other cattle listed on the receiving log and compared it to the cattle slaughtered May 18, 2021, the records supported that the pen 7 cattle arrived at 10:39AM May 18, 2021. Additionally, I had observed these same cattle being present in pen 7 on May 18, 2021 at approximately 5PM. No feed was visible in the pen. I asked Co-Owner Larry Ward who has been working in yards if the cattle in pen 7 had been fed, he was unsure. I then asked the establishment yards employee who stated they had not been fed. At approximately 11:25AM I verbally notified QA Manager REDACTED of the noncompliance. The cattle from pen 7 were moved to the corner pen which had feed present, therefore no regulatory control action was taken. A review of records identified a noncompliance with a similar root cause from February 19, 2021 AKL4115021219N and will be associated.

313.2

HATS Category IV- Antemortem Inspection On May 6, 2021 at approximately 7:17AM I, SPHV REDACTED, was in the yards performing antemortem inspection. During antemortem inspection, I observed a large number of cattle in pens 5, 6 and 8. The numbers and size of the cattle present in these pens resulted in insufficient room for the animals to lay down. I asked Yards Manager REDACTED when the cattle in these pens had arrived. He told me they had arrived the previous evening. At approximately 7:28AM I verbally notified Mr. REDACTED of the noncompliance. I reviewed the pen cards which listed 47 head in pen 5, 40 head in pen 6, and 40 head in pen 8. I reviewed the receiving log to verify arrival times and the records supported that the cattle in these pens had arrived the previous day with arrival times of 12:25PM (9 head), 6:30PM (40 head), 7PM (38 head) and 8PM (40 head). At approximately 7:48AM I verbally notified QA Manager REDACTED of the noncompliance. No regulatory control action was taken as the regulation only applies to overnight spacing requirements. Mr. REDACTED did rearrange the cattle to provide the animals with additional room. A review of records did not identify a similar noncompliance and therefore this noncompliance will not be associated.