J & J Hazen Meats: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2021 (USDA)

313.16(a)(1)

At approximately 0900hrs on 7/29/21, while verifying HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness, Inspector REDACTED observed a beef steer put into the restrainer. The inspector left the room due to firearm safety concerns. Upon hearing the firearm discharge, Inspector REDACTED returned to the room and noted the animal remained conscious. The animal was standing on all four feet, had controlled movement, and was looking around while in the restrainer. The animal did not vocalize and no to little blood was seen from the wound/mark that was made in the hide. The employee immediately reloaded the firearm and applied the second stun using the same gauge firearm. The second stun rendered the steer unconscious, the tongue was limp and to the side, no muscle tone to hold the head up, and did not attempt to right itself. Blood was present from the second hole. The animal was verified unconscious. The restrainer was tagged immediately with U.S. Reject tag number B39 491647. Mr. Justin Hill (Owner) was notified of the noncompliance. Two stun wounds were observed on postmortem examination: one 2 inches above the second. The lower stun was in the middle of the eye/ear cross pattern and was 4 inches deep. The upper stun was 3.5 inches deep. Both stun attempts were made using the same .410 rifle that uses a single cartridge for the firing mechanism. The establishment failed to comply with 9 CFR 313.16(a) by not rendering the animal immediately unconscious. Preventive measures given to Inspector REDACTED and U.S. reject tag removed at 1140hrs on 7/29/21.

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

HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 11:15 AM, we (Mr. REDACTED, CSI; Ms. REDACTED, CSI in training; and Dr. REDACTED, PHV) observed the following humane handling noncompliance with swine slaughter. Due to safety concerns with firearms for livestock stunning, we remain in the office during the stunning procedure. We heard a firearm discharge and immediately after the firearm discharge, we heard loud uncontrolled squealing from the animal being stunned. When we opened the door from the USDA Office (which is adjacent to the slaughter floor), Mr. REDACTED and Ms. REDACTED observed the conscious hog, squealing and standing. The hog was backing out of the large animal restraining chute into the loading alleyway into the antemortem area. We remained in the doorway between the USDA office and the slaughter floor. We heard additional vocalization from the animal and after an extended time period we heard a second firearm discharge. We entered the antemortem area and confirmed the animal was rendered unconscious. Ms. REDACTED placed a U.S. Reject Tag #B39 491649 on the stunning chute and informed Mr. Justin Hill, Establishment Owner, of the forthcoming noncompliance record. Upon post-mortem examination we observed one stun attempt had entered the hogs head approximately 5 inches above the end of the nose and approximately 2 1⁄2 inches to the left side of the centerline of the hog’s nose with the trajectory in an upward motion. A second stun attempt was in the middle of the eye/ear cross pattern. Both stun attempts were made with a .22 caliber long rifle. The establishment failed to comply with 9 CFR 313.16(a)(1) by not rendering the animal immediately unconsciousness and 313.16(b)(1)(iii) for lack of proper restraint of the animal. Mr. REDACTED notified Mr. Hill that Dr. REDACTED would be contacting the Des Moines District Office through supervisory channels for further guidance regarding possible enforcement action.