AK's Midstate Meats, LLC: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 8:15am on Wednesday 07/20/22 while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness on the kill floor, I, the Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian (SPHV), and the Consumer Safety Inspector (CSI) observed the following non-compliance. I observed the stun operator administer two stun attempts to render a heifer unconscious utilizing a .357 revolver for both attempts. The stun operator did not have to reload the revolver in between stunning attempts. Following the first stun attempt, I observed the animal remain standing with leg movement for approximately five seconds. No vocalization was observed. I observed the stun operator immediately apply the second stun, which effectively rendered the animal unconscious. After skinning the head, the CSI and I inspected the dressed head and observed two penetrating stun holes. One hole was too far rostral and lateral on the forehead. A second hole was in the proper place to enter the brain cavity. Due to the application of prompt corrective actions a regulatory control action was not taken. The plant manager and the stun operator were verbally notified of the impending non-compliance record. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. The establishment is operating in a suspension under abeyance with a verification plan. This noncompliance report (NR) is being associated with NZS1615061123N/1 issued on 06/23/2022 for the same root cause.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 9:30am on Thursday 06/23/2022 while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness on the kill floor, I, the Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian, and the Consumer Safety Inspector observed the following non-compliance. I observed the plant manager performing as stun operator administer four stun attempts to render a steer unconscious utilizing a .357 revolver for all attempts. The stun operator did not have to reload the revolver in between stunning attempts. Following the first stun attempt, I observed the animal remain standing with moderate movement of legs and body. No vocalization was observed. I observed the stun operator immediately apply the second stun. Following the second stun attempt, I observed the animal’s rear end drop to a sitting position, and then the animal stood back up on all four legs and continue to move around the stun box. I observed the stun operator immediately apply the third stun. Following the third stun, I observed the animal’s rear end drop to a sitting position. I observed the stun operator remove the firearm from the kill floor. The animal was left in the stun box in the sitting position. After approximately 60 seconds I moved positions to be able to better observe the animal for signs of consciousness. I observed that the animal’s neck had been cut and was bleeding. I observed the animal gasping for breath with controlled tongue movements and nostrils flaring. After approximately another 60 seconds, the stun operator retrieved the firearm and applied the fourth stun which effectively rendered the animal unconscious. The CSI and I inspected the dressed and split head and observed four penetrating stun holes. All four holes were rostral on the forehead. One hole entered the nasal cavity. The three remaining holes entered the skull at the very rostral tip of the brain cavity but did not penetrate the brain; there was no visible damage to the brain. The stun box was rejected with US Reject/Retain tag no. B37157092. The plant manager was verbally notified of the impending non-compliance. The Denver District Management was contacted through supervisory channels. This noncompliance report (NR) is being associated to NZS001603018N/1 issued on 3/28/2022 for the same root cause.

313.16(a)(1)

