American Beef Packers, Inc.: Non-Compliance to Humane Livestock Handling in 2022 (USDA)

313.15(a)(1)

On July 20, 2022, CSI REDACTED assigned to conduct antemortem inspection and perform verification tasks in humane handling of livestock observed the following noncompliance. At approximately 0735 hours, CSI REDACTED notified me that he saw a dairy cow loose in the parking lot close to unloading ramp area and plant employees were trying to herd it back into holding pen # 5. He also observed that employees were able to herd the cow back into stunning line and up to serpentine area. I walked to corral area and observed the cow was bleeding from the wound in its head but was still standing, blinking, and looking around in the serpentine. REDACTED, Corral Manager, herded the cow back into the restrainer and establishment employee stunned the cow using handled captive bolt gun. Plant employee (operator) applied the stun to the back of the head (poll) which rendered it unconscious. When establishment employees split the skull, I observed a hole that penetrated the skull on the midline but was approximately 3⁄4 inches below the edge of cranial cavity and did not penetrate the brain. I also confirmed hole/damage in the poll region. I applied USDA Reject tag # B35 489819 to the restrainer and notified Food Safety Manager REDACTED and REDACTED of the noncompliance and that no further slaughter could occur due to the inhumane handling of livestock. This is an egregious noncompliance to 9 CFR 313.15(a)(1) which states: “The captive bolt stunners shall be applied to the livestock in accordance with this section to produce immediate unconsciousness in the animals before they are shackled, hoisted, thrown, cast, or cut. The animals shall be stunned in such a manner that they will be rendered unconscious with a minimum of excitement and discomfort.” This event resulted in a reinstatement of suspension for inspection services.

313.2

On June 15, 2022 at approximately1200 hours, I, IIC Dr. REDACTED, and FLS REDACTED walked to the corral area to verify compliance with the humane handling requirements. We observed one semitrailer backed up to the unloading ramp and heard loud vocalization of cattle coming from the trailer.  Upon closer inspection, we observed an overcrowding of animals on the lower level of the trailer, approximately 19 dairy steers were loaded in the middle compartment/section of the trailer. There were cows lying down on top of other cows, most of them were panting and some were overturned with hooves in the air. Many of the animals displayed signs of discomfort and injury, had open mouth breathing and frothy secretions from the mouth and nostrils, and were found to be under extreme stress. I immediately notified Corral Supervisor Mr. REDACTED and Food Safety Manager Mr. REDACTED who arrived at approximately 1215 hours and REDACTED started taking actions. In this crucial situation due to the extreme temperatures (92°F) and overcrowding conditions, the livestock was not timely unloaded until I approached plant management to notify them of the conditions observed. Mr. REDACTED and establishment employees started euthanizing the nonambulatory cattle at the unloading end of the trailer before Mr. REDACTED arrived in the area. Establishment employees euthanized and removed several of the non-ambulatory animals from the trailer. During this action several plant employees began using the rattle paddles in an attempt to get the animals to rise. When those efforts using the rattle paddles were unsuccessful, the employees then began lifting the animals by their tails to upright them and get them to stand. We informed Mr. REDACTED of the observations and requested the employees use a different method to get them to stand. Plant employees started using rattle paddles to get the cattle to stand. On the second level of the trailer, we observed several cattle trampling on nonambulatory cattle while being unloaded from the trailer. I was informed by Mr. REDACTED that the steers were from REDACTED and had foot and leg problems in addition to swollen joints. U.S. Reject tag # B35489676 was applied to the restrainer. This event is an egregious noncompliance to Title 9 CFR 313.2(a) which states in part: “Driving of livestock from the unloading ramps to the holding pens and from the holding pens to the stunning area shall be done with a minimum of excitement and discomfort to the animals.” The event resulted in an enforcement action issued to the establishment.