Steve & Laura, 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 Steve & Laura, LLC slaughterhouse establishment in 2021.
You can also see other establishments that were non-compliant in 2021.
313.16(a)(1)
On Thursday, July 22, 2021 at approximately 11:55am at Steve and Laura, LLC mobile slaughter unit I, CSI REDACTED witnessed a noncompliance while completing the HATS VIII task. A steer was loaded into the kill chute and its head was locked into the head gate. An employee used a 410 shotgun to attempt to render the steer unconscious. After the shot, the animal was still standing and moving its head back and forth. A second employee holding another 410 shotgun, shot the animal and successfully rendered the animal unconscious. After the head was removed and examined, two entry holes were in the skull. The first hole was low and angled upward to the brain. The second and successful shot was in the correct placement and angled inward toward the brain. This is a noncompliance of 9 CFR 313.16(a)(1) which states “...firearms shall be employed in the delivery of a bullet or projectile into the animal in accordance with this section so as to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animal by a single shot...”. This noncompliance is associated with record number IIS5509060710N. The establishment failed to follow their corrective actions. I informed REDACTED, lead butcher of the noncompliance.
313.16(a)(1)
On June 10, 2021 at approximately 9:22 AM while preforming the Livestock Humane Handling Task for stunning effectiveness (HATS Task VIII) for Steve & Laura LLC I, CSI REDACTED observed the following: The beef animal was in the kill chute with the head gate utilized. The employee used a .410 shotgun at point blank range. After the gun fired, the animal remained standing, blood dripping from its mouth, with eye tracking and back and forth conscious head movements. Another employee standing at the head gate exchanged a preloaded .410 shotgun with the original employee who immediately took another shot. This shot rendered the animal unconscious. The animal was not standing, no eye tracing or reflexive movements after the employee touched the eye and pulled the tongue of the animal. After the head was removed 2 entry points were visible. The first shot taken was low-center and angled downward toward the sinus cavity. The successful second shot was placed within correct area with the bullet entering the cranial cavity as brain matter was seen on the exterior. This observation is in noncompliance with 313.16 (a)(1), “firearms shall be employed in the delivery of a bullet or projectile into the animal in accordance with this section so as to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animal by a single shot....” I notified REDACTED, lead butcher, of the noncompliance.