At approximately 11:40am on Monday 03/28/22 while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness on the kill floor, I, the CSI observed the following non-compliance. I observed the stun operator administer two stun attempts to render a steer unconscious utilizing a .357 revolver for both attempts. The stun operator did not have to reload the revolver in between stunning attempts. Following the first stun attempt, I observed the animal remain standing. No vocalization was observed. I observed the stun operator immediately apply the second stun, which effectively rendered the animal unconscious. After skinning the head, I inspected the dressed head and observed two penetrating stun holes. One hole was too far rostral on the forehead where the bullet entered the nasal cavity and exited through the cheek. A second hole entered the skull and brain cavity. Due to the application of prompt corrective actions a regulatory control action was not taken. The plant manager and stun operator were verbally notified of the impending non-compliance record. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause within the past 90 days.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 8:30am on Tuesday 12/14/21 while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness on the kill floor we, the SPHV and the CSI, observed the following non-compliance. We observed a male goat with large horns restrained by the stun operator holding the horns by hand on the open kill floor. We observed the stun operator administer three stun attempts to render the goat unconscious utilizing a .22 revolver for the first two attempts followed by a captive bolt for the third attempt. The first stun attempt with the .22 revolver did not discharge a round. There was a quiet pop with no reaction from the goat. We observed the goat remain standing with no movement or vocalization. The stun operator did not have to reload the revolver in between the first two stunning attempts. The second stun attempt with the .22 revolver did discharge a round. There was an appropriate audible bang with a reaction from the goat due to contact with the bullet. We observed the goat remain standing with legs shaking and vocalize a single, short bleat. The stun operator remained on the kill floor restraining the goat while a second employee immediately retrieved the captive bolt from storage just outside the small kill floor. We observed the stun operator apply the third effective stun with the captive bolt, which immediately rendered the animal unconscious, approximately 10 seconds after the initial attempt. After skinning and splitting the head, we inspected the dressed head and observed a single penetrating hole to the back of the skull with remnants of a single .22 bullet in the skull outside of the brain cavity. The single .22 bullet discharged was in the correct place but did not penetrate the skull to the brain. The captive bolt penetrated the brain to render the goat unconscious. Due to the application of prompt corrective actions, a regulatory control action was not taken. The stun operator and plant manager were verbally notified on the impending non-compliance. There have not been any noncompliance reports (NR) with the same root cause issued in the last 90 days.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 10:50am on Monday 11/22/21 while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness on the kill floor, I, Ms. REDACTED CSI observed the following non-compliance. I observed the stun operator administer two stuns to render a cow unconscious utilizing a .357 revolver for both attempts. The stun operator did not have to reload the revolver in between stunning attempts. Following the first stun attempt, I observed the animal remain standing, swing its tail and shuffle its feet and legs in the stun box. No vocalization was observed. I observed the stun operator apply the second effective stun, which immediately rendered the animal unconscious. After skinning the head, Ms. REDACTED inspected the dressed head and observed two penetrating holes. One hole was too far rostral on the forehead where the bullet entered the nasal cavity and exited through the check. The second hole entered the skull and brain cavity. Due to the application of prompt corrective actions a regulatory control action was not taken. Mr. REDACTED, plant manager, and Mr. REDACTED, stun operator, were verbally notified of the impending non-compliance record. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. This noncompliance record is being associated with NR#NZS1117112415N/1 which was issued on November 15, 2021 for the same root cause.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 12:00pm on Monday 11/22/21 while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness on the kill floor, I, Ms. REDACTED CSI and Dr. REDACTED SPHV, observed the following non-compliance. I, Ms. REDACTED, observed the stun operator administer two stuns to render a heifer unconscious utilizing a .357 revolver for both attempts. The stun operator did not have to reload the revolver in between stunning attempts. Following the first stun attempt, I observed the animal drop down on its front knees, stand back up, swing its tail and shuffle its feet and legs in the stun box. No vocalization was observed. I observed the stun operator apply the second effective stun, which immediately rendered the animal unconscious. After skinning the head, Ms. REDACTED and Dr. REDACTED inspected the dressed head and observed two penetrating holes. One hole was too far rostral on the forehead where the bullet entered the nasal cavity and exited through the cheek. The second hole entered the skull and brain cavity. Due to the application of prompt corrective actions and this being the last animal slaughtered for the day, a regulatory control action was not taken. Mr. REDACTED, plant manager and stun operator, was verbally notified of the impending non-compliance record. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. This noncompliance record is being associated with NR#(NZS0811113723N/1) issued earlier today (11/22/2021) for the same root cause.

313.16(a)(1)

HATS Category VIII: Stunning Effectiveness At approximately 10:45am on Monday 11/15/21 while verifying HATS Category VIII Stunning Effectiveness on the kill floor, I, Dr. REDACTED SPHV, and Ms. REDACTED CSI observed the following non-compliance. I observed the stun operator administer two stuns to render a steer unconscious utilizing a .357 revolver for both attempts. The stun operator did not have to reload the revolver in between stunning attempts. Following the first stun attempt, I observed the animal remain standing, swing its tail and shuffle its feet and legs in the stun box. No vocalization was observed. I observed the stun operator apply the second effective stun, which immediately rendered the animal unconscious. After skinning the head, Ms. REDACTED and I inspected the dressed head and observed two penetrating holes. One hole was too far rostral on the forehead where the bullet entered the nasal cavity and exited through the check. The second hole entered the skull and brain cavity. Due to the application of prompt corrective actions and this being the last animal slaughtered for the day, a regulatory control action was not taken. Due to the absence of Mr. REDACTED, plant manager, Mr. REDACTED, stun operator, was verbally notified of the impending non-compliance record. The Denver District Management Team was contacted through supervisory channels. There have been no noncompliance records issued for the same root cause within the past 90 days.