3D Meats, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.30(a)(4)

HATS Category IX- Conscious Animals on the Rail On 08-29-2022 at approximately 1045 hours while performing the Livestock Humane Handling task the following incident was observed. On the Harvest Floor CSI REDACTED observed an establishment employee performing the stunning procedure on a lamb. The employee using an electrical stunning device applied the device to the lamb’s head at which time it collapsed onto the floor. The employee then applied the electrical stunning device to the lamb’s head and chest cavity. The lamb was then shackled and hoisted onto the rail by the employee in the stunning area. CSI REDACTED then observed the lamb trying to right itself by raising its head dorsally. At this time another establishment employee grabbed the lamb, and the neck was cut. CSI REDACTED then observed the lamb still attempting to right itself by raising its head dorsally with its eyes tracking.   CSI REDACTED verbally informed establishment to stop harvesting.   US Retain Tag No. B41901139 was applied to the stunning area and Dr. REDACTED was verbally notified.  This observation is a violation of 9 CFR 313.30(a)(4) as the animal regained consciousness and the establishment failed to take corrective actions before cutting the animal.   The Front Line Supervisor and Chicago District Office were then contacted and the incident was relayed to them.   The Chicago District Office issued a Notice of Suspension (NOS) for the egregious event.

313.30(b)(2),313.15 (b)(1)(ii),313.2,313.15(a)(1)

Category VIII- Stunning Effectiveness On 10/25/2021 at approximately 6:57 AM IIC SPHV Dr. REDACTED observed the following noncompliance while performing the Livestock Humane Handling Task. While standing in the doorway between the offal room, which contains the hog stunning pen, and the slaughter floor observing the recently stunned hogs being hung and stuck on the line, IIC heard a pig vocalizing coming from the stunning pen. IIC observed one of the two pigs in the pen rear up dorsally with its forelimbs extended. The pig appeared to have his ears pinned back but remained standing in the knock box. An establishment employee, REDACTED, who was standing directly behind the hog holding the electrical stunning wand proceeded to hang the Y-electrical stunning device over the pen side wall and retreated from the stunning pen onto the slaughter floor and proceeded to discuss the occurrence with establishment management, REDACTED and establishment supervisor REDACTED. Mr. REDACTED instructed the employee to retrieve a second/ backup stunning device. IIC notified the establishment to not proceed with further stunning due to the observed response from the hog and consulted with the DVMS. Due to the vantage point of the IIC, it cannot be confirmed that an electrical charge was deployed when the Y-electrical stunning wand was applied to the hog due to the location of observing this incident. This incident is noncompliant with 9 CFR 313.2(a) and 9 CFR 313.30(b)(2). IIC discussed this incident with the establishment management, REDACTED, and Mr. REDACTED decided to utilize the establishments captive bolt gun instead of the electrical stunning device. At approximately 7:15 AM, establishment supervisor REDACTED placed one of the two available captive bolt guns to the head of one of the two hogs in the stunning pen. The device discharged with a loud audible sound. The pig remained standing and had an approximately 5 cm diameter dark gray to black circular spot of the head and a 1⁄4-1/2 centimeter depression in the center of the head. The lesion appeared to be a nonpenetrating wound that did not bleed. REDACTED, stated that the charge in the device was a “blank” and proceeded to dismantle the device to remove the old charge and insert a new charge. IIC informed, REDACTED and REDACTED, that the incident observed may be egregious and all slaughter activity is suspended until the observation can be discussed with the DVMS. IIC placed a regulatory control tag on the knock box (Tag No. B32709400) and contacted the DVMS Dr. REDACTED to discuss the observation. Upon describing the sequence of events, IIC was instructed to take regulatory control over the defective captive bolt device (Tag No. B41938313) and the electrical stunning device (Tag No. B41938314). These items were removed from production until it can be demonstrated that the captive bold device and the electrical stunning device will work effectively and efficiently when used. Regulatory control action was released on the hog stunning pen. Establishment management, REDACTED and REDACTED, were counseled on the importance of performing immediate corrective action when stunning animals. This observation is noncompliant with 9CFR 313.15(a)(1) and 313.15(b)(1)(ii).