South 40 Farms, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2021 (USDA)
See the detail of the non-compliance of humane livestock handling that the USDA observed at the South 40 Farms, LLC slaughterhouse establishment in 2021.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2021.
313.15(a)(1)
As of approximately 0900hrs, while verifying HATS Category VIII – Stunning Effectiveness, Inspector REDACTED observed a beef cow put in to the restrainer. The animal did not move into the head restraint as designed. Establishment personnel used a hand-held captive bolt device that uses a single cartridge for the firing mechanism for stunning. The establishment personnel using the hand-held captive bolt attempted to stun the animal without any restraint being instituted. On the first attempt with the hand-held captive bolt device it made a hole/mark on the hide of the animal and the animal remained conscious. The animal remained standing on all four feet and had controlled movement looking around while in the restrainer. The animal did not vocalize and no blood was seen from the wound. The employee with the hand-held captive bolt device immediately reloaded the stunning device and applied the second stun. After the second stun the animal went down, 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. A third safety stun was applied with the hand-held captive bolt device. After the head was skinned it was determined that the first stun was closer to between the eyes than on the forehead (approximately six inches from the poll of the head and right of center less than 1 inch)and when a knife was inserted the depth was measured at approximately one and a half inches in depth. The second and third stuns were together (approximately four and a half inches from the poll of the head and in the center) of the forehead and were four inches in depth. The same hand-held captive bolt gun was used on all three attempts. The restrainer was tagged immediately with U.S. Reject tag number B19 415944. Mr. John Roswech (Owner) was notified of the noncompliance. Mr. REDACTED, Barn Manager, was notified of and observed the noncompliance. Verbal preventive measures given to Inspector REDACTED and U.S. reject tag removed at 1530hrs on 4/30/21.
